[adventured]

Not just cyber attack, Australia is also under economic attack [1] for the same reason. And China just suddenly decided to sentence an Australian to death (same move they made against Canada), after five years of sitting on the case [2]. It's all about intimidation and leverage. China will press until Australia capitulates. Fortunately the Australians have backbone.

As a superpower capable of standing off with China, the US should be stepping in and offering very public political and economic support to Australia. It's the only approach that will work when dealing with China's new era of extreme belligerence. If the US were currently being led by a wiser politician, they would be rallying allies old and new (such as India) at China's expense.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/21/austr...

[2] https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/13/china/australian-drug-smuggli...

[_bxg1]

And instead our commander in chief prefers to insult allies old and new on Twitter

[microcolonel]

What do you think you're contributing with this?

[_bxg1]

Elaborating on verifiable facts that are relevant to the discussion?

[fit2rule]

Why is it the US' problem? If AUSTRALIA were currently being led by a wiser politician, or indeed had in the last .. 20 years .. been led by wise politicians .. it wouldn't be in this mess right now in the first place.

Its only because Australia kowtows with fluidity every time the US snaps its fingers that its in this mess right now. Australians need to stop being the lapdogs to the American empire, and start thinking about their own future. Australias future isn't white American: it is multi-cultural and mostly Asian.

[jacquesm]

Because Australians have been led to believe that the US and Australia are allies, resulting in Australia punching way above its weight in giving the USA cover whenever it went abroad, for instance in Iraq, Afghanistan and so on.

The usual understanding is that such loyalty is a two-way street. Not that the current US government cares about such pesky details but that's where it stands.

[ericmay]

Yea.... no thanks.

Australia is a liberal democracy, and turning away from that to the arms of communist, authoritarian China is simply a non-starter. Like America, Australia will be multi-ethnic, but it’s still a liberal democracy. America is a multi-ethnic liberal democracy too, and supports Australia against Chinese communism. The fact that the US will be less white in the future has no bearing on anything here. Do you think it’s only whites people in America who want to stand up against China? If it is, what does that say about the future of the world if nobody but white people care about liberal values? You’re kind of confirming the fears of white supremacists here.

[fit2rule]

I don't agree on any of these points, nor do I think the questions are of any relevance. But we will just have to end this thread now, as it is going to get flagged.

(Wouldn't it be nice if HN had a "Take it Private.." mode, hmm..)

[chrisseaton]

> Why is it the US' problem?

The US and Australia are allied. They're in Five Eyes together, for example.

[fit2rule]

Yeah, that's a heinous set of circumstances guaranteed lots and lots of future turmoil.