Donald Trump a 'critical threat' to Australia's interests

Australia was smart enough to force us to take illegals that are too dangerous to be allowed into Australia.
 
It is not our President's job to be concerned about another nation's interests. Mr. Trump, unlike his predecessor, is focussed on the interests of America and the American people. That is exactly how it should be.

Yeah, kill that barrier reef. Make America Great not Reefs.
 
All the way

Although the Holts enthusiastically shared the Menzies’ relish for opportunities to visit Britain, the most important relationship-building exchanges were with the United States. Nevertheless, the Holts visited England in the northern summer in 1966 and 1967, and attended functions at Buckingham Palace and weekends at Chequers with Prime Minister Harold Wilson. On the 1967 visit, Holt received the Companion of Honour (CH) from Queen Elizabeth.

But it was Harold Holt’s ‘most spectacular friendship’ with US President Lyndon Johnson that indicates the importance for Australia of the relationship with the United States in 1966 and 1967. Holt had first met Lyndon Johnson in Melbourne during 1942. More than 20 years later, both men had become the leaders of their respective nations, and Holt met with President Johnson on a visit to Washington in July 1966, en route to England. At that meeting, Holt picked up the Democratic Party’s campaign slogan ‘All the way with LBJ’. His impromptu addition of the slogan to the text of his remarks on the White House lawn immediately intensified Australian opposition to the war in Vietnam. While the Holts were in London after that first meeting, Johnson invited Holt back to Washington for further talks. Then, two months later, the Johnsons were prime ministerial guests in Australia, marking the first official visit by a US President. This historic and whirlwind trip of 20–23 October 1966 covered Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville. The last stop was a sentimental one – Johnson had been among US Navy personnel stationed in Townsville during World War II. It was also a strategic one – Townsville was Australia’s major northern Royal Australian Air Force base.

The presidential visit, immediately before Holt and Johnson attended the Manila ‘7-nation’ conference on Vietnam, and the federal election campaign soon after, were the focus for large anti-Vietnam war demonstrations. The reality of the alliance with the United States, nonetheless, brought support for the Holt government and an increased majority at the November election.

Six months later, when the Holts travelled to London via Ottawa for Expo ‘67, Washington meetings were first on the program. On the return journey they stayed with the Johnsons at the presidential summer resort, Camp David, in Maryland. The ease and compatibility of the two men was both a sign and a reinforcement of the strategic alliance Australia sought with the United States. The perception that compatibility with the United States was an imperative for Australia was a key principle of Australian diplomacy in the Vietnam years.

In office - Harold Holt - Australia's PMs - Australia's Prime Ministers
 
But it was Harold Holt’s ‘most spectacular friendship’ with US President Lyndon Johnson that indicates the importance for Australia of the relationship with the United States in 1966 and 1967.

One of Harold Holt's foreign policy achievements is tripling the number of Australian troops in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Australia had over 8,000 personnel stationed in South Vietnam in the final months of his prime ministership. Only South Korea sent thousands of ground troops to Vietnam aside from Australia.
 
I thought Australia only had one interest...

Craig-Jones-Grilled-shrimp.jpg
 

Forum List

Back
Top