Dangerous AlliesAustralia has always been reliant on 'great and powerful friends' for its sense of national security and for direction on its foreign policy—first on the British Empire and now on the United States. Australia has actively pursued a policy of strategic dependence, believing that making a grand bargain with a powerful ally was the best policy to ensure its security and prosperity. Dangerous Allies examines Australia's history of strategic dependence and questions the continuation of this position. It argues that international circumstances, in the world and in the Western Pacific especially, now make such a policy highly questionable. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States has also changed dramatically, making it less relevant to Australia and a less appropriate ally on which Australia should rely. Malcolm Fraser argues that Australia should adopt a much greater degree of independence in foreign policy, and that we should no longer merely follow other nations into wars of no direct interest to Australia or Australia's security. He argues for an end to strategic dependence and for the timely establishment of a truly independent Australia. |
Contents
Strategic dependence consolidated | |
Hanging on too long | |
All the way with the | |
Dr H V Evatt | |
The cost of strategic dependence | |
The grand bargain out of time | |
A time to end strategic dependence | |
In God we trust | |
The changing AsiaPacific | |
Missed opportunities | |
Conclusion | |
Notes | |
Bibliography | |
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accepted achieve Afghanistan ally American exceptionalism Anglo-Japanese Alliance argued Army ASEAN attack Australia Australian Government Australian leaders believed Britain British Empire Bush Snr Chinese Churchill Cold Cold War colonies commitment Commonwealth communism communist concerned conflict continue countries Curtin Deakin decision defence discussions Dominions drone East economic established Europe Evatt expansion Federation fight forces foreign affairs foreign policy future Germany global Hughes Ibid Immigration Imperial Conference important independence Indonesia influence interests involved Iraq islands issues Japan Japanese John Curtin Konfrontasi major McNamara Menzies military NATO naval nuclear October operations organisation peace Pine Gap policy of strategic political post-war President Bush Jnr Prime Minister recognised regarded region relation relationship retrieved role Russia Secretary Shanghai Communiqué significant South China Sea South Vietnam South-East Asia Soviet Union speech strategic dependence Taiwan troops United Kingdom United Nations Vietnamese wanted Washington Western Pacific White Australia Policy