A Tale of Two Stories

I have some spare time, it’s uncomfortably hot outside, it’s night time and my usual online gaming platform is on a weekly maintenance schedule for four hours just now but, what the heck! I wouldn’t, even so, usually bother to write about such a trivial matter as this but, sometimes my goat gets got up (if you understand what that means) and so I am actually going to do it.

The story itself played out either late yesterday or earlier today Thursday, Feb 13, 2025, although I suppose that will be a tomorrow’s read for most people but, even so, it must be a slow news day for the matter to have been reported already by the news media of the two nations involved – China and Australia – good friends, trading partners, and all jolly good folk, no doubt.

I will provide links to both the media stories and leave it to your good sense to make what you will of that. Well, I do intend to give my own brief point of view of course.

‘Chinese fighter deployed flares within 30m of RAAF jet in South China Sea’ – ABC News (Australia) – Feb 13, 2025

‘China’s expulsion of Australian military aircraft intruding into Xisha Qundao territorial airspace legitimate: FM’ – Global Times – Feb 13, 2025

The two reports, which as far as I can tell, were issued around exactly the same time (less than 5 hours prior to my writing this) reflect totally different views and aspects of the incident.

Here is a summary provided by China…

China’s measures to expel the aircraft were legitimate and exercised with professional restraint. China has lodged solemn representations to Australia, demanding that Australia stop its infringement and provocations and stop undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.

…seems fair enough…

The Australian government has expressed its concerns to the Chinese government following an unsafe and unprofessional interaction with a People’s Liberation Army — Air Force (PLA-AF) aircraft. Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner.

…also, on the surface, seems fair enough.

But… on the balance of numerous prior events (some of which ABC News chose to list – in order to pad out its story – most of them being maritime events), Australian military aircraft had no business to be operating – and provocatively so – in the South China Sea. If Australia (of which nation I am a citizen – and also a concerned and unrepentant government critic [all governments since this is a una-governed country run by the CIA]) really wants to be on better terms with China, she should cease to be a toe-rag for belligerent US Foreign Policy and actually take appropriate steps to distance herself from any association with that, instead offering the hand of friendship and even partnership with China – through BRICS of course.

The US (and the West generally) is a doomed entity. Purely as a result of its own actions and predilections to violence.

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Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only.
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what I see, I remember;
what I do, I understand.
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It is the microbes that will have the last word.
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We should live as if we were in public view, and think, too, as if someone could peer into the inmost recesses of our hearts. The Blight which assails us is not in the localities we inhabit but in ourselves. We are more wicked together than separately. If you are ever forced to be in a crowd, then most of all you should withdraw into yourself. Never trust another to do your thinking. Even a maston.
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A Tale of Two Stories

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