Tony Abbott has announced an end to Australia's longest war during a surprise visit to Afghanistan, accompanied by Opposition Leader Bill Whatsisname.

Please excuse my ignorance, but when and where did Australia formally declare war on Afghanistan? And why? And if we didn't, why have we been over there killing their citizens, and what exactly were we trying to achieve (apart from sucking up to the Yanks)?

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 2:57pm:

Tony Abbott has announced an end to Australia's longest war during a surprise visit to Afghanistan, accompanied by Opposition Leader Bill Whatsisname. Please excuse my ignorance, but when and where did Australia formally declare war on Afghanistan? And if we didn't, why have we been over there killing their citizens, and what exactly were we trying to achieve (apart from sucking up to the Yanks)?

We didn’t

We were helping fight the war on terror.

To make Afghanistan a less hospitable place for terrorist.

;)

The War Against Feminism has entered its 50+ zone - TF are you talking about?

Now lea' me alone - I'm working on a book about my grandfather in WWI....

For those - war NEVER ends.

This guy's swallowed the whole political gobble-de-gook!

> We were helping fight the war on terror.

Could you explain what is this "War on Terror"? Who are the combatants, what territory they're defending, what initiated it?

> To make Afghanistan a less hospitable place for terrorist.

Numerous studies have concluded that the Bush-Neocon-USA "War on Terror" has markedly increased the number of active and committed terorists in the world (when your whole family's been taken out as "collateral damage" by a USA drone strike, you've got sufficient motivation; AND moral justification). And it's well known that the local terrorist safe haven is across the border in Pakistan.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 3:12pm:

This guy's swallowed the whole political gobble-de-gook! > We were helping fight the war on terror. Could you explain what is this "War on Terror"? Who are the combatants, what territory they're defending, what initiated it? > To make Afghanistan a less hospitable place for terrorist. Numerous studies have concluded that the Bush-Neocon-USA "War on Terror" has markedly increased the number of active and committed terorists in the world (when your whole family's been taken out as "collateral damage" by a USA drone strike, you've got sufficient motivation; AND moral justification). And it's well known that the local terrorist safe haven is across the border in Pakistan.

I was being facetious....oh and I never said they were good reasons or there was any sucess...

::)

> I was being facetious ...

Just as well.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 2:57pm:

Tony Abbott has announced an end to Australia's longest war during a surprise visit to Afghanistan, accompanied by Opposition Leader Bill Whatsisname. Please excuse my ignorance, but when and where did Australia formally declare war on Afghanistan? And why? And if we didn't, why have we been over there killing their citizens, and what exactly were we trying to achieve (apart from sucking up to the Yanks)?

It's been going on 12 years, maybe you could have read a smacking newspaper during that time and formulated a less pig ignorant post.

It would not have taken too much effort.

> It's been going on 12 years, maybe you could have read a smacking newspaper during that time and formulated a less pig ignorant post.

On topic, please. You haven't addressed my questions.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 3:44pm:

> It's been going on 12 years, maybe you could have read a smacking newspaper during that time and formulated a less pig ignorant post. On topic, please. You haven't addressed my questions.

Actually I have, it just required you to do something about your own ignorance; stop demanding others do what you should be doing yourself.

You're just another newbie fvcktard troll, here to stir sh1t about afghanistan; well like those before you, I'm here to tell you to bugger off.

How's that for answering your questions?

> How's that for answering your questions?

By Australian standards (esp. those set by Oz parliaments) it's perfectly adequate. By any reasonable standards, it's just another foul-mouthed rant of the type you'd expect from today's Australians.

P.S: I'll BET you've got tattoos on your tongue!

You shouldn't have went there. Fullstop. We lost good young men in that dung heap called Afghanistan. But the Taliban has been bloodied and maybe now Afghan girls can get an education and show their face in public without getting acid thrown at it. Maybe there might be one less crappy country on this planet. Maybe?

We shouldn't of went there I mean.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 3:58pm:

> How's that for answering your questions? By Australian standards (esp. those set by Oz parliaments) it's perfectly adequate. By any reasonable standards, it's just another foul-mouthed rant of the type you'd expect from today's Australians. P.S: I'll BET you've got tattoos on your tongue!

