A lot of Americans are probably unaware of Malcolm Turnbull's history (well, a lot of Americans would be unaware of Malcolm Turnbull's existence - though less now than a couple of days ago).
While he is not quite in President Trump's league financially, he is nonetheless an extremely successful and wealthy businessman. He established one of Australia's first successful ISPs in the 1990s, and has a net worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars - not a billionaire, but a very wealthy businessman nonetheless.
I would assume President Trump is aware of this - he certainly would have been given a briefing - and because of that I can see a conversation between the two men being different than the typical conversation between two national leaders. Both are rich men used to doing deals and tough talking and negotiation. And being blunt about such things.
In that type of context, I can certainly see President Trump being perfectly willing to say that he thought the deal that was made between Australia and the previous administration was a dumb deal, a bad deal, without it being intended as any sort of insult towards Mr Turnbull or Australia. Something along the lines of "Well done. You got Obama to agree to this dumb deal. You outsmarted him and left me with a mess. Well played. But you know won't be able to do it to me, don't you?"
Tough talking doesn't have to be hostile - not when you are dealing with somebody else who is used to the cut and thrust of business dealings worth massive amounts of money. It's business.
No!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bring them straight to GITMO.
It'll be s step up for them, but they won't be loose in our society.
That’s an interesting take. And I think Aussies are much more blunt than our more devious British friends.
I’m sure he does , but he does not respect , nor feel like he needs to stand by any last minute extra-legal ‘agreements’ made between Australia’s new nutball PM and the late Barack Obama
Look does ANYONE think it makes any sense for the US to accept refugees that Australian is rejecting?
That makes no sense when Australia rejecting them as unacceptable to enter their country then why should we then take their Rejects??!!??
The US has lower standard??
Dang, no do not honor this deal.
Good post.
That’s a big problem here - a lot of our pundits have a background as academics or political wonks or merely writers, and don’t have a clue as to the business world, what it’s like to negotiate a deal, and so forth.
They have this silly notion that if each party in a negotiation tries their best to negotiate the best deal for their own side, then it must be because they hate or dislike the other party.
If we can trade illegal immigrants can we sell them? Imagine some poor smuck who made it from Honduras riding the Mexican death train hoping to see his home boys gets shipped to Australia instead.
Obama said they were going to take probably well over 1000 illegal immigrants who were in prisons.”
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For illegal entry or for further crimes ???
I thought these were suppose to be “refugees” ???
Now they might well think that they could get into the USA instead and will start arriving again. Trump is doing both countries a favor by making a stink about it.
Why on earth would we take them? I thought we were setting up safe zones in the middle east for them. That’s where they should go.
Just take them and drop them off in Canada. Trudeau already said he would take refugees we don’t want!
Good analysis
I think you nailed it.
And for those toads like McCain and Ryan who are trying to kiss Australia’s aXX, they ought to be asking the questions:
“Mr. Turnbull, you knew Obama was a lame duck leaving office in 48 hours. and YOU KNEW the reasons you weren’t admitting these people to your country were probably the SAME reasons Americans don’t want them in our country - so why did you work with Obama to stick it to the USA? Is that what FRIENDS do to FRIENDS?”
as one who has negotiated some contracts on a smaller scale as a union officer for 32 years it is a skill and art all it's on.
Grown mature men on both sides trying to sincerely reach an honest agreement for a contract that allows both parties to increase the financial security and future growth of all, can do so.
All that is needed is a good faith effort, some common mutual respect and trust.
First question: "What skills do you have?" Making palm frond hats doesn't count. If they pass, THEN the govt can get down to the nitty-gritty.