Editorial:

Kyoto ratification but Howard Government defiant

The decision of the Russian Government to ratify the Kyoto 
protocols last week and, thereby, provide sufficient signatories 
to bring the treaty into force, will be warmly welcomed by all 
who are genuinely concerned about the environment and the future 
of humanity.

The Russian decision puts pressure on the US and Australian 
Governments which continue to stubbornly refuse to ratify the 
treaty.

Howard's Environment Minister, Ian Campbell, dismissed the 
Russian decision declaring that it would not alter the Howard 
Government's decision not to ratify.

The Australian Government's cry is always the possible loss of 
jobs in the coal and energy industries. There is no real concern 
for the loss of life already being caused by pollution and the 
calamitous cyclones, floods and droughts or for the millions more 
who will suffer as the consequences of climate change intensify.

Their policies are a result of extreme shortsightedness and 
criminal behaviour by politicians such as Howard, Bush and 
others, whose lust for profits for the few blinds them to all 
other considerations. They are also a consequence of the Howard 
Government's decision to tag along with the US on so many foreign 
policy issues.

If it were only the issue of global warming and its consequences, 
that would be serious enough but there are also the issues of the 
invasion and occupation of Iraq, adoption of the US policy of 
pre-emptive strikes, support for Star Wars, the war on terrorism 
with its clear anti-Muslim orientation, stubborn support for the 
pro-Zionist Israeli government and disregard for the interests 
and rights of the Palestinian people, its aggressive attitude 
towards the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and its 
adoption of the notion of "failed states" and "rogue states" to 
mention a few examples.

This subservience to the interests of the US is determining the 
Howard Government's foreign policies. At the same time, there is 
a division of responsibility between Australia and the US in the 
South Pacific region that is creating the first signs of an anti-
Australian sentiment in the region. This is to be seen in the 
long-running dispute over oil exploitation rights in the seas 
between Australia and East Timor.

There are allegations coming from Vanuatu over the activities of 
two Federal Police officers stationed in that country who are 
accused of spying. Why are they stationed there? Vanuatu is not a 
"failed state", the excuse used for intervention elsewhere. What 
would Australian authorities say if PNG, the Solomon Islands, 
Fiji, Vanuatu, Indonesia and other countries of Asia and the 
Pacific decided to send their police officers to oversee what is 
going on in Australia or to instruct Australia's police how to do 
their work?

The present occupation of the Solomon Islands is a "big brother" 
act which has resulted in hundreds of Solomon Islanders being 
jailed at the command of Australian police stationed there. While 
some Solomon Islanders might welcome Australia's presence it is 
also likely that a strong resentment towards Australia will 
emerge in time.

No matter how much the Howard Government denies the charge of 
colonialism this is the right name to give to Australia's 
policies towards its smaller and weaker neighbours.

The huge boost to Australia's military hardware and troop numbers 
and Howard's open declaration that Australia would 
"unhesitatingly" intervene in the affairs of other countries is a 
warning to all countries in the region that the Government's talk 
of pre-emptive strike and the massive military build-up is aimed 
at them. There can be no other interpretation. The build-up has 
nothing to do with the defence of Australia as no country in the 
region can possibly pose any threat to Australia's territory.

The defeat of the Howard Government next Saturday would go some 
distance towards adoption by a new government of a less 
aggressive foreign policy while giving more emphasis to friendly, 
and we hope, equal relations with all our regional and Asian 
neighbours.

On the other hand, the re-election of Howard would be seen as an 
endorsement by the Australian people of Howard's pre-emptive 
strike policies. It will increase the Howard Government's 
arrogance towards our neighbours. It will make it very likely 
that new wars will be promoted which can only have very bad long-
term consequences for Australia.