Why for heaven sake is there never even any talk of how we can make Australia a more independant nation so we do have the infrastructure and knowledge to build up our population so we have enough manpower to fend off any potential invaders, relying so much on another country for defence is a very bad idea.

I cannot believe that with our status as a developed nation and a significant one at that we are not able to further improve our defence capabilities and our position of forward-defence so we can improve our position in world geopolitics.

Basically we have a choice, isolationism or assertive-diplomacy. Inconfidence and reliance on alliances should not be a option.

From the article “Our best plan of defence is not to antagonise other nations (or religions) by having military alliances with those nations they don’t trust.”

I recall Bill Hayden’s (ex leader of labor before Hawke) view was apparently, Australia needed a nuclear determent to balance the military potential of Indonesia.

Military alliances are trans-governmental and bi-partisan.

In other words, you count on your friends in the long term, not just for the momentary passing like fashion.

Australia has an historic alliance with both USA and UK and member states of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Simply because Japan or China is an important trading partner does not mean we should neglect our historic alliances.

Let’s face it, if the USA had not been our ally in WWII, Japan might have got further than just bombing Darwin (our alliance with UK was pretty mute, UK having more problems on its plate to be in a position to help Australia).

I repeat, alliances, military and otherwise, are bipartisan and inter-generational.

For my part, I have always felt advantaged as being able to relate to USA a “friendly nation”.

However, to call it an enemy (or even indifferent) would be a position of dread.

Iran does not “trust” USA. North Korea does not “trust” USA.

So what. How many here would “Trust” Iran or North Korea?

Replacing an historic alliance because of a dislike of the allies momentarily elected political leadership is the sort of shortsighted thinking commonly identified as “stupid”.

Since Bill Hayden’s nuclear deterrent did not transpire, withdrawing from our alliance with USA would leave us more exposed to any possible action by Indonesia or any other potentially belligerent nation not simply now but in the future.

In short, “Alliances” secure a future in an uncertain world, where political waves can sweep across continents, not necessarily with notice.

A nations strength is measured in how many strong friends it can count on when the chips are down, not on how well it can stand alone.