Given that America is the world's major warmonger and that it is also the world's major arms manufacturer and seller, it is no wonder that it wants an arms race.

Australia needs to distance itself from imperial America as fast as it can, something that politicians in Oz from either camp just can't get their tiny minds around.

America, since WW2, has gone feral. It is leading the world into endless war for its own selfish ends.

Why can't Australia see that?

http://www.dangerouscreation.com

Jake's article is difficult to assess, partly because its so good.

This is set against my usual instincts which are to distrust and disagree with the output of academics with peaceful assumptions. In his last two paragraphs, in particular, Jake writes a lot of sense.

While the White Paper continues to rely on the US alliance the reality is that China's military power is growing gradually while its economic power is growing much more quickly - 12% "annual" growth in 1st Quarter 2010 compared to 1st quarter 2009
http://money.cnn.com/2010/04/15/news/international/china_gdp.cnnw/index.htm

This means that if China decides to increase its military power at the same rate as its economic it will (by my guesstimates) have the second most powerful military in 6 years (passing Russia) and perhaps be on par with the US in 14 years or so.

All this spells:

- a fundamentally shifting strategic environment for Australia towards non-Anglo regional and international dominance by 2025
- much national discussion needed about our reliance on the US
- perhaps need for moderately armed (like Switzerland), non-aligned neutrality
- or for highly armed, self-reliant status (like Israel)
- with "somewhere in between" being a likelihood
- balancing new ideas with experienced analysis (ie listening to people like Ross Babbage and Des Ball).

One of the best defence articles I've seen on OLO.

Peter Coates
http://gentleseas.blogspot.com/search/label/Babbage

The simple truth is that Australia doesn't actually HAVE enemies as far as other nations are concerned.
Seriously, name one.

And the American Government haven't exactly treated us very well despite us being one of the only countries that actually stood by them in their past few campaigns against the wishes of the entire international community- to be honest, I find the FTA lopsided and AGA and trying to dump Gitmo prisoners on us to be outright backstabbing.

It's in our own interests to cut the apron strings unless they REALLY need our help and its not a country that we're also friendly with.