It is the way I reply to trolls; Im surprised that seem to think that you are somehow entitled to be treated with respect for your OP.

So yeah "today's Australians" are more than happy to b1tch slap trolls whenever they decide to show up.

Get used to it, or stop trolling, the choice is yours

> b1tch slap

Not sure what this means, but it's surely standard vernacular in your circles.

> stop trolling

Not sure what "trolling" is. Stating plain facts, perhaps?

> the choice is yours

Your generosity is doubtless exceeded only by your good looks.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 4:10pm:

> b1tch slap Not sure what this means, but it's surely standard vernacular in your circles. > stop trolling Not sure what "trolling" is. Stating plain facts, perhaps? > the choice is yours Your generosity is doubtless exceeded only by your good looks.

You don't know a real lot do you?

You know less than bugger all about Australia's involvement in the ME and common phrases seem to confuse you.

BTW trolling where you make outragious and inflamatory comments or questions for the sole purpose of illiciting a negative reaction.


Well done d1ckhead you're a winner, now run off and tell your mummy that you're very smart. This place another dumbfvck troll like it needs virus.

> This place another dumbfvck troll like it needs virus.

I take it that you regard your own contribution as being elucidating and enlightening?

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 2:57pm:

Tony Abbott has announced an end to Australia's longest war during a surprise visit to Afghanistan, accompanied by Opposition Leader Bill Whatsisname. Please excuse my ignorance, but when and where did Australia formally declare war on Afghanistan? And why? And if we didn't, why have we been over there killing their citizens, and what exactly were we trying to achieve (apart from sucking up to the Yanks)?

We were there to suck up to the Yanks..............and I know from a very reliable source......also........"to make big rocks into little rocks."

(Now you have your pre-determined endorsement, why don't you bugger off, Troll?)

:)

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 4:22pm:

> This place another dumbfvck troll like it needs virus. I take it that you regard your own contribution as being elucidating and enlightening?

I'm just talking to a low intellect, attention seeking troll, for elucidation you have to be a rational adult with a valid point of view.


You are deserving of nothing more than my contempt, it is more attention than you warrant, but Im a little bored at the moment so you're my time filler.

This post isn't quite turning out the way you expected is it?  ;D

> Now you have your pre-deteremined endorsement, why don't you bugger off, Troll?

As a fourth generation Anglo-Celtic native of this country, I'm beginning to understand why I have nothing in common with the foul-mouthed, semi-literate vermin who've taken it over.

I wonder wherefrom these intellectually diseased half-wits hail.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 4:27pm:

> Now you have your pre-deteremined endorsement, why don't you bugger off, Troll? As a fourth generation Anglo-Celtic native of this country, I'm beginning to understand why I have nothing in common with the foul-mouthed, semi-literate vermin who've taken it over. I wonder wherefrom these intellectually diseased half-wits hail.

Well, well, well what do we have here, a troll who thinks he's special.  ;D

You are in fact a 4th generation nobody, looking to troll this board like some bored high schooler, you are nothing and until proven otherwise that is your status here, hope you like it.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 4:27pm:

> Now you have your pre-deteremined endorsement, why don't you bugger off, Troll? As a fourth generation Anglo-Celtic native of this country, I'm beginning to understand why I have nothing in common with the foul-mouthed, semi-literate vermin who've taken it over. I wonder wherefrom these intellectually diseased half-wits hail.

Don't you worry about that.  You have your answer, the one you wanted.

:)

(PS...........appalling, anguished and tortured grammar by the way.  Tells me wherefrom you hail.)

;)

> BigOl64  Gold Member Posts: 4710 Townsville Nth QLD

> Aussie  Gold Member Posts: 5582

Yep, I'm in redneck territory. Land of the Big Swinging D1cks and solid lead crania. Time to bid yuz all farewell, and to enjoy yor moonshine.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 4:36pm:

> BigOl64  Gold Member Posts: 4710 Townsville Nth QLD > Aussie  Gold Member Posts: 5582 Yep, I'm in redneck territory. Land of the Big Swinging D1cks and solid lead crania. Time to bid yuz all farewell, and to enjoy yor moonshine.

