Assange has nothing to do with what size military power Australia is, or who we are allies with. And the statement that "There is no direct threat to Australia in that region…" is nonsense, as is the idea that Australia is 'provoking' China, when it is China provoking everyone in the region, plus America. Nor is there anything in Hunter's qualifications entitling him to pronounce on Australia's military abilities.

Australia's relationship with America is not "mythical", and just because Assange is Australian has nothing to do with the allegations against him. The allegations against him deal with offences against our greatest ally and its security, and it is remiss of the UK for not having shipped him out to the US for trial years ago. Besides, the current Australian government cannot manage its duties to law abiding Australians in their own country, let alone muck about with a renegade who hasn't lived here for years.

If Australia should "take the position of other nations", it also should not expect any help from America; which would be a problem if 'General' Hunter is right about our defences.

The final wild opinion on defence is the 'protection' of the Chinese diaspora in Australia. They would be the Chinese who kicked John
Howard out of his own seat because of his opinions on Chinese immigration; that would be the Chinese that still make a fuss when the country has an adverse opinion of the country they left be home supposedly for a better life; that would be the Chinese who are still regarded, and always will be regarded by Bejiing as loyal to China no matter where they live; that will be the Chinese who will stay loyal to the mother country for fear of what could happen to the family they left behind; that would be the growing number of Chinese who are sending their Australian-born children to China for primary school education.

Stop publishing rot.

Yep…That’s the logic at work, but the evolution of political pantomime is the common reality.

Playing from the Finnish song sheet of 1939-1945 on their Russian border, should be a sobering look into playing the game of survival. As a comparison, Australia’s orchestral score is entirely “Oh Johnny one note” .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Gustaf_Emil_Mannerheim

And the leadership of a Mannerheim in Australia would be better than useful.

I'm with Murray on this one.

Australia can't defend itself with or without the US,
- Anymore than US can defend either Ukraine or Taiwan.
Defending the US rules based order is foolish, a multipolar world is emerging, Australia would do better to focus on trade not provocate our largest trading partner.
China is not a threat to Australia, unless the US can get a war started itself, which it won't because the Pro-Chinese Taiwanese opposition is ranking well in the polls and the Taiwanese don't want their small island destroyed like US foreign policy destroyed Ukraine.
- And besides the US would lose anyway.

And send Assange back ASAP.

The cost of energy has ensured our economic contraction and the loss of any viable manufacturing ability. The latter essential to our viable self-defence.

Ultra cheap energy (MSR thorium) will allow us to build ships planes and long-range missiles, plus service what we have and create all the fuel we need from abundant seawater. (Old technology)

None of the above doable with battery backed renewables and every pollie with a still functioning brain knows it.

Spineless brow nosing their best response as they sell Australia down the river. Forward projection? Not even conceivable as the gabfest goes on indefinitely as the recourses and chances are wasted or avoided!
Alan B.

If ex-President Trump goes to jail for espionage? What chance does a bail jumping, criminal hacker like Assange have?
Alan B.

Excellent article, Murray Hunter! And good to see one more authoritative voice joining the growing number of well-informed dissenters seriously concerned at Australia's subservience to US foreign policy dictates.

Yes, we might think we're playing with the big boys, but in reality we're being used and manipulated and as pointed out by Keating our unquestioning sycophancy is a national shame. We're nothing more to the US than a convenient military base from which to spy on and provoke China.

And yes, Hunter is correct, our complete lack of influence with the US is indeed clearly exemplified in our pathetic inability to save one of our own citizens from spending the rest of his life in a high-security US prison.

Allowing the US to conduct its war games in our waters and on our soil will never make us safer. And attempting to project our military 'might' into the Chinese region is a complete absurdity.

The best way to feel safe within our region is for Australia to engage in respectful diplomacy and establish fair and mutual trade relationships with all our neighbours. And to firmly remind the US that its attempts to control the Indo-Pacific are dangerous and unwelcome!

Assange is not an American citizen, nor was he residing in the USA when he committed the "crime" of exposing the wall-to-wall lies and manipulations which are an integral component of US actions all over the world.
So why should he as Australian citizen be extradited to the USA?

It seems to me that it is a disgrace that the Australian government has not
unequivocally stood up for him from day one. And hasn't he been punished enough already

Australian Foreign Policy under Albanese is largely repetitive of the fatally flawed policies of the Morrison government. It ignores the legitimate wishes and concerns of the Australian people about AUKUS, Quad, NATO aggression and indoctrination or how ASEAN is avoiding to choose between China and the US hegemon. We are sick and tired of arrogance of power in Canberra and its close links with the military industrial complex which profits from proxy wars in Ukraine and elsewhere. The current foreign policy system is unjust, too Anglo-American empire focused and unsustainable.

As a trading nation Australia needs China, our biggest customer. I agree with Murray Hunter and his summation of the situation, and the disputed South China Sea. The Albanese government is attempting to smooth relations with China, after the Coalition governments disastrous attempts, I'm sure at American insistence, to shirt front China. Just as in the past, Australia will be dragged into any America/China conflict as a "token toady" like we have been in so many American wars post WWII. I very much believe Australia should abandon all American military treaties we have been roped into, and plot an independent non-aligned course in world affairs.