We Could have been much more Stronger Strategically......
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What if Singapore had not sold away Christmas Island and (Keeling (Cocos) Islands?
We could have built a naval base at Christmas lsland and an Air Base on the Keeling Islands........stockpile ammo and supplies........Live firing areas......conduct sensitive research......
Of Couse, we could even drill for oil.
Strategically, we would have had a better defensive position. If anyone tried to threaten us, they would have to consider our forces coming from the direction of the Cocos/Keeling Islands as well as Christmas Island. We would have been much safer than we are now......just a little red dot.....
Perhaps you can add to the list of what we could have used Christmas Island for militarily?? -
Location of the islands: http://www.dotars.gov.au/terr/cocos/ -
We don't need them anyway, with Australia and Thailand as our allies.
Besides, they were never really ours, they belonged to the British Empire. -
well at least we can use them to build our casinos
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Originally posted by Excel 202:well at least we can use them to build our casinos -
In the very first place, how can we sell something which we do not own?
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Originally posted by sane_guy2:We don't need them anyway, with Australia and Thailand as our allies.
Besides, they were never really ours, they belonged to the British Empire.
The islands were ours (almost). They were actually to be transferred to us but Australia bought them from us for 2.9 million pounds, a lot of money for our cash strapped nation at the time.Originally posted by Obersturmfuhrer:In the very first place, how can we sell something which we do not own?
A short article has been pasted below, it comes from the Official Australian Christmas Island Website at http://www.christmas.net.au/history.html:
For a short time following the war, Christmas Island came under the jurisdiction of the new Colony of Singapore. In 1948, the mining was taken over by the Australian and New Zealand Governments in partnership, with the British Phosphate Commissioners in management. In the period from 1949 to 1958 a massive expansion program led to the recruitment of males from Cocos, Malaya & Singapore, bringing with them their wives & families. For the first time in the islands history a permanent population began to evolve.
In 1957 the Australian government acquired Christmas Island from the Singapore Government for a compensation of 2.9 million pounds. The island existed as a Crown colony until its transfer to Australia was finalised on 1st October 1958, which is still celebrated on the first Monday in October as Territory Day. -
Still, back then anything that belong to Singapore are technically OWNED by the UK and NOT the local government since Singapore was still a colony. That compensation was merely a token for administeration of the island for that short period.
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I beg to differ, 2.9 million pounds is a lot of money for a token for administration. It sounds like very little now but that's because of inflation. 2.9 million in the 1950s would be equivalent to more than several billion today. You don't use that much money to pay for a few years of admin for a mining island.Originally posted by Obersturmfuhrer:Still, back then anything that belong to Singapore are technically OWNED by the UK and NOT the local government since Singapore was still a colony. That compensation was merely a token for administeration of the island for that short period.
Besides that, the word used is "acquire" meaning "buy". In addition, since we were under the British as at 1958, if the islands weren't our property then why were we, a crown colony, being paid when the money should have gone to the Colonial Office in London?
The islands were ours in everything except documentation. A year later, Singapore became self governing and our territory was marked out. -
Think about it....where the heck did we get the money to do up all those buildings, military installations and other industrial factories at that time?Originally posted by aerozapper:The islands were ours (almost). They were actually to be transferred to us but Australia bought them from us for 2.9 million pounds, a lot of money for our cash strapped nation at the time.
A short article has been pasted below, it comes from the Official Australian Christmas Island Website at http://www.christmas.net.au/history.html:
For a short time following the war, Christmas Island came under the jurisdiction of the new Colony of Singapore. In 1948, the mining was taken over by the Australian and New Zealand Governments in partnership, with the British Phosphate Commissioners in management. In the period from 1949 to 1958 a massive expansion program led to the recruitment of males from Cocos, Malaya & Singapore, bringing with them their wives & families. For the first time in the islands history a permanent population began to evolve.