Why don't you go and graffiti a bus shelter or something.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 4:36pm:

> BigOl64  Gold Member Posts: 4710 Townsville Nth QLD > Aussie  Gold Member Posts: 5582 Yep, I'm in redneck territory. Land of the Big Swinging D1cks and solid lead crania. Time to bid yuz all farewell, and to enjoy yor moonshine.

Later d1ckhead, and thanks for the sport, always enjoy beating up on a troll  ;D  ;D  ;D


Also Towwomba ain't that special, unless you wanto use it in the way a retarded child is considered special.

Given the number of "views" this post has attracted, I'll point out that I'd hoped it could go in a very different direction.

If, as Abbott has correctly stated, this IS the end of "Australia's longest war", it is not only an historic occasion, but one most deserving of critical reflection. The flood of "boat-people" we cannot stop is an inevitable response to the moral debt we have incurred by illegally invading a foreign country and murdering innocent civilians there.

But given that public debate is now dominated by the sort of knuckle-draggers inhabiting this forum, there's little likelihood of an intelligent response to a crucial historic moment.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 4:56pm:

Given the number of "views" this post has attracted, I'll point out that I'd hoped it could go in a very different direction. If, as Abbott has correctly stated, this IS the end of "Australia's longest war", it is not only an historic occasion, but one most deserving of critical reflection. The flood of "boat-people" we cannot stop is an inevitable response to the moral debt we have incurred by illegally invading a foreign country and murdering innocent civilians there. But given that public debate is now dominated by the sort of knuckle-draggers inhabiting this forum, there's little likelihood of an intelligent response to a crucial historic moment.

Given that the issue has been done to death a zillion times here, did you expect that your Topic would attract something new?  Really.

While you were fixing your flesh wounds, I had a quick look at your posting history.  I was right.

Feel free to piss orf anytime you like, Troll.  We have an experienced, specialist fisher here, Herbert, you may know him, but not well enough it seems.  He knows how to get the wet behind the ears salmon to jump onto the hook.

:)

.

And here's me thinking this thread was about the Afghan War......

Returning to that topic, the war was pointless, achieved very little and saw young people die for no apparent purpose.

Like most wars.

Australia's leaders are traitors who put the interests of the US above those of the Australian people.

Invading Afghanistan made Australia target for retaliation. Stupid move.

Hopefully, the Australian Government won't do anything that stupid again. But Abbott does look rather stupid.

> Hopefully, the Australian Government won't do anything that stupid again.

It will if it's not held to account, and the public are the only ones who can do that. Next year Oz will almost certainly be invited to help the Yanks "defend democracy" in Africa. They're already in there stirring up trouble preparatory to looting its resources, and this will create thousands of new refugees. Given what's happening in Somalia, they won't bother with fishing boats; they'll hijack a few container ships that will eventually run aground along the WA coast, spilling thousands of armed, diseased, and desperate refugees into the region, whilst Oz soldiers are running about looking for their trousers and the keys to the ammo shed.

Even worse, the USA has announced its intention of stationing V-22's and B-2's in Darwin. Ospreys are very high-maintenance, meaning hundreds of additional ground support crew and their families - all "civilian contractors", of course. And the Spirits are nuclear-capable, which means atomic weapons being stored on Australian soil - not for the first time - and another small army of technical specialists and security staff. All of which are "highly classified operational matters" about which neither government will be able to comment.

When, if ever, are Australians going to stop digging their own graves to please their American Masters? The Europeans, the South Americans, the Russians and the Chinese are now mightily browned off with them; about time Oz found the courage to join the throng.

Vietnam redux. "Those who fail to learn the lessons of history ..."

Certainly, 9-11made me forget the pre- 9-11 world... methinks lessons refused tobe learned arecoming home to roost somewhat  :o

Wars are pointless, invasions and the slaughter of thousands of innocent people is abhorrent. War achieves nothing but large scale misery.

Old men dressed in suits who sit in boardrooms send young men away to die in war.

Afghanistan.....we went to rid the world of terrorism.....and made it worse.

That was a failure.

Didn't Gillard go over to Afghanistan last year and tell the boys the war was over?

> Didn't Gillard go over to Afghanistan last year and tell the boys the war was over?

