Of course Australia has a dependent relationship with the US, any other type of association is beyond the wit and wisdom of our political elites or the imagination of most of the voters. Australia seems, forever,to be destined to be a client state of some great power. The only nation that, demonstrably, has a "special relationship" with the US is Israel, there is no other plausible explanation for American indulgence. Small, loyal, allies of great nations sometimes have tragic histories, remember the fate of the Plataeans.

Brendon

Not a bad article but Australia's freedom of action is physically constrained by our overly weak and incomplete defence force.

I don't think there is much scope for truly independent Australian foreign policy while Australia's military structure is geared toward alliance and dependence on the US military.

Right now (as in 1915 vis a vis Britain) Australia is a very junior partner who must participate in the senior partner's interests and wars.

Australia’s main interest is backing up the US because the US protects us with:

- its aircraft, warships and subs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans

- bases at Pearl Harbour, Guam, Okinawa, Diego Garcia and little discussed Persian Gulf bases

- the US led UKUSA intelligence network including sigint and satellite imagery (Defence intelligence as you say).

We are isolated and cannot provide the essential defence resources that the US provides now. To provide our own effective resources would mean a huge unpopular increase in defence spending along the lines of France and Israel - probably including Australia possessing nuclear weapons like those two countries.

But back to dependence. Protection comes at a monetary cost (money to buy US weapons, ie premium on ANZUS) and a dependent policy/thinking cost.

If we had such independent defences we could then the have independent foreign policies that you and I wish for. But no serious Australian politician would waste $35 Billion in defence spending each year to achieve independent defences.

For example in Afghanistan Australia has no option of withdrawing, or whether to act as a tiny ineffectual voice in negotiations. Our choice is to minimise Australian casualties while we are there. This is unfortunately until the US says we can go.

It sounds passive but until Australia can provide for its own independent defences our geographical isolation means that we are not in a position to have Independent policies.

Afghanistan is an indicator of Australia continuing long term dependence on the US. Exhaustion of the US public with Afghanistan, as with their exhaustion over Iraq and earlier exhaustion over Vietnam, is Australia's main hope to withdraw.

Pete
http://gentleseas.blogspot.com/

I'm not much of a Rudd fan, except in the "thank god he's not Howard" sense, but I am impressed with his diplomacy.

His relationship with Obama is as it should be: polite and frank, unlike the neo-con frat brother relationship of the previous leaders.

And a bit of fawning to the Chinese is fine. We can't always rely on America, and In the event of a truly world-scale catasrophe, we'll be at China's mercy. It pays to keep them happy.

oh dear here we go again
of courtse we have strong links to usa[after all we are of the same root[are ruled by the same elete london based law society]

used the same colonising teqniques to eradicate the native inhabitants[the same colonising teqnique perfected in canada, south africa , indonesia and israel,

its the same neo con boys club running things, using the same old racist teqniques[killing off the naytives and re-educating their kids under the rules of war [under war powers and the rules of contract law[civil law]

we all have founding documents based on the magna carta etc[but they arnt allowed to be quoted in our courts[because what they do is unconstitutional[the same elites took over the babnking systems, under much the same timming and civil enactments,under the law of the seas and the laws of buisness[the invasion colonisation buisness stealing others lands and resources

even the media is owned by the same cartel[as is the fed reserve sysatem,and the status of remaining a british colony under the maritime powers of hrh[despite loudly proclaiming legal self country status, by deceptive acts, but under laws under a gov general]

the ties that bind are via the laws that blind

[were the truth of their govt crimes ever revealed the people claiming the 'status' of civilian[ima-grant/serf]they would gasp in horror of what deceptions and colusions that were done in their name,let alone created their person[persona legal personum],but let the serfs believe they are cityzenry..lol

you gave up freeman rights long ago,look up the term some time[know statue law is due only on your person[criminal law needs a victim]no victim no crime[unless you claim to be a citizen[person]then its under civil contract law

[but its all gobbly gook to ya right [lol]

Who can forget the pathetic little boy scout salute given by Kevin Rudd to George Bush when they first met? Unfortunately, as he had pleaded with the voting public only months before that we were becoming America's lapdog, his behaviour seemed somewhat disingenuous. This event was quite significant as it made clear how the Labor Party, on the one hand was prepared to appeal to the rebellious adolescent mentality of some voters urging a "stand on our own two feet" and shun the Father America and Mother England approach, while they were quite prepared to grovel to them (and now China)in the background. The realities of the relationship were apparent - we need their support badly.

Meanwhile in the US, Obama's perspective on the wider world is puzzling and concerning. While he is immensely popular his administration's inability to comprehend the perspective of other countries may be reflected in his giving world leaders iPods and Box sets of Hollywood movies as gifts on the one hand while asking the International community to forgive American arrogance on the other. I'm not so sure Australia will be as 'understood' as it was under Bush.

