Thread by @PeterCronau

A pincer movement seems underway to spring #Assange before #Biden gets to Sydney—as hostility rises in Australia.

* Pressure from State Dept via Embassy on Assange camp
* Now pressure from Albanese for an Assange concession
* Hicks-style deal in prospect?

& #AUKUS unpopular
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2. And note the unpopularity of #AUKUS subs deal—seen as wastage of $360billion in face of collapse of public services, NDIS, Medicare, public education, slow disaster recovery, housing prices, rent rises, welfare payment real decline, rising homelessness.
Hence, pro-US PR…
🧵👇

3. Unpopularity of the US alliance in Australia is hugely significant — 👉👉 recent polling shows that the majority of Australians do NOT support Australia joining the US in any more wars, whether in the Middle East or more significantly against China.
🧵
declassifiedaus.org/2023/03/09/maj…

4. The same polling shows the majority of Australians want Australia to adopt a position of *armed neutrality* — they want a military that can defend against obvious threats (eg in East Timor) and do peacekeeping and aid missions — not to die as a mercenary army for America.
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5. The US has long coveted Australian ports & airfields for new US military bases — eg. RAAF Tindal as nuclear B-52 base, HMAS Stirling as nuclear subs base, Darwin as Marines base, and not forgetting Pine Gap spy base expansion — all targeting China.
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6. Notice how our own #ADF Media has been pumping out good news stories — even putting #AUKUS submarine-themed uniforms on the South’s NRL team for the Anzac Day game — all trying to win support from the unsuspecting public for the unpopular AUKUS deal with USA…
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7. So, it seems, it’s all about the US alliance & the #AUKUS military deal.

How absolutely goddam ironic that #WikiLeaks’ Julian #Assange may well find freedom due to PR efforts of two countries wanting to get Australians onboard for the next US war.
@WarPowersReform @IPAusNet