Yes, but times have changed. If you're not aware of the fake "gold bars" that have popped up here and there, you won't realize the embarassment caused by Germany's request to repatriate its national gold holdings from Fort Knox. The Americans replied that yes, certainly, they could have their gold back - in five years time. The "gold bars" left in Fort Knox are only gold-plated tungsten, and it'll take few years for the honest American banksters to find some more. If you examine the assets of African nations that have had a recent upsurge in "cross-border terrorist insurgency", it's no coincidence that gold features high on the list. Other countries are also expressing consternation about the purity of their own gold stocks at the "impregnable" Fort.

And just to drive home the message, only two countries in the Middle East have their own independent central banks that are not part of the international federal reserve system. Go on, it's not hard to guess! Yep, spot on! Iran and Syria.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 4:56pm:

Given the number of "views" this post has attracted, I'll point out that I'd hoped it could go in a very different direction. If, as Abbott has correctly stated, this IS the end of "Australia's longest war", it is not only an historic occasion, but one most deserving of critical reflection. The flood of "boat-people" we cannot stop is an inevitable response to the moral debt we have incurred by illegally invading a foreign country and murdering innocent civilians there. But given that public debate is now dominated by the sort of knuckle-draggers inhabiting this forum, there's little likelihood of an intelligent response to a crucial historic moment.

What did you expect for your opening troll, you winner?


You got your arse handed to you, like all useless trolls. Stop whinging like a little b1tch and find somewhere else to troll your crap.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 5:37am:

Wars are pointless, invasions and the slaughter of thousands of innocent people is abhorrent. War achieves nothing but large scale misery.

We are still in Timor after we invaded (without US permission) over a decade ago and I haven't heard a peep out of you 'war haters'.

Maybe you should go on a hateful rant about us invading Timor and ruining their lives too, you know just tobe consistant about your hatred for those who serve and our current foreign policy of invasion.

BigOl64 wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 7:13am:

I haven't heard a peep out of you 'war haters'.

As opposed to 'war lovers'....

is that the antitheses of

"make love-not war"

the bigole version

"make war-not love"

you sick minded individual

> you sick minded individual

Sad but true. There's nothing the least bit noble or honourable about modern warfare; it's merely disciplined hi-tech murder in the service of banksters and megalomaniacs. I'm strongly of the opinion that the study of the classics should be mandatory in high-school to emphasize the vast changes since the time when men met face-to-face on the field of battle, and equal challenged equal. It may have been brutal and bloody, but there was a real sense of honour and respect for one's foe.

For me, the break came with the napalming of women and children in peaceful IndoChinese villages during the Vietnam conflict. Even worse were the covert teams of big Yankee niggaz sent in to rape and murder village women and children, then leave evidence to "prove" it was done by the North Vietnamese. Since those horrific acts of evil, I've not been able to stomach the Yanks. Deluded old half-wits like this one don't have either the intelligence or sensitivity to understand these issues, but their mind-set is now endemic throughout society.

When I was a lad, football and cricket were sports that everyone played on Saturday arvo (though I played hockey meself). Today they sit at home worshipping their steroid- pumped drug-addled "sports heroes" on TV, scoffing junk food and sculling beer, working themselves into a quasi-sexual frenzy of frustration, then head out to night-clubs to let off some steam. And the do-gooders wring their hands and lament the decline of society whilst the media and sports promoters count their cash. Today's "sport" and celebrity culture are as toxic at home as are our military murderers in countries that have never threatened us.

Tony Abbot said:

"Australia's longest war is ending,"

"Not with victory, not with defeat, but with, we hope, an Afghanistan that is better for our presence here."

Tony tell us how would this victory would look like?

I don't know, does some of you smart Aussies know that?

What I know as an independent observer is the following facts:

- In Gallipoli Aussies fought for British in Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan for Americans in Darwin for Australia.

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 8:08am:

BigOl64 wrote on Oct 30th, 2013 at 7:13am: I haven't heard a peep out of you 'war haters'. As opposed to 'war lovers'.... is that the antitheses of "make love-not war" the bigole version "make war-not love" you sick minded individual

Not really worth the nearly 50 minutes it took you to think up that reply and post it, now was it?


But it is up to your usual standards.