In 1957 the Australian government acquired Christmas Island from the Singapore Government for a compensation of 2.9 million pounds. The island existed as a Crown colony until its transfer to Australia was finalised on 1st October 1958, which is still celebrated on the first Monday in October as Territory Day. -
Even if the control of these islands had not been transferred / bought by the Australian government, do you think we would have the capability then to deter a certain country from annexing them? In the end, everything comes back to square one.
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Of course, that time we wouldn't have enough capability..
But UN isn't blind as well.. -
Alamak----Christmas/Cocos islands out of range of ASTROS........
hehehe........... -
Alamak---- Our ICBM purchased from Israel has a range of 6,000 km!Originally posted by idwar:Alamak----Christmas/Cocos islands out of range of ASTROS........
hehehe...........
Alamak---- 20 RSAF NGF can be modified to carry conventional nuclear war head!
Alamak---- Sjoormen class submarines can launch underwater cruise missile!
Alamak---- Delta class frigates has helicopters which can sink scorpenes!
Alamak alamak alamak!
Alamak! Those 3 shortlisted NGF have a long range! -
Maybe in hindsight, we did not really have a choice, and to hedge our current existence against some hypothetical Maginot Line of the East Indies, is plainly something which is thankfully in the realm of fantasy.Originally posted by deathscythe99:Think about it....where the heck did we get the money to do up all those buildings, military installations and other industrial factories at that time?
However, that said, we should have at least bullied for joint administration rights. -
Its true that we needed the money at that time and we can really effectively defend the islands at that time especially when its so far away. But imagine if the situation at that time permits us to keep these islands...think of their strategic uses to us! We can have L/F training there which will allow us to use the Southern islands for other uses such as the casino?
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What do you think the possibility of buying back these 2 islands?Originally posted by aerozapper:The islands were ours (almost). They were actually to be transferred to us but Australia bought them from us for 2.9 million pounds, a lot of money for our cash strapped nation at the time.
A short article has been pasted below, it comes from the Official Australian Christmas Island Website at http://www.christmas.net.au/history.html:
For a short time following the war, Christmas Island came under the jurisdiction of the new Colony of Singapore. In 1948, the mining was taken over by the Australian and New Zealand Governments in partnership, with the British Phosphate Commissioners in management. In the period from 1949 to 1958 a massive expansion program led to the recruitment of males from Cocos, Malaya & Singapore, bringing with them their wives & families. For the first time in the islands history a permanent population began to evolve.
In 1957 the Australian government acquired Christmas Island from the Singapore Government for a compensation of 2.9 million pounds. The island existed as a Crown colony until its transfer to Australia was finalised on 1st October 1958, which is still celebrated on the first Monday in October as Territory Day.
Thanks. -
I think the possibility is very low. Firstly why would the Australian government sell part of their country to another country? This will effect their national pride as this may be seen that they are unable to defend their own territory.They are not cash-strapped or anything. Furthermore they have a mining industry there(not sure if its still operational). Thirdly we will then have islands closer to the Indonesia island of Java where all there industries, population and not to mention the capital(Jarkarta). If we used these islands for LF,the Indonesian government will be very worried and maybe even protest. Imagine that we already have the NGF at that time, they will view us as a 'bad neighbour'
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Off-topic: I'm just quite troubled that many still use phrases such as 'with country X and country Y as our allies'.. Not that this is bad but I think relying too heavily on our allies would create a false sense of security. Singaporeans should learn to be more pro-active rather than reactive cause when the enemy comes, he's not gonna wait for our allies to help us.
Just my 2 cents. Ok now i've got to do econs. -
there is a casino over there liao.Originally posted by Excel 202:well at least we can use them to build our casinos -
booooorrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiingggg
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would it have been affected by the tsunami?
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singapore bcome like Orb Union la.....(hope u guys understand..)
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wad's an Orb Union?Originally posted by Rockhound:singapore bcome like Orb Union la.....(hope u guys understand..) -
another gundam seed fanatic . . . .