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December 01, 2006
The UK, like Australia, talks about the special relationship it has with the US imperial power ----Washington in shorthand. The UK is the "bridge" between the US and Europe ---the London bridge so to speak.
Steve Bell
In Australia's case of the "special relationship" there is little independence in foreign policy within that special relationship. It's pretty much all the way with Bush in that Australia Australia is the deputy sherrif of the USA in its own region. The idea of the special relationship remains all but uncontested. The political class in Canberra unanimously accepts the alleged benefits of close ties: privileged access to high-end intelligence, the vital role of the US in the upkeep of Anzus and the fact that the special relationship allows a medium-sized post-colony to punch above its weight.
Both Britain and Australia have been the staunchest allies of the Bush administration and its doctrine of pre-emptive war to protect and defend its empire. Though the Bush adminstration is battered and isolated, and with little credibility, in Australia there has been little consideration given to working out what sort of "special relationship " would be appropriate with the next US administration. The conservative political class is still locked into marching with the Washington neo-cons; those at the Weekly Standard and Fox News who are calling for increasing the size of the U.S. force in Iraq. That is their response to the main recommendation of the Baker- Hamilton "Iraq Study Group"--withdrawal by early 2008, covered by negotiations with Iran and Syria.
The brute reality, which is never spoken in Australia, is expressed by John Bolton, America's UN ambassador. He states that America will always remorselessly pursue its interests and other nations must follow simply in deference to American power. So America's relationship with Australia is totally one-sided. What has Australia got to show for it?
If closeness to America is “the only game in town” as the political class says, then it need one of Australia being on its knees.
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