GoneWest wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 8:48am:

> you sick minded individual Sad but true. There's nothing the least bit noble or honourable about modern warfare; it's merely disciplined hi-tech murder in the service of banksters and megalomaniacs. I'm strongly of the opinion that the study of the classics should be mandatory in high-school to emphasize the vast changes since the time when men met face-to-face on the field of battle, and equal challenged equal. It may have been brutal and bloody, but there was a real sense of honour and respect for one's foe. For me, the break came with the napalming of women and children in peaceful IndoChinese villages during the Vietnam conflict. Even worse were the covert teams of big Yankee niggaz sent in to rape and murder village women and children, then leave evidence to "prove" it was done by the North Vietnamese. Since those horrific acts of evil, I've not been able to stomach the Yanks. Deluded old half-wits like this one don't have either the intelligence or sensitivity to understand these issues, but their mind-set is now endemic throughout society. When I was a lad, football and cricket were sports that everyone played on Saturday arvo (though I played hockey meself). Today they sit at home worshipping their steroid- pumped drug-addled "sports heroes" on TV, scoffing junk food and sculling beer, working themselves into a quasi-sexual frenzy of frustration, then head out to night-clubs to let off some steam. And the do-gooders wring their hands and lament the decline of society whilst the media and sports promoters count their cash. Today's "sport" and celebrity culture are as toxic at home as are our military murderers in countries that have never threatened us.

I see you now understand what a troll is and have fully embraced the lowly internet persona with gusto. Ysou and pansi should get a long like long lost siblings


As a typical dumb sh1t civilian your knowledge is at best limited and at worst a series of vile opinions. You are fool, driven by your own inadequacies from a life of constant failure. As in, your life is total sh1t and you are just lashing out like a petulant child in a hopeless attempt to make yourself feel better.



As for "since the time when men met face-to-face on the field of battle, and equal challenged equal. It may have been brutal and bloody, but there was a real sense of honour and respect for one's foe", what the bugger would you know ya gutless coward, fvcken keyboard warrior wanna-be. ;D

GoneWest wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 6:32am:

> Didn't Gillard go over to Afghanistan last year and tell the boys the war was over? Yes, but times have changed. If you're not aware of the fake "gold bars" that have popped up here and there, you won't realize the embarassment caused by Germany's request to repatriate its national gold holdings from Fort Knox. The Americans replied that yes, certainly, they could have their gold back - in five years time. The "gold bars" left in Fort Knox are only gold-plated tungsten, and it'll take few years for the honest American banksters to find some more. If you examine the assets of African nations that have had a recent upsurge in "cross-border terrorist insurgency", it's no coincidence that gold features high on the list. Other countries are also expressing consternation about the purity of their own gold stocks at the "impregnable" Fort. And just to drive home the message, only two countries in the Middle East have their own independent central banks that are not part of the international federal reserve system. Go on, it's not hard to guess! Yep, spot on! Iran and Syria.

Why would they be "gold-plated Tungsten"?  Why bother making them out of one of the more expensive (and difficult to plate) metals when you could use something cheaper, much closer in specific gravity and more easily plated, like Lead?  Why even plate them, when you could just paint them gold and no one would be the wiser.  It's not as if people are in there every day, lifting the bars and examining them.

Any way, most foreign gold reserves in the USA aren't even held in Fort Knox.  That's the US Government Gold Repository.  Most foreign gold reserves are held in New York.   :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29^th, 2013 at 3:58pm:

> How's that for answering your questions? By Australian standards (esp. those set by Oz parliaments) it's perfectly adequate. By any reasonable standards, it's just another foul-mouthed rant of the type you'd expect from today's Australians.

Foul-mouthed rants are Bighole's forte.

If you were expecting anything else, prepare to be disappointed.

And, he's certainly not a good representation of "today's Australians".

In answer to the question in your OP: we didn't formally declare war on Afghanistan.  And yes, it was pretty much just "sucking up to the yanks".

greggerypeccary wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 11:26am:

GoneWest wrote on Oct 29th, 2013 at 3:58pm: > How's that for answering your questions? By Australian standards (esp. those set by Oz parliaments) it's perfectly adequate. By any reasonable standards, it's just another foul-mouthed rant of the type you'd expect from today's Australians. Foul-mouthed rants are Bighole's forte. If you were expecting anything else, prepare to be disappointed. And, he's certainly not a good representation of "today's Australians". In answer the the question in your OP: we didn't formally declare war on Afghanistan.  And yes, it was pretty much just "sucking up to the yanks".

