Careful. Last time Australia threatened to deny America access to our intelligence apparatus they did a coup and took down our government
this post was submitted on 01 Mar 2025
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Thank you. I had no clue about this meddling. It's worth noting that M16 was involved as well, and the coup was conducted using archaic British monarchy laws.
There are circumstantial reasons to suspect MI6 (N.B.: Military Intelligence. Not the number 16.), and the Queen's involvement certainly makes it possible. But there isn't actually strong evidence that they were involved, and there's a much less clear motive for it. (Some general motive in terms of Australia moving to the left, but not the specific motive of the threat to shut down a CIA-run facility in Pine Gap.)
By contrast, we now know that the Governor General (the Queen's official representative in Australia) at the time was referred to as "our man" by the CIA and he involved with organisations that we now know were CIA funded. The CIA also had their "coupmaster" (nicknamed for his known involvement in other coups) appointed as Ambassador to Australia.
Thanks for the extra info. Seems highly likely. Also yeah I know it's MI6, I swear I typed that. I'm gonna blame autocorrect 😤
Why not kick the US out of 5 eyes.
I would think it mostly uses their infrastructure.
Australian here, yes please, if we can cancel AUKUS at the same time save us all a bunch of money that'd be cool too
You're right but it would be enormously complex. We'd actually have to set up a new, separate system, first, then leave, and do that without upsetting a notoriously thin-skinned sociopath, who would still, during the process, have all our secrets.
I disagree - everything we send goes to Moscow. Everything we get comes from Moscow. There is no value for us. There's nothing to lose by leaving.
I'm afraid there is, because Trump's vindictiveness won't stop with intelligence! Tariffs would be just the start.
Wow, this is like the country level of justifying staying with an abuser. If the USA is unreliable and insecure, because of trumps, but more because the American people voted him in and their government sees fit not to prevent the kind of issues he's causing. Then it's better to leave and face consequences, and retaliate appropriately now, than suffer and still face those same consequences later.
No, it isn't, because the first thing I said was:
You’re right
And the rest of my comment simply pointed out that it would be complex and risky - which is true.
Then he's already an aggressor. It s time to stand up bullies and fascists.
Yes. Again, I did start my comment with 'You're right'. But it's also the case that what you - and I - are advocating for would, in the short term, be a boon to terrorism and organised crime, and may well have knock on effects for the economy, too.
My point is not that we shouldn't do it, but that it would have massive, unpredictable consequences!