Despite Rudd's attempts to capture the reflection of Obama's popularity, his strong association with China and his previous anti-american stance has clearly distanced the US from Australia.

This is extremely dangerous for Australia a country very vulnerable to military attack and dependent on our Western for all means of support and assistance.

Can you send more troops to Afghanistan Kevin? Of course I can, Mr Obama. Now go tell them Fitzgibbon!.

Atman

I agree with you.

I expect that after Fitzgibbon's lameduck visit to the US he won't make it as Defence Minister to ANZAC Day - because the diggers deserve better.

While officials in Beijing may hope their boy can continue to be useful I suspect that even Rudd will feel that things are getting a bit strained.

If you have to choose between reliance on the US or with a country that still has a poster of Mao above Tiananmen Square I know where the allegiance (and eventual votes) of most Australians lie.

And Fitzgibbon's campaign money? Thankyou Beijing run Bank of China.

China needs to prove that it has a better future for Australia than Maoist manipulation.

Pete

Analyst Brenden O'Connor's article skirts the realities of US Foreign Policy, and President Obama's pledge to pour more troops and resources into Iraq and Afghanistan to exacerbate the putrescent quagmire there. He is seeking $ 83.3 B from Congress to escalate the War.

Since 9/11 the troubles have magnified threefold, with 13,608 US fatalities and 8731 NATO forces ( Sources: International Institute of Strategic Studies ) The US is entering a period of policy transition, with no end in sight. There is a dearth of new thinking regarding security policy with so called experts from Defence Secretary Gates and the CIA. Anecdotal evidence convincingly reveal Americans feel less secure now then when GWB first gambled on dubious intelligence, and launched his Saddam / Oil expansion. Of the latest 17,000 troop deployment 5000 are security agents. This seemingly new phase puts paid to the hollow rhetoric of closing down Guantanamo, restricting covet Abu Ghraib torture cells, and winning the psychological hearts-and-minds of the Taliban. If History be repeated, the Afghani's are in for a rough time.

The US Military presence promotes more conflict, according to a UK news poll with 78% in agreement. Another: " do you agree the US is playing the role of the World's policemen ? ".Only 7 % disagreed. Further responses overwhelming denounced the Military primacy in the Wars against terrorism. Since Sept 2001, the cost burden has balloned to one trillion greenbacks - the equivalent of Aust 2008 GDP. From $ 510 B,2003 to $ 650 B four years later. Jane's Information Group, estimates the US spends World wide 41 % on Defence, whereas competition and adversaries 16 %, and Allied Nations a mere 29%.

As the recession bites, and the Obamaesque stimulus package squandered, the US Defence Budget is suffering chronic delirium tremors.It will finally impact as unemployment reaches 10 %, and fiscal realities and public opinion reverses. The Fed printing presses, treasury bonds, and spiralling public debt is a lesson in unsustainable economics. The present Admin is on borrowed time.

There will never be any respite in either Iraq or Afghanistan.At least not while

Our ADF boast a Defence Budget of $ 50 B over 5 years, which is reputedly 2.4% of GDP, despite CIA Fact Book, suggesting otherwise. The calculations just dont add up. Like everything else, there maybe a Political extraneous explanation. Importantly, external debt is nearing $ 1.5 trillion, and our current account deficit $ 43.8 B. Public debt is $ 15.4 % GDP.

Can we afford the luxary ?

Australia has a weak and subservient relationship with the USA. This was horribly obvious when the knowledgeable Gareth Evans tried in vain to gain an Australian seat on the Security Council and it was commented that the USA already had a second seat (the UK) three would be embarrassing.

Australia a young and brave country has to progress further to be admired not only by the USA but by its allies in the Pacific and Asia where its real interests lie. The USA has had reached its zenith in 7/11. President Bush lost it friends, allies and respect to listen to the leader of the world lie to the entire world covered the USA with disdain and disrespect which will last with it for decades to come.

It is only a matter of time when its influence in the world will wain considerably and Australia should be allying itself closer to China. Just as it dumped Great Britain for the USA as it recognized the USA’s strength in comparison to has been GB so too it must start to distance its interests with the USA and demonstrate the strength it has in an independent foreign policy and at all costs it must look first and for mostly to its own interests in its own part of the world.

The USA has no special interest with Australia even if Australia might delude itself that it does The USA only throw it a scrap of no real substance of support when it needs it. Otherwise it has done nothing "special" for Australia and to even begin to compare the relationship to that of the USA and Israel is utterly naive.

Australia it is time to earn your own place in the world. Dump the Queen of England and dump the President of the USA follow your interests and show a truly independent foreign policy not that of a fawning 'Sheriff".

continued ..at least not whilst Halliburton Inc, and a plethora of senior Military officialdom preside over the reconstruction of both countries. Corruption, bribery, complicity, even murder rivals Bernard Madoff'd ponzi scheme. It incriminates the present Government, Ministers, and contractors galore.The US Internal Revenue estimates the conspiracy involving $ 135 B simply disappeared. It's obvious the much acclaimed pullout is cynical nonsense.