Boo fvcken hoo, pecker

He is just another one of you dead sh1t trolls and gets treated just like the rest of you dead sh1t trolls.

BigOl64 wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 11:30am:

greggerypeccary wrote on Oct 30th, 2013 at 11:26am: GoneWest wrote on Oct 29th, 2013 at 3:58pm: > How's that for answering your questions? By Australian standards (esp. those set by Oz parliaments) it's perfectly adequate. By any reasonable standards, it's just another foul-mouthed rant of the type you'd expect from today's Australians. Foul-mouthed rants are Bighole's forte. If you were expecting anything else, prepare to be disappointed. And, he's certainly not a good representation of "today's Australians". In answer the the question in your OP: we didn't formally declare war on Afghanistan.  And yes, it was pretty much just "sucking up to the yanks". Boo fvcken hoo, pecker He is just another one of you dead sh1t trolls and gets treated just like the rest of you dead sh1t trolls.

Case in point.

|dev|null wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 10:18am:

GoneWest wrote on Oct 30th, 2013 at 6:32am: > Didn't Gillard go over to Afghanistan last year and tell the boys the war was over? Yes, but times have changed. If you're not aware of the fake "gold bars" that have popped up here and there, you won't realize the embarassment caused by Germany's request to repatriate its national gold holdings from Fort Knox. The Americans replied that yes, certainly, they could have their gold back - in five years time. The "gold bars" left in Fort Knox are only gold-plated tungsten, and it'll take few years for the honest American banksters to find some more. If you examine the assets of African nations that have had a recent upsurge in "cross-border terrorist insurgency", it's no coincidence that gold features high on the list. Other countries are also expressing consternation about the purity of their own gold stocks at the "impregnable" Fort. And just to drive home the message, only two countries in the Middle East have their own independent central banks that are not part of the international federal reserve system. Go on, it's not hard to guess! Yep, spot on! Iran and Syria. Why would they be "gold-plated Tungsten"?  Why bother making them out of one of the more expensive (and difficult to plate) metals when you could use something cheaper, much closer in specific gravity and more easily plated, like Lead?  Why even plate them, when you could just paint them gold and no one would be the wiser.  It's not as if people are in there every day, lifting the bars and examining them. Any way, most foreign gold reserves in the USA aren't even held in Fort Knox.  That's the US Government Gold Repository.  Most foreign gold reserves are held in New York.   :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D

Becasue the SG of lead isn't even close to that of gold.

gold 19320 kg/m³
lead 11340
tungsten 19600

greggerypeccary wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 11:38am:

BigOl64 wrote on Oct 30th, 2013 at 11:30am: greggerypeccary wrote on Oct 30th, 2013 at 11:26am: GoneWest wrote on Oct 29th, 2013 at 3:58pm: > How's that for answering your questions? By Australian standards (esp. those set by Oz parliaments) it's perfectly adequate. By any reasonable standards, it's just another foul-mouthed rant of the type you'd expect from today's Australians. Foul-mouthed rants are Bighole's forte. If you were expecting anything else, prepare to be disappointed. And, he's certainly not a good representation of "today's Australians". In answer the the question in your OP: we didn't formally declare war on Afghanistan.  And yes, it was pretty much just "sucking up to the yanks". Boo fvcken hoo, pecker He is just another one of you dead sh1t trolls and gets treated just like the rest of you dead sh1t trolls. Case in point.

And for some reason you believe that trolls like yourself and beetle bailey need to be treated with a modicum of respect; well you are both in for a life of disappointment then aren't you.

> As a typical dumb sh1t civilian

Ah, the Victorious Warrior returned from the Field, eager to earn the adulation of his Fellow Citizens.

> Why bother making them out of one of the more expensive (and difficult to plate) metals when you could use something cheaper, much closer in specific gravity and more easily plated, like Lead?

