That year was significant, not for the contribution he made as shadow minister for employment services and training (though he may argue otherwise), but for speaking out against a war he thought was wrong.
uncertain
he → make → war
Albanese wasn't alone in his opposition; his colleague and longtime leadership rival Tanya Plibersek also said the Iraq war set a dangerous precedent for the world.
asserted
war → say → world
Together they joined more than 40 senators and Labor MPs who signed an open letter to then US president George W Bush.
asserted
who → join → Bush
Admittedly these Labor MPs were in opposition, but it wasn't just one lone voice breaking ranks.
asserted
it → break → ranks
Imagine these same MPs and how they would respond if Donald Trump were around and said we "may do another little Epic Fury", as he did last week, as if it was a trivial game.
Blunting parts of the old brawler
Plibersek said at the time: "We wanted to let him know that there were many people in Australia, including the Labor Party, who didn't support the war in Iraq and we wanted him to know the reasons why."
The letter, which said the pre-emptive military action made the world more dangerous, rather than more secure, was not the only example of Albanese speaking out against the conflict.
uncertain
Albanese → imagine → conflict
During the first month of the conflict, in March 2003, Albanese delivered a speech in parliament that reflected his aggressive, left-wing pugilist style that earned him the nickname "the Marrickville Brawler".
asserted
that → deliver → nickname
"Our government is about to redefine us in the eyes of the world as willing backers of US militarism.
asserted
government → redefine → militarism
The prime minister took a phone call and immediately said yes to President Bush, because we all know that that decision was made many months ago, before the pre-deployment of troops.
asserted
decision → take → troops
We were not even at the meeting where the decision was made."
asserted
decision → make → meeting
He went on to say: "We are, with this decision, supporting a pre-emptive strike, which changes forever the way that international politics works."
asserted
politics → go → way
Albanese did acknowledge the need for regime change; it was the method that Labor opposed, not the sentiment.
asserted
Labor → acknowledge → that
Now Albanese is prime minister and a lot has changed.
asserted
lot → change → ?
He begins this parliamentary sitting week with Trump saying the US may carry out another military operation against Iran at a time when the war is nearing its eighth month, and rising fuel prices dominate the US midterm elections.
uncertain
prices → begin → elections
"We may do another little Epic Fury," the president said at a rally in Florida last week as he spoke about the war.
uncertain
he → do → war
He did not elaborate.
asserted
He → elaborate → ?
Operation Epic Fury is the name used by the US military for its war against Iran.
asserted
Fury → use → Iran
As John Maynard Keynes is often credited with saying: "When the facts change, I change my mind.
asserted
I → credit → mind
What do you do, sir?"
asserted
you → do → What
Everyone grows up, grows older and learns in Canberra that the politics of passion give way to the business of governing and pragmatism.
asserted
politics → grow → governing
Those around Albanese know the prime ministership is a job he has wanted for a long time, and one he almost never had after Bill Shorten defeated him in Labor's leadership ballot in 2013.
asserted
Shorten → know → 2013
And while Albanese loves being PM, and loves reminding the media, the opposition and his own colleagues of the record 94-seat majority he secured at the last election, running a government has required him to blunt parts of the old brawler.
asserted
running → love → brawler
Now, another American president is threatening to escalate a war that is smashing the economy, and this time Albanese has his phone number and doesn't have to sign a letter to get his views across.
asserted
Albanese → threaten → views
The Labor backbench has been muted during the past eight months of this war, but will it remain muted if Trump escalates the war again?
asserted
Trump → remain → war
In the past few weeks, the Labor backbench has become slightly more vocal, although this is coming off a low base.
asserted
this → become → base
When Trump launched a joint offensive with Israel attacking Iran
asserted
Trump → launch → Iran
in February, Albanese, supported by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles, issued a statement supporting the action.
asserted
Albanese → support → action
The statement cited the need to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and a need to protect Australians living in the region.
asserted
statement → cite → region
Like countless conflicts before it, this invasion has dragged on and even senior government figures admit to having no clue when it will end.
asserted
it → drag → clue
As it has dragged on, the cost hasn't just been felt in the Middle East.
asserted
cost → drag → East
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz sent our government into a panic with low domestic fuel supplies and high bowser prices.
asserted
closure → send → supplies
Some MPs will want Albanese to condemn Trump over Iran and get some distance from an unpopular president.
asserted
Albanese → want → president
But without stronger language and action, that case will be hard to argue twice.
asserted
case → argue → language
The world is becoming less safe, and Australians are angry about it.
asserted
Australians → become → it
LoadingEvery sign we're in uncharted waters
A feeling that the world is spinning out of control is fuelled by a sense of being the recipients of chaos and rarely the decision makers.
asserted
world → spin → chaos
A more forceful position on Iran and the US is something Labor MPs have increasingly been hoping for.
asserted
MPs → hop → Iran
In the UK, the fallout from wars in Ukraine and Iran and cyber attacks have led the government to change its language and warn that the uncertainty abroad must be planned for at a household level.
asserted
uncertainty → lead → level
People feel they have no control, and some governments are trying to lean into accepting that reality.
asserted
governments → feel → reality
A new government "be ready" campaign in the UK is urging the public to prepare for the disruption of everyday services and to stockpile three days of key supplies.
asserted
campaign → urge → supplies
The checklist advises stocking up with bottled water and non-perishable food, a battery or wind-up FM radio to receive updates during outages, and cash in case electronic payments or cash machines are disrupted.
asserted
payments → advise → case
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting told BBC One's Question Time that there was not a "specific thing" in mind when it comes to potential emergency incidents, but said the advice might help during power cuts or if a local shop was subject to a cyber attack and was a matter of "everyday national resilience".
uncertain
shop → tell → resilience
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
