It is brief, but significant.
The President of the USA - Barack Obama - came to Darwin today.
He placed a wreath on the USS Peary Memorial near the Cenotaph, and then addressed Australian military personnel at the RAAF Base.
While in Canberra earlier today, he formally announced the the US will deploy 250 marines to Darwin starting in 2012, on a 6 month rotation, building to about 2500 over 5 years, as well as pre positioning of military assets. There is also further integration with Australian forces, particularly the air force, through more training exercises, use of local airfield facilities and bombing ranges as well as the vast military exercise areas both east and south of Darwin.
Some locals do not like that......and the Chinese have had a bit to say as well.
But today was about the visit by the President. I did not get an invitation to anything special so had to resort to side of the road photos. It is a once in a lifetime event, for a resident of Darwin.
Unfortunately, the President would mostly see that nobody was around, yet about 100,000 people live here.
I can say...........I WAS THERE.
Gurrumul and Jessica Mauboy performed for the President .......and the NT goverment gave him a great looking piece of aboriginal art from the Tiwi Islands. Oh, and a crocodile attack insurance policy [which he referrred to in his speech at the RAAF Base]!
1 comment:
I saw something on the UK news that Obama had been to Oz, and it seems the US are shifting their focus from Europe to the Pacific region. China is growing in so many areas, on so many fronts, that the US need to be their friend as well as preparing for the opposite!
(And you were there!) ;-)
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