by Caitlin Johnstone, Caitlin Johnstone:
The US government is permitted to have nuclear weapons in Australia. What’s more, Australians are not permitted to know whether or not this is happening. What’s more, not even Australia’s elected senators are permitted to know whether this is happening. It’s assumed to be none of Australia’s business whether there are foreign nuclear weapons in Australia.
This was clarified during a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday, when Greens senators were condescendingly admonished by the Australian foreign minister for the very normal and appropriate attempt to clarify the government’s policy regarding the presence of US armageddon weapons on Australian soil.
TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/
ABC News reports:
During a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday Greens senators sought details on whether visiting American aircraft such as the B-52s operating out of the Top End are ever nuclear armed.
The committee was told the United States had a longstanding policy of “neither confirming or denying” the presence of nuclear weapons under its practice of maintaining global operational unpredictability.
US bomber aircraft have been visiting Australia since the early 1980s, with nuclear-capable B-52s and B2 Sprits regularly operating out of northern Australia.
Defence Department secretary Greg Moriarty said the “stationing of nuclear weapons” in Australia was prohibited under the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty, but the treaty did not prevent visits by the US bombers.
— KellieTranter (@KellieTranter) February 15, 2023
Foreign Minister Penny Wong was bizarrely hostile toward Senator David Shoebridge’s line of questioning on US nuclear weapons in Australia, angrily accusing him of trying to “make a political point” and acting in a way that is not “responsible or fair to the Australian community,” just for seeking answers beyond stock “the US can neither confirm nor deny” responses on this extremely important matter.
So there you have it. The US does indeed have permission to bring weapons into Australia which can turn the nation into a nuclear target, and Australians not only have no say in the matter but are also not allowed to know anything about it. It’s actually kind of rude and offensive for you to even ask.
Can you imagine if another country tried to do this to the US? Can you imagine how quickly a nation like India or France would be laughed out of the room if they told Washington they want the right to bring nuclear weapons in and out of the continental United States, but it’s none of the US’s business if they do? Nobody would give it a single thought, because it’s understood that the United States is the rightful ruler of this planet.
The Greens delivered a strong response to this whole ordeal, correctly accusing the Australian government of subverting Australian interests to advance US interests.
“The decision for the Australian Government to allow American B-52s into Australia is another clear example of successive major party governments selling out Australian interests for the Americans,” said Greens Senator and Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Jordon Steele John said in a statement. “Whether it be the AUKUS pact, the coverup of how Australia became involved in the illegal US invasion of Iraq or this newest escalation in the force posture agreement. When it comes to the US, there is no Australian interest this government has not been willing to sell out.
Read More @ CaitlinJohnstone.com
