The Carr Doctrine? What Carr Doctrine?

What did Mark Latham say about Bob Carr in 2004? That he could play a "vital role" in "put[ting the Americans] back in their box. But he won't. When push comes to shove, he's like the rest of the Labor conservatives: scared of Murdoch... scared of the Americans, our great and powerful friends." (See my previous post.)

And so it has come to pass. The Carr Doctrine So Far, the subject of my last 3 posts, is now just a matter of "private views," to be replaced by a new, "official view," with script and to-do list provided by the likes of Hague, Kissinger and Clinton:

"On a raft of contentious foreign policy issues he has blogged about in recent years, Mr Carr sidestepped neatly - saying the views he held as a 'freewheeling private citizen' should be set aside for the 'more precise' views he will now express on behalf of the nation. 'We all have private views. If you are a foreign minister, you have to have one view and that's the official view of the government. The views I now have will be formed by discussions with professional diplomats and my own judgment'. In the past, Mr Carr had criticised America's 'chronic insecurities' over the rise of China and the 'worse' insecurities' of the Chinese about the US, and condemned any permanent US troop presence in Australia. Yesterday he talked up both strategic relationships for Australia: the security treaty with the US was a 'bedrock' that was 'in Australia's serious long-term interest' and which 'confers on Australia much more importance than we would otherwise have in the world'... He spoke with British Foreign Minister William Hague on Friday, and expects to speak with Henry Kissinger and US Secreary of State Hilary Clinton." (Carr winds back personal views, Misha Schubert, Sydney Morning Herald, 4/3/12)

What a phony!