US diplomat denies alliance will drag Australia into war with China

[webfact]

US diplomat denies alliance will drag Australia into war with China
John Garnaut and Peter Hartcher

MELBOURCE: -- The US alliance will not drag Australia into war with China, says the top US diplomat for Asia.

Assistant Secretary for East Asia at the State Department Daniel Russel rejected the assertion by former prime minister Malcolm Fraser that Australia was so locked into the US system that it would have no option but to join any American war with China.

To the contrary, Mr Russel said America's strong engagement across the region and its push-back against Chinese misbehaviour has substantially reduced the risk of military conflict.

Mr Russel was speaking after top-level Ausmin security meetings that opened the door to the integration of Australian and US ballistic missile defence systems, additional US ship visits to Perth and increased use of a Northern Territory bombing range by the US Air Force.

He said the US remained overwhelmingly committed to the Asian region even as the Obama administration was prosecuting air strikes in Iraq and coming under pressure to intervene to curb a worsening band of disorder that now stretches from Libya to Ukraine.

Mr Russel's strongest comments were in response to Mr Fraser's view that the US-Australia alliance is a Cold War anachronism that denies Australia the strategic room to opt out of any war against China.

Full story: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/us-diplomat-denies-alliance-will-drag-australia-into-war-with-china-20140813-103r91.html

[theage]2014-08-14[/theage]
 

[arjunadawn]

This is such a foolhardy position: Australia will not be dragged into war---- so long as there is no war! How absurd to use the reasoning of your aim as the pretext to rebut criticism; how utterly circular. Should there be war Australia will most definitely be dragged into war. Insofar as they are now one of the nice shinny jewels in America's String of Pearls to encircle China they are now a valid target should there be war. So, yes! If there is war Australia will be involved.

[shirtless]

With Tony Abbott so far up Obama a*&se If America goes to war Australia will be there with bells on.

[OZEMADE]

With Tony Abbott so far up Obama a*&se If America goes to war Australia will be there with bells on.

Australia will always back up the USA, always have, always will. Once more, we need the USA if any threat, war or conflict starts against Australia. The Yanks would be there in a flash. I for one am happy about that.

[Johnsy]

ahhhhh.... China no resources...... Australia too many resources!

If there's a war China will hit Australia and everything in-between to get to those resources....... Simple, you can't fight a war without massive reserves of energy, minerals and labour. That's another reason China has been stockpiling minerals and energy for the past 10 years and is pressuring many south east pacific nations into geopolitical and financial agreements/relationships. And it's another reason the US has been restructuring it's presence in the South Pacific.

[Frank James]

The US and Australia are steadfast allies, straight down the line. Always have been, always will be.

[car720]

 

With Tony Abbott so far up Obama a*&se If America goes to war Australia will be there with bells on.

Australia will always back up the USA, always have, always will. Once more, we need the USA if any threat, war or conflict starts against Australia. The Yanks would be there in a flash. I for one am happy about that.

 

 

Don't think so.  Every other time the yanks have sat back and watched others suffer while they sold guns and ammo and made money from other people's suffering.  If the Japs hadn't bombed Pearl Harbour we would all be speaking German now.  They would drop Australia in the doo doo just as fast as anyone else.  Mel Gibson said it all.  The Chinese only need to send their grandmothers to overrun Australia anyway.  We wouldn't have enough bullets to shoot them all.

[wwest5829]

With Tony Abbott so far up Obama a*&se If America goes to war Australia will be there with bells on.

Australia will always back up the USA, always have, always will. Once more, we need the USA if any threat, war or conflict starts against Australia. The Yanks would be there in a flash. I for one am happy about that.

Certainly those of us evolving from a common history of cultural and legal procedures, etc. are bound together in a defense of the principals we hold dear. As was true in an earlier era in the defense of these same ideals (OK, although belatedly), as an American, I would hope that we would rise to defend Australia, and Kiwis too! As to PRC, as the country grows stronger economically and militarily there is reason to be concerned if only because the PRC does not share the same orientation.

[wwest5829]

 

With Tony Abbott so far up Obama a*&se If America goes to war Australia will be there with bells on.

Australia will always back up the USA, always have, always will. Once more, we need the USA if any threat, war or conflict starts against Australia. The Yanks would be there in a flash. I for one am happy about that.
 

 
Don't think so.  Every other time the yanks have sat back and watched others suffer while they sold guns and ammo and made money from other people's suffering.  If the Japs hadn't bombed Pearl Harbour we would all be speaking German now.  They would drop Australia in the doo doo just as fast as anyone else.  Mel Gibson said it all.  The Chinese only need to send their grandmothers to overrun Australia anyway.  We wouldn't have enough bullets to shoot them all.

You are entitled to your opinion. I think, however, the majority who might be involved would disagree with you.

[ginglee]

 

With Tony Abbott so far up Obama a*&se If America goes to war Australia will be there with bells on.

Australia will always back up the USA, always have, always will. Once more, we need the USA if any threat, war or conflict starts against Australia. The Yanks would be there in a flash. I for one am happy about that.

 

Not so sure on that, they(US) wern't there at all when Argentina invaded the Falklands.......

[ginglee]

 

 

With Tony Abbott so far up Obama a*&se If America goes to war Australia will be there with bells on.

Australia will always back up the USA, always have, always will. Once more, we need the USA if any threat, war or conflict starts against Australia. The Yanks would be there in a flash. I for one am happy about that.