Veteran Bill Hannity of CBS fame, who has been covering the Afghani situation for over 20 years and travelled the region extensively, dismisses " experts " as five minute thrill seekers, who despite their academic background, and Phd's, read too many war stories, and watch too many Rambo movies. He predicts, there will be no winners, and after years of American diplomacy and ineffectual military incursion, the War will sap the neo-con, hawkish resolve, and like Vietnam, the country will be abandoned as just another lost cause.Who can forget the way the Americans abandoned their South Vietnam allies at the closing of the US Embassy, admist all the chaos. The Afghani's are a resilient people, used to adversity, and have survived invaders for centuries. Deeply religious and possessing an appetite for battle from early youth, thay are easily insulted ( by western standards) and bare interminably long grudges. Joel Fitzgibbon take note.

Now, it's been uncovered, the Karzai Govt are implicated in another scandal over the opium trade, which when compared to the cartels of Columbia,Equador, Mexico dwarfs it's enormity. President Karzai, an ethnic Pushtun, and ex member of the infamous Mujahideen who fought the Soviet occupation 1981 was a CIA operative. Two of his six brothers, all US citizens are involved with links to the mafiaso. It's been reported Military aircraft were used to trasnsport cargo loads of opium, avoiding Custom's surveillance, using Military bases, and transport. One can be assured the clandestine operation would have been on a grand scale and involved the collusion of senior personnel.

Whatever next ?

Our ties are mainly for elitist economic reasons, the USA will not protect us when it's needed, they'll be to busy protecting themselves. We obtain our defence requirements from over seas, our defence forces are fitted out with inferior equipment reliant upon foreign companies for re-supply. Our defence force is incapable or sustaining a defence against invasion for more than 3 days, then we run out of everything. Our strategic position for communicating with forces and submarines around the globe is why they are here, If they could find another stable country providing the same benefits, they'd drop us like hot cakes.

The current approach to defence is unsustainable logistically and economically. It would run into billions current and past governments have wasted on equipment which doesn't work. In the past we designed and built our own ships and weaponry, now we have useless heaps of unwanted USA junk.

If we had our own defence industries as in the past, we'd save lots of money create lots of jobs and keep the money in the country. Invasion of this country is particularly difficult, the japs realised this The only real threat of invasion comes from our northern neighbours or those after our resource base.

We can only survive by being independent, we don't need nuclear weapons, just highly efficient and a well armed and trained force. We need the USA like a hole in the head, we may soon see our troops in Afghanistan trapped and isolated as Pakistan falls under the control of sharia Islam. Afghanistan's a landlocked country, surrounded by hostile Islamists, supplies go through Pakistan by road. We rely upon the USA to supply us and for backup. Once the supply lines are cut and the Pakistanis ban fly overs, we may see our troop casualties shy rocket.

While us Aussie troops were upset with America for near enough allowing Hitler to capture Britain along with most of Western Europe, we had to be glad when the US saved us from the Japs and indeed took West Europe back from Hitler.

It is so interesting that devotion between us and America seemed to happen more during that wonderful US forgiving period after WW2 especially with the inspiring resolution for the Marshall Plan.

However, America's unfortunate double-speak since concerning democratic reasoning in the ME mixed with colonial contraband coupled with the cuddling of Israel again reminds too much of a Pax Americana-ism we hope we can do without.

One now just waits wondering how with an angry possibly justified Iran, how it is all going to end, only hoping that Obama can produce the miracle that helps us once again to respect America.

Regards, BB, WA.

“One now just waits wondering how with an angry possibly justified Iran, how it is all going to end, only hoping that Obama can produce the miracle that helps us once again to respect America.”

It could be a long time before the USA regains our respect. USA monopolist and parochial policy is the largest contributor to the world situation. The number of countries dissatisfied with the US grows every day, add opposing fervent ideologies, cultures and unwarranted harassment by the US and there can be only one outcome.

Our reliance upon following US policy of all descriptions is our major problem, globalisation is another word for combined disaster. Like every other country, we are different and should approach our future differently to others. Why follow others into hell as we've done before to our regret, the closer we get to the USA, the more enemies we are likely to create. Obama is no different to any other elitist rich politician, he has a lot to say, but does nothing. If Obama was about reform and different directions which lifted up the people, why is he using the same people who worked for Bush, all connected to the same companies and organisations causing US foreign and domestic problems.

What bugs me is our supposed leaders have their noses stuck so far up the rear end of the USA, we will go down the tube with them. This may sound ridiculous, but I'd tell the rest of the world to get stuffed and look after this countries future by becoming as self-sufficient as we can. Then deal with the USA and rest of the world on our non aggressive terms.