(Originally posted at Truth & Progress)
In an amazing breakthrough, the Howard government and American officials have agreed to a deal that will rid both of inventory of a troublesome commodity with which both are oversupplied.
No, not carbon. That would be silly. And it might, um, hurt the economy or something.
This is an entirely different commodity: human beings. Refugees.
The first round of trading will include refugees from the chaos in Sri Lanka as well as a few Burmese, all being held in Australia's detention center on Nauru, one of the world's few close analogies to the refugee holding facilities at Guantanamo.
They will be swapped for Cuban and Haitians being held in Guantanamo. The idea here, if there is one, is that people won't flee misery if they are uncertain of winding up in their chosen destination. It doesn't seem to occur to Mr Howard that they are trying to reach Australia simply because that is doable. I am sure if there were a choice they would be just as happy to go to the US, or France. Or anywhere. Why do you think they are called refugees?
In Australia, there is an outcry in from politicians and others who think this will only increase the numbers trying to reach Australia, the reasoning being that most will not see transfer to the US as a deterrent.
But maybe this should be seen as a pioneering venture. After all, if the IPCC is right, if the generals are right, we can expect millions of refugees soon as political destabilization follows the warming crisis, which is even now being exacerbated by two governments we could mention. Whether or not this qualifies as a kind of insider trading, the refugee trade is bound to be a growth industry for the foreseeable future.
Where do you want to go today?