palmer blasts obama's marines plan for nt

Good to see CP is taking on a new role as an Aussie spokes person for international affairs.

I hope he continues to do whatever he can to keep his Chinese paymasters happy. They will be the ones funding our project after all. If the Mineralogy jet is indeed in Karatha with Chinese investors in tow they should be paying for lunch after reading the below article.

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Palmer blasts Obama's marines plan for NT Peter Ker
November 22, 2011 - 1:06PM

Mining magnate Clive Palmer has accused US President Barack Obama of trying to drive a wedge between the Australian business community and China by increasing the American military presence in Australia's north.

In a gesture that Mr Palmer said was tantamount to giving China a "poke in the eye", Prime Minister Julia Gillard last week joined President Obama in Darwin, where the Australian and US armed forces announced a deal to station 250 American troops in the Northern Territory.

The troops will engage in six-month training missions as early as next year, and the number will rise to 2500 by 2017.

Mr Palmer, whose business empire has extensive links to China and state-owned enterprises there, said President Obama was working in the interest of American businesses when he struck the troops deal.

"America is a competitor with Australia for selling a lot of their services to China," he said.

"It is in the US interests to restrain Australia and not compete so hard and Obama is pursuing a US interest."

Mr Palmer said housing the troops in Darwin held little strategic benefit for Australia's defence forces, but was a major snub which could hamper the business community.

"We were showing a lot of hostility to someone who hasn't showed any hostility to us, to someone who is one of our biggest trading partners and who is in our region," he said.

"While traditional ties and values are important we've got to put the interests of trade to the foremost.

"Do you think 250 marines in Darwin makes any difference to the military logistics of the world ... the symbolism of this is to just be rude to the Chinese ambassador, just to poke in the eye the people who are out here."

Mr Palmer's comments follow a pointed response from Beijing to the Darwin military deal, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin saying last week: "It may not be quite appropriate to intensify and expand military alliances and may not be in the interest of countries within this region."

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Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/palmer-blasts-obamas-marines-plan-for-nt-20111122-1ns63.html#ixzz1eOeYP6Ag