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Papo was set up. We have yet to see the transcripts of all the recordings made by the FBI while baiting him.
Nor do we have any idea what "the man who has served his country with distinction for forty years" did behind the scenes. I'm assuming you were not there and are not Aussie intelligence service with access to what happened. I'm not.
I've no doubt it will come out.
Then we will have something to discuss factually.
Until then, it is opinion.
My opinion is that the UK and Australia spied on the Trump Campaign, family and associates to circumvent US laws on doing so.
If so, Australia and the UK will need to be reminded about what it means to be an ally.
Already, Italy and the UK have fired intelligence officers. Australian may follow suit.
And finally, if Trump says Australia should be investigated, it is likely he knows what they did.
best,
PS - being in office is not serving. It is being paid to wield power and influence.
It's possible Papadopoulous was set up. I just don't believe Alex Downer had any part of it. To me, that's an absurd proposition that flies in the face of common sense.
Nor do we have any idea what "the man who has served his country with distinction for forty years" did behind the scenes.
No - but we do know what he has said happened, and I can't see any good reason to doubt it, except for conspiracy laden nonsense.
There was nothing inappropriate in Downer meeting with Papadopoulous. It's slightly unusual that a senior official would meet with somebody so junior, but that's easily enough explained by the fact that Papadopolous came into social contact with ones of Downer's staff (Erika Thompson) through a mutual acquaintance, Christian Cantor, and mentioned he worked for Donald Trump. I believe Papadopoulous asked for the meeting, but there's room for debate on that but even if was the other way around, it's not a nefarious meeting or anything.
There is also nothing inappropriate about Downer passing on any information from that meeting to Canberra. In fact, that is part of his job.
I'm assuming you were not there and are not Aussie intelligence service with access to what happened. I'm not.
No, but I have worked as a diplomat for Australia - as a military attache with some contact with intelligence on occasions - nothing particularly sinister or secret or I wouldn't be able to talk about it. I worked in protocol more than anything else. So I do know how the system works and the idea that a High Commissioner was doing stuff like is being alleged is ridiculous.
My opinion is that the UK and Australia spied on the Trump Campaign, family and associates to circumvent US laws on doing so.
I can't speak to the UK at all on this. I'm inclined to doubt most of what I'm reading, but the SIS are a weird bunch and I couldn't rule out them doing something weird. But I really can't see any likelihood of Australian involvement or any reason to think there was. Downer met Papadopoulous - sure. He met lots and lots of people for all sorts of different reasons. And if they said anything interesting, of course, he reported that. It's not espionage and it's not nefarious.
Could I be absolutely sure somebody in Australian intelligence didn't do something they shouldn't? Of course not. It would surprise me, but I wouldn't know. Downer being involved or even aware of it, is something entirely different.