Marine redeployment

[bradfordkay]

ORIGINAL: JeffK

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

There is a thread on the political subforum of a sports forum I belong to about this. Someone jsut posted "Australia results in +2 troops per turn and is easy to defend. Solid strategic move."

I was tempted to respond that Darwin is at the end of a long, inconsistent supply line and is easily cut off from the Australian supply centers but figured that no one there would understand...

Got a nice railway now.

Then it is a good thing that I didn't open my mouth and insert my foot, eh?

The funny thing is that I never really liked Risk...

[Alfred]

Darwin's transport links are now much better that they were in WWII. Not only is there now an all weather railway link to Adelaide and from there all points to the developed south east corner, there are now two all weather sealed roads to Darwin. The Stuart Highway down to Adelaide which during WWII was built up by American engineers as a gravel road plus the coastal highway hugging most of the West Australian coastline is now also fully sealed. The coastal highway also provides access to the big resource ports built in the last 40 years, which ports did not really exist in WWII. Then there is also, if necessary the inland road connection from Queensland which meets the Stuart Highway.

Alfred

[Itdepends]

ORIGINAL: Alfred
Not only is there now an all weather railway link to Adelaide

Well sort of all weather anyway

REPAIR works on the Central Australian Railway have blown out again, with interruptions to the important export route set to stretch beyond two months. The railway has been broken north of Katherine, in the Northern Territory, since December 27 when flooding washed away a bridge.............. revealing it would be February 29 before traffic returned to the route.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

In the longer term my money is on the Marines for Darwin coming from Okinawa. In the long run there will be no marines based at Okinawa and I seriously doubt they could fit many more marines on Guam than the currect relocation plans envisage.

Alfred

I think that's a good bet. If Darwin can't fit Okinawa there is lots of room other places in Oz where planes can fly and amphibs can practice. We've also learned a huge amount about being good guests on foreign bases since Okinawa was somewhat violently set up. The Corps and Oz could be a very good match over time.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

Darwin's transport links are now much better that they were in WWII. Not only is there now an all weather railway link to Adelaide and from there all points to the developed south east corner, there are now two all weather sealed roads to Darwin. The Stuart Highway down to Adelaide which during WWII was built up by American engineers as a gravel road plus the coastal highway hugging most of the West Australian coastline is now also fully sealed. The coastal highway also provides access to the big resource ports built in the last 40 years, which ports did not really exist in WWII. Then there is also, if necessary the inland road connection from Queensland which meets the Stuart Highway.

Alfred

I Google Imaged several hundred photos of Darwin yesterday and was surprised to see a tidy, modern, friendly-looking small city. Folks picturing fever swamps surrounding a tent camp ought to go take a look. It's somewhere I'd like very much to visit someday.

[Mac Linehan]

Alfred -

Thank you for the link. I am very pleased that the United States Marines will continue it's long association with Australia's Defence Forces.

Australians will always be rated as First Class Fighters in my book.

Mac

[Reg]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Alfred

Darwin's transport links are now much better that they were in WWII. Not only is there now an all weather railway link to Adelaide and from there all points to the developed south east corner, there are now two all weather sealed roads to Darwin. The Stuart Highway down to Adelaide which during WWII was built up by American engineers as a gravel road plus the coastal highway hugging most of the West Australian coastline is now also fully sealed. The coastal highway also provides access to the big resource ports built in the last 40 years, which ports did not really exist in WWII. Then there is also, if necessary the inland road connection from Queensland which meets the Stuart Highway.

Alfred

I Google Imaged several hundred photos of Darwin yesterday and was surprised to see a tidy, modern, friendly-looking small city.

Uhh... why??? It is Australia.

Folks picturing fever swamps surrounding a tent camp ought to go take a look. It's somewhere I'd like very much to visit someday.

The primary activity is tourism these days so the town has extensive modern facilities. Federal money and that it is the major center of the region ensures it has more amenities than any other town of its size. It also more than its fair share of natural wonders (tropical landscapes, wildlife and weather) and the friendly and relaxed lifestyle of the locals is legendary. My posting there was the highlight of my career.

[Sardaukar]

My Australian buddy used to work for casino in Darwin (he is ADF regular now). He (and me) were feeling bit of pity to USMC there. [:D] Base...well...is..interesting. With lot of time to stare the wilderness. Just saying. [:D]

[Chickenboy]

Looks like the Aussies found a way to slow down USMC immigration into their country. [;)]





Reminds me of that scene from Blazing Saddles, where the Sherriff and the Cisco Kid slow down a group of marauding gunmen by erecting a tollbooth in the middle of the desert.

"Ah, horse****! Someone go back and get a ****load of dimes!" [:D]

[rjopel]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Looks like the Aussies found a way to slow down USMC immigration into their country. [;)]





Reminds me of that scene from Blazing Saddles, where the Sherriff and the Cisco Kid slow down a group of marauding gunmen by erecting a tollbooth in the middle of the desert.

"Ah, horse****! Someone go back and get a ****load of dimes!" [:D]

Yup, they're actually all done processing. Just sticking around to try and get a date with a Shelia.

[noguaranteeofsanity]

There is at least one thing to make the Marines feel more welcome in Darwin, the local ice hockey team, who are the self-proclaimed undefeated world champions, after all of their opponents have failed to show up, possibly due to the lack of ice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7Iffu6JrN4

[Itdepends]

No corporal- you can't bring that rifle in through customs- you'll have to leave it here and pick it up on your way back.

[1275psi]

Well this Aussie welcomes all the Gi reens as we call em with open arms

darwin is a new, hip town, crawling with nubile young back packers, and certainly not as isolated as you think.
The entire top end is a boom area.

Too many yanks are ignorant that we have fought with you guys in (I think) every war since WW1.
You will get the normal crazies protesting the yanks arriving, quietly, the majority of Aussies know who our best friends are.

[Itdepends]

If you want to make them feel welcome- not calling them yanks would be a good start [:'(]

[vinnie1912]

ORIGINAL: Itdepends

If you want to make them feel welcome- not calling them yanks would be a good start [:'(]

You cant walk around Darwin with a pineapple up you arse.

[Itdepends]

Too true- in that heat it would chafe something fierce.

[Historiker]

ORIGINAL: noguaranteeofsanity

There is at least one thing to make the Marines feel more welcome in Darwin, the local ice hockey team, who are the self-proclaimed undefeated world champions, after all of their opponents have failed to show up, possibly due to the lack of ice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7Iffu6JrN4

[:D]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Reg

I Google Imaged several hundred photos of Darwin yesterday and was surprised to see a tidy, modern, friendly-looking small city.

Uhh... why??? It is Australia.

So is Kalgoorlie. [:)] I spent a week there one afternoon.

[treespider]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

I spent a week there one afternoon.

[8D]

[Sardaukar]

Darwin...

"The base, the base..is on fire..."

That's about as exciting as it gets. [:D]