on 23/11/2007, Han supposed :

(snip)

Thanks Mekon, for the explanations! I was wondering what part foreign
politics play in your elections, especially Middle East politics.

Almost none, except as related to where and when our troops fight over
there.

Australia has a long standing practice wth the US that anytime they
have a war we will be the first to help. The US likes this cos it looks
like it is the sane end of world fighting the foe and it may encourage
others to join in. Every war that the US has been in since WWI we have
sent troops.(The US went into Granada before we had the chance to send
anyone to help)
Australia does this because we have Indonesia immediately to the north.
Indonesia is a Moslem country run by the military, overpopulated and
generally poor. Should they choose to invade, we would probably run out
of ammunition on the third day of hostilities. I think the plan is to
hold them till the US and Britain arrives.
The Australian armed services train to fight an imaginary country
called Musoria. It is the same size, location, religion & has the same
religion, weapons, language, training and tactics as Indonesia.



What's "IR"?

Industrial relations, the relationship between workers and employees.

In Holland also, the liberals are really the main conservative party, but
here in the US, most Republicans are further to the right.

I think Hitler and Mussolini would be all that is further to the right
than the Republicans, huh?

Mekon