B19 wrote:
The issue with dodgy characters put into diplomatic positions which they are unsuited and unqualified for is that they have diplomatic immunity from criminal prosecution in their host countries. So it is a potentially ideal hunting ground for a sexual predator. They cannot be charged here for rape and other sexual offences unless the sending country's top officials agree - and of course Trump would never agree, as we know.
Yes I recall Saudi Arabia and a few gulf state nations had rogue diplomats who used diplomatic immunity to get out of sticky situations
B19 wrote:
CD, you may remember back in 2014, Edward Snowden revealed how important NZ was to the USA's spying programme. I assume Australia is too, though he was focusing on NZ at the time and the huge extent of data that the USA was getting from NZ which was crucial to them. However I don't think Trump would know this, nor care if someone tried to tell him; he thinks that the presidency can be run like a real estate business, and that is why his traditional 5 star allies have increasing contempt for him - that level of ignorance, laced with arrogance, in a USA president is unprecedented.
I think both our countries are of strategic importance but our long term future is up in the air, there is grounds for building closer ties with our ASEAN neighbors