It may sound unpatriotic, but I could not help cheering when the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague brought down its decision last week against Australia. After more than 12 festering years, this finally brings to a head a shameful and shameless exhibition of browbeating and exploiting our newest and poorest neighbour, Timor-Leste. John Howard claimed much of the credit for defending the independence of the nation, and so he should; but his motives were not entirely altruistic.
olddogthoughts 