Mallee,
Goodale(CA)/Downer(AU) have way too much in common...
I was scanning for the AWB and came across this:
History buff will be contemplating his own legacy
Craig Skehan
November 27, 2007
THE in-some-circles popular notion that Alexander Downer is no more than a buffoon masks another side: that of a man with an eye to history and its legacies.
So it is that after a record 11½ years as Foreign Minister, his thoughts must be turning to his own legacy.
Despite the bluster of political rhetoric and alliance diplomacy, it seems highly likely that in his own heart of hearts he would deem the Australian-backed 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq to be a humanitarian and strategic disaster.
"He is very, very well read on history," one long-time associate said yesterday. "And I think within himself, he never really recovered from the Iraq policy failure."
After a short, ill-fated stint as opposition leader, marred by the "things that batter" and other gaffes, as Foreign Minister Mr Downer returned to his career roots as a diplomat.
He mastered myriad policy briefs and, where he was successful in terms of personal diplomacy, it was sometimes courtesy of an easy charm and off-beat penchant for self-deprecation.
He started off his job on the wrong foot, by on the harshest interpretation misleading Parliament on an Asia-Pacific regional backlash over plans to scrap financing for infrastructure projects. And a joke went that for a while that Mr Downer would not order a new coffee pot for his office without first clearing it with John Howard's office.
But he developed competence in the technical aspects of his portfolio and in squeezing national economic advantages from foreign policy pursuits, even if he did not build a reputation for visionary initiatives.
His capacity to front the media on just about any subject earned a grudging respect from many parliamentary colleagues, but a measure of derision from others.
On East Timor, the Downer legacy is not entirely written, as that small nation struggles to achieve stability and benefit from its natural resources wealth. After sharing with Labor the odium of having appeased Indonesian annexation, he atoned by supporting an act of self-determination, even if standing up to the Jakarta back-militias was belated.
In the Pacific, not least in the strife-torn Solomon Islands, to his credit Mr Downer shifted to a more hands-on approach, tackling problems ranging from infant mortality to corruption.
In terms of personal survival, Mr Downer had to draw on his not inconsiderable cunning to worm his way out of at least partial responsibility for the AWB Iraq wheat sales kickback scandal.
While traversing the globe, the "Energizer Bunny" harboured hopes of the winning the Liberal deputy leadership, or even regaining the top job.
It has only been in recent times that his driving ambition has started to fade. But Mr Downer might even yet fit himself with new batteries."
Both of these guys (Goodale and Downer)know more about Iraq/Wheat AWB / CWB involvement than we are likely ever to find out! Ministerial Privilege covers a multitude of "secrets"!
Goodale(CA)/Downer(AU) have way too much in common...
I was scanning for the AWB and came across this:
History buff will be contemplating his own legacy
Craig Skehan
November 27, 2007
THE in-some-circles popular notion that Alexander Downer is no more than a buffoon masks another side: that of a man with an eye to history and its legacies.
So it is that after a record 11½ years as Foreign Minister, his thoughts must be turning to his own legacy.
Despite the bluster of political rhetoric and alliance diplomacy, it seems highly likely that in his own heart of hearts he would deem the Australian-backed 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq to be a humanitarian and strategic disaster.
"He is very, very well read on history," one long-time associate said yesterday. "And I think within himself, he never really recovered from the Iraq policy failure."
After a short, ill-fated stint as opposition leader, marred by the "things that batter" and other gaffes, as Foreign Minister Mr Downer returned to his career roots as a diplomat.
He mastered myriad policy briefs and, where he was successful in terms of personal diplomacy, it was sometimes courtesy of an easy charm and off-beat penchant for self-deprecation.
He started off his job on the wrong foot, by on the harshest interpretation misleading Parliament on an Asia-Pacific regional backlash over plans to scrap financing for infrastructure projects. And a joke went that for a while that Mr Downer would not order a new coffee pot for his office without first clearing it with John Howard's office.
But he developed competence in the technical aspects of his portfolio and in squeezing national economic advantages from foreign policy pursuits, even if he did not build a reputation for visionary initiatives.
His capacity to front the media on just about any subject earned a grudging respect from many parliamentary colleagues, but a measure of derision from others.
On East Timor, the Downer legacy is not entirely written, as that small nation struggles to achieve stability and benefit from its natural resources wealth. After sharing with Labor the odium of having appeased Indonesian annexation, he atoned by supporting an act of self-determination, even if standing up to the Jakarta back-militias was belated.
In the Pacific, not least in the strife-torn Solomon Islands, to his credit Mr Downer shifted to a more hands-on approach, tackling problems ranging from infant mortality to corruption.
In terms of personal survival, Mr Downer had to draw on his not inconsiderable cunning to worm his way out of at least partial responsibility for the AWB Iraq wheat sales kickback scandal.
While traversing the globe, the "Energizer Bunny" harboured hopes of the winning the Liberal deputy leadership, or even regaining the top job.
It has only been in recent times that his driving ambition has started to fade. But Mr Downer might even yet fit himself with new batteries."
Both of these guys (Goodale and Downer)know more about Iraq/Wheat AWB / CWB involvement than we are likely ever to find out! Ministerial Privilege covers a multitude of "secrets"!
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