Why does Australia have an alliance with the USA?

Written 2008/11/10, last edited (minor, mainly formatting) 2024/02/10
Contact: David K. Clarke – ©

New Zealand left the ANZAS (Australia, New Zealand, America Security) alliance more than a decade ago; it hasn't been invaded. Sweden and Switzerland have stayed out of alliances and wars for a hundred years or more. We don't need to be allied with the world's pre-eminent bully.

The USA has been one of the most unethically run countries in the world over the past several decades. Had we not been allied and aligned with the US we wouldn't be perceived as the enemy of Islam and Australians would not have been targeted by Islamic extremists in the Bali bombings. Had we not stupidly and unthinkingly followed the US lead we would not have become involved in the Iraq War.

Both major political parties in Australia support the US alliance, so as long as the great majority of Australians vote first for Liberal or Labor we are stuck with the alliance that we don't need and we shouldn't have.

Alliances are dangerous things. The First World War would not have been started by the assassination of a fairly obscure Grand-Duke in the Balkans had not most of the nations of Europe been locked into alliances. It was the cascade of alliance obligations that brought that disastrous war into being.

By being allied with the USA, Australia is seen as "America's deputy sheriff" in the South Pacific and consequently feared and mistrusted by neighbours such as Indonesia. Fear and mistrust do not foster peace and good relations.