I'll answer this because you've demonstrated an uncommon degree of intelligence for an Oz; but also, predictably, the usual degree of insolence, ignorance and laziness. Herewith the densities in kg/cu m of the three metals in question. I'll assume you have someone available to explain what they mean; even a Singaporean high-school student could have done as much:

Gold       19320
Tungsten   19600
Lead       11340

> Why even plate them, when you could just paint them gold and no one would be the wiser.

If you bought gold from a certified dealer, and you had it assayed, they might do an SG, but they wouldn't drill holes in their customers' gold bars without written permission, which is why it took so long for the fraud to come to light; few could believe the degree of gall and corruption thereby implied.

> It's not as if people are in there every day, lifting the bars and examining them.

You obviously have no experience in financial matters.

> Most foreign gold reserves are held in New York.

In a public locker at Central Station, I suppose.

> Becasue the SG of lead isn't even close to that of gold.

Oh, and thanks, Honky.

From my studies, Australia is currently unable to protect herself and match current and future needs for security, because the government is reluctant to spend all this money on defense, after all why spend it on defense when you can just increase or introduce a new welfare handout and win vote. We have been doing this since around 1920 and by 1950 with our mother (UK) now unable to help us, So we turned to the united states.

However despite all of our work trying to get the US to agree signing a defense agreement (like NATO) in which where if one member is attacked the other should come to help we are left 'alone'. So instead of biting the bullet and rapidly increased spending for defense and maintaining it, we have set of a strategy of following the US in every conflict it gets involved, voting at the UN for US interest even if it damages our own interests.

By being involved in every single war the US enters, our leaders hope that if we are ever attack the US will feel in indebted to us and will come and defend us even if it isn't in her interest all because of our history.

Problem is historically great powers have never been reliable (trustworthy) to 'repay' favor.

A nice summary, Ahovking. I suppose if anything useful is to come of all of this, it's how these matters can be raised and discussed in Federal Parliament without actually stating what's too embarrassing to be spoken aloud. As greggerypeccary wrote with refreshing bluntness:

> we didn't formally declare war on Afghanistan. And yes, it was pretty much just "sucking up to the yanks".

These things cannot be stated openly, but must be silently acknowledged as the basis of subsequent decisions if we're to gain anything from the Afghanistan debacle. And if we don't, it's hi-ho to Africa we go next year, with the inevitable consequences.

If Ozns could take their own defence seriously, we'd be so busy designing and building the necessary equipment that there'd be no unemployment; but so long as the Defence Farce knows that the Yanks will gallop in to save their virginity at the last moment, they'll never find the necessary urgency and incentives.

My guess is that it'll take a major crisis - quite likely a disaster of some sort - to bring about so drastic a change.

And on that note I'll leave it be.

So, it's over?  So, who won?  Who lost?  Who came second?   :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D

|dev|null wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 3:31pm:

So, it's over?  So, who won?  Who lost?  Who came second?   :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D

Halliburton were the outright winners.

In second place, I would put the opium trade.

The losers were undoubtedly called 'collateral damage".

GoneWest wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 12:53pm:

> > Most foreign gold reserves are held in New York. In a public locker at Central Station, I suppose.

He's right. They are held in New York, in the Gold Vault of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. to the tune at present of 530,000 gold bars, with a combined weight of 7,000 metric tons (7,716 tons) of gold bullion (225.1 million oz. troy).  Whereas, The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox (where no foreign bullion is stored), contains only some 4,578 metric tons (5,046.3 short tons) of gold bullion (147.2 million oz. troy).

Brian Ross wrote on Oct 30^th, 2013 at 9:16pm:

GoneWest wrote on Oct 30th, 2013 at 12:53pm: > > Most foreign gold reserves are held in New York. In a public locker at Central Station, I suppose. He's right. They are held in New York, in the Gold Vault of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. to the tune at present of 530,000 gold bars, with a combined weight of 7,000 metric tons (7,716 tons) of gold bullion (225.1 million oz. troy).  Whereas, The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox (where no foreign bullion is stored), contains only some 4,578 metric tons (5,046.3 short tons) of gold bullion (147.2 million oz. troy).

No wonder Obama's listening in to their phone calls.

He wants to know exactly when they'll be popping over to collect their bullion.

I wonder if it's there.