Australian military members began their exit from Iraq last Sunday--could a US withdrawal be far behind?

As one of President Bush's staunchest allies in the 'global war on terror', Australia have stood shoulder to shoulder with the US and other coalition partners since the planning for the Iraq invasion in 2003. From January of that year, elements of that country's military have been involved in one form or another in the pre-deployment, invasion and occupation phases inside Iraq but, as of June 1st, that support has come to an end. This shift is due to the recent defeat of conservative Australian prime minister John Howard and the installation of his long-time anti-war Labour opponent Kevin Rudd. One of his campaign pledges was to extract all of his nation's combat troops from Iraq after he won his election (that happened last November) and he has fulfilled that promise less than 6 months after being installed into his leadership position.

There's someone who gets it:

Rudd has said the Iraq deployment has made Australia more of a target for terrorism.

Last November, after 11 years of Neo-con rule in Australia under GWB’s "Man of Steel" know as his deputy sheriff in the South Pacific, John Howard. Progressive Australian's celebrated the return of the "Labor" government to power. Today we find that our "Labor" party doesn’t trust the workers, and instead want’s to give unprecedented power to corporations.

The discussion with Charles Schumer yesterday made it clear that the Democratic Party within the legislative branch is not ready to make progressive choices. The differing experience of the Labour party in the United Kingdom and in Australia indicate choices available to US progressives in these circumstances.

"There comes a time in the history of nations when their peoples must become fully reconciled to their past if they are to go forward with confidence to embrace their future. Our nation, Australia, has reached such a time. That is why the parliament is today here assembled: to deal with this unfinished business of the nation, to remove a great stain from the nation’s soul and, in a true spirit of reconciliation, to open a new chapter in the history of this great land, Australia.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, 13 February 2008.

This is a diary about the stories that form a country. About the actions, decisions, events and ramifications that crystallise the collective consciousness of a nation. It’s a story about confronting an attempted cultural genocide. It’s a story about grief, healing, and finally, hope. It’s a long story in itself, but I hope you’ll come with me, because I watched history being made yesterday, and it was an incredible privilege that I want to tell and share. I've included music to help you on the journey.

Doing a little research, I came across this web site that reveals that Rudd has committed to continue what is called the Military Intervention into the Northern Territory, and concurrently, the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act will continue, although Rudd has signaled he is open to change.

As I write this, Australia’s parliament sits, and for the first time in 11 years, a leftist centralist Labor Party, sits on the Government benches. The is not only historic because Australia has shrugged off a Neo-con government which embarrassed us at home and overseas, but also after a long wait, the house will finally say sorry to Australia’s first people, and a practice that resulted in a group know as the "Stolen Generation".

Update: The Entire Apology [end update]

I just got a call from my Aussie other half and she said the Australian parliament is about to begin a session in which the new (dirty freaking hippie) PM Kevin Rudd will officially apologize to the Aboriginal people.

She'd gotten a call from her sis, in tears, and called me in tears just to let me know. Goddam, moments like these remind me why I'm on this side of the political sphere.

Links below.

This is my first diary entry, to introduce my perspective on US politics which is from very far away. Specifically Melbourne, Australia. Why bother you ask? Well a different perspective might help. A little distance can be a good thing, so maybe a really big distance is even better. Besides, we're all in this together (yes, really).

I'm a dual Australian/US citizen having been born in Boston whilst my parents were studying and working there. When it comes to US politics I am in fact a Boston born, Kennedy loving, bleeding heart, white, liberal Democrat. Just so we're clear.

From No Right Turn - New Zealand's liberal blog:

During the election campaign, Australia's then-opposition leader made ratifying Kyoto the top of his list of things he would do if elected.  He was elected - and he has been true to his word:

Australian Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd has been sworn in as prime minister, following a landslide victory in parliamentary elections last week.

Immediately after the ceremony, Mr Rudd signed documents to ratify the Kyoto Protocol on climate change, reversing the previous administration's policy.

"This is the first official act of the new Australian government," he said.

The US is now totally isolated as the only developed nation opposed to taking real action on climate change.  So, is there a chance of seeing a change in policy any time soon?

As most of us have heard by now, there has been a total political realignment in the Australian Parliament. One of the more interesting changes is the new environmental minister:

Former Midnight Oil rocker Garrett named Australia's environment minister

SYDNEY, Australia - Peter Garrett - the towering, baldheaded former singer of the disbanded Australian rock group Midnight Oil - continued his long, strange tour from pop star to politician Thursday when he was named Australia's environment minister.

With his wild dancing and strident voice, Garrett was one of Australia's most recognizable singers until his band broke up in 2002, after belting out politically charged hits for more than 25 years.

Garrett founded Midnight Oil when he was a law student in 1973, but the semi-punk rock group did not achieve global fame until its 1987 track "Beds are Burning" - a protest song about Aboriginal land rights in Australia.

As you know Australia has a new Prime minister, Kevin Rudd, who swept into power last weekend and already is hard at work proposing a dizzying array of reforms and pledges such as the immediate signing of the Kyoto Protocol and as Roger Lamb’s diary mentioned earlier today, a sweeping revue of the homeless and their plight. Not bad for a day's work.

I remember clearly having conversations with Ms AAf on the  lack of vision from GWB in his first year of office as we both wondered how such a man with scant intellect could govern a country as important as the United States in the years to come. Then of course came 9/11 to save his bacon, so to speak (his ratings then were in April 26, 2001 - 100 Days in office, 52 positive, 44 negative) Imagine for a moment what Al gore could have achieved in his first 100 days in office had he been not robbed of the election. Hence the comparison with Kevin Rudd in this diary.

Over the jump, if you will!    

Meanwhile, back in Australia, the new Prime Minister-elect has given his ministers some homework.

The ministers' first task will require them to visit a homeless shelter in or near their electorate, and report back to him about the conditions.

Mr Rudd says he intends to tackle the issue of homelessness.

'The turn away rate for people who present at homeless shelters is horrific ... rates of something like 80 or 90 per cent.'

This - added to the news reported here that the former rock star, Midnight Oil singer Peter Garrett, has been appointed (by Rudd) to be Australia's minister for the environment - is contributing to a growing feeling, near visceral, that we just might have a good one here.

The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent
To pay our share

The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
Let's give it baaaack

I'm going to apologize up front for the brevity of this diary, but I think it's the coolest story I've seen in a while.  Remember the half-crazed-looking bald guy that used to sing for Midnight Oil?  He's now the new
Australian environment minister!  Yeah!

Australia's contribution to fighting the Iraq War was small, but now it's likely that it'll be a lot smaller.

With the terrific news still streaming in that is predicting an overwhelming win for the Australian Labor Party (ALP), the implications in that country are obvious and very distinct.  To name a few, Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd will demand that the government and states take a greater role in health administration, phase out many of the adverse effects of WorkChoices, such as the restrictions to collective bargaining, recognize and take on the climate crisis, and implement a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

Australia’s long dark teatime of the soul is finally over.

Prime Minister John Howard - neo-con, monetarist, xenophobe, racist, warmonger, global warming enabler, and all around Bush toady - has lost the election to Kevin Rudd and the Labour Party. Right now it looks like Howard will even lose his own seat.

Goodbye, good riddance, and don’t let the House door hit you in the ass on the way out.

Tomorrow, 24 November 2007, Australia will go to the polls in a Federal election. The choice between the opposition Australian Labor Party and the government coalition between the Liberal and (junior partner) National parties couldn't be more clear to most of us on here; not so in Australia...