Rudd meets Bush

Having exiled the former Australian PM, John Howard, to the meeting rooms of the US far right Kevin Rudd will be meeting with John’s best friend George this week. The meeting could be, and probably should be, rather edgy – but that is not our Kev’s way.

Incredibly there will be no hiccough in the close relationship between Australia and the US. Rudd is punching way above his weight, but bush must have been well briefed to this diminutive PM with kid gloves. As the pre-event publicity has it the meeting promises all the best bits of a hippie love-in.

Bush is expected to thank Mr Rudd publicly for the peace-keeping efforts Australia has made in East Timor and for its military contributions in Iraq and Afghanistan. He will treat Australia's decision to withdraw its combat troops from Iraq as inevitable and uncontroversial. Thanks George…

Rudd will also be invited to take a role in developing an Asian talkfest on security; a version of APEC focusing on security rather than economics. All non-binding of course, and certainly not likely to involve non-government players, the ones who might have legitimate claims against existing regimes.

Back to Iraq and Afghanistan

The Mandarin speaking Rudd, the former diplomat, has a good handle on Asian affairs. In fact he carries on a tradition of former Labor PM’s who have recognised Australia’s proximity and shared future in the region. In many ways Rudd has taken that tradition to a higher level.

The Middle East and sub-continent are also tied in closely with our national culture, essentially because we were still part of Britain well into the last century. Where Britain engaged Australia engaged. As an immigrant nation we have adopted nationals from many trouble spots.

We will be pulling out of certain aspects of the Iraq conflict; our combat troops will be deployed more usefully in the Pacific region and Afghanistan, though largely as support for stabilization and nation building efforts. Those efforts will continue in Iraq, but without the same sense of conflict.

In many ways John Howard found a natural ally in the extreme conservatism of the Bush regime, and the timing was perfect. But like a binge drinking session Australia woke up with a hangover and a dose of Kev appears to be easing the pain.

As a nation we feel a deep responsibility for our world. As feisty and belligerent we can be personally we feel a deep responsibility limit that to a simple punch up, verbal or otherwise, rather than wholesale slaughter. Well, if the latter is to occur it is only acceptable among consenting players.

Can’t say fairer than that…Which is why Australia will remain in Iraq and Afghanistan; not as belligerents but as moderators.

Now if Rudd was really serious about following the will of the people he would go one step further; he would insist that the US immediately withdraw all their personnel from these conflict zones. But Kev will only go so far.