 

 

Don't think so.  Every other time the yanks have sat back and watched others suffer while they sold guns and ammo and made money from other people's suffering.  If the Japs hadn't bombed Pearl Harbour we would all be speaking German now.  They would drop Australia in the doo doo just as fast as anyone else.  Mel Gibson said it all.  The Chinese only need to send their grandmothers to overrun Australia anyway.  We wouldn't have enough bullets to shoot them all.

 

I agree...does Australia have minerals or oil the US may want? If they did, they'd defend Australia  for sure !!

[ozsamurai]

The US has almost without doubt shown itself a 'fair weather friend' to most of its allies unless there is huge financial gain to be made.  That is the way their system is structured, all for the mighty dollar. The fact is that Australians realize that they can not defend their own borders, what they do not realize is that neither can the US, think about it.

 

Oz

[kleelof]

Americans love kangaroos. I think they would have no problem defending Australia if for no other reason than to protect the kangaroos.

 

Besides. Does anyone really think China is interested in a war? It seems they have done quite well with their passive invasions of places that are sick and tired of America and American Corporations. For example, Africa. China has been out pacing America and the rest of the west when it comes to sending humanitarian aid to many African countries.

 

And, lets not forget, China has LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of investments in America and other western countries. Enough to influence politics in those countries.

 

It seems to me, if China wants to influence the world, they have the money and smarts to do it without war.

 

I'm sure someone will want to mention China's ever expanding military. I think that is more of a show than a sign of desire to go to war with anyone. Big Bad Army ensures others think twice about attacking them.

[Publicus]

Australia has vital and convenient lebensraum for the CCP Chinese and has vitally needed natural resources, plus denying Australia to North America Japan, Asean and Europe would be a major victory in Beijing. 

 

So Australia is a top tier item on Beijing's agenda which condescendingly says Australia and NZ are going to realize they have to come along anyway.

 

Malcom Fraser lost his job 30 years ago after smashing the government of Geoff Whitlam and rushing a military buildup after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, and it looks like Fraser is again smashing about and rushing headlong to somewhere.

 

Yet the Anglosphere is moving forward to expand its membership to include Japan, South Korea, the Phils, France, Scandinavian countries, Chile, Singapore, Malaysia and increasingly Indonesia, which now is taking the Asean lead vis a vis the CCP-PRC.

 

All Australian PMs to include Fraser when he was one vigorously supported and participated in the Oz formal security treaty alliance with the United States. We know that the only thing we have to fear more than a rising China is a falling China which is what the trend line is.

 

Australia is involved in the negotiations, in their final round, of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement among 12 Pacific Rim countries to include the United States of America. The Trans-Atlantic Partnership free trade agreement is being negotiated by the U.S. and the EU. The two agreements integrate countries and global regions of common interest and values that account for 60% of global GDP.

 

It's clear Fraser has entered his own time warp.

Edited August 14, 2014 by Publicus

[luckytrev]

Malcolm "wheres me trousers" Fraser is well past his use by date so it's a little hard to take him seriously

[mumjokmok]

i reckon cos we both speak english, even if theirs is called american english and they spell stuff weird like 'gray' instead of grey, and they tell me they just say possum, so why put the o? oh, and less is more on those tv shows ideas. and why are most of the good comedians from canada?

anyway get the drift, i doubt in any way the english speaking world would deliberately stand divided in a war, culturally maybe america thinks its alone in the world, but i think thats just because their culture sells as the first rule of playing money.

 

australia is probably more chinese than american though in terms of population. so would america have more chinese than aussie expats. this is gonna be an interesting war mr fraser.

 

[Credo]

The US would never abandon Australia.   Australia is not vital to the US, but it is vital to the US that Australia not be overtaken in any way by China.   And not only would Australia have the full backing of the US, I am sure the northern neighbor, Canada, would be right there as well.   

 

The attitude toward Australia of most people in the US is very positive.   

 

 

[Wat dee]

 

 

 

With Tony Abbott so far up Obama a*&se If America goes to war Australia will be there with bells on.

Australia will always back up the USA, always have, always will. Once more, we need the USA if any threat, war or conflict starts against Australia. The Yanks would be there in a flash. I for one am happy about that.
 

 
Don't think so.  Every other time the yanks have sat back and watched others suffer while they sold guns and ammo and made money from other people's suffering.  If the Japs hadn't bombed Pearl Harbour we would all be speaking German now.  They would drop Australia in the doo doo just as fast as anyone else.  Mel Gibson said it all.  The Chinese only need to send their grandmothers to overrun Australia anyway.  We wouldn't have enough bullets to shoot them all.

You are entitled to your opinion. I think, however, the majority who might be involved would disagree with you.

 

Every Aussie I know pretty much shares car 720's feelings. Poll?

[zydeco]

Don't worry, Australia.  Americans like you.  Or at least we like you more than we like Europeans.

[Publicus]

Strategically I like Australia very much.

 

Australia and Japan anchor the western Pacific as a UK-South and a UK-North.

 

Japan/South Korea actually. And Australia/NZ, with the Phils and Taiwan at the center of the arc.

 

 

Alliances: three cheers for the Anglosphere

 

 

 

When strategists talk about the ‘international system’ they’re primarily discussing an order created and maintained by the Anglosphere and a small number of like-minded countries. That’s the same order which created the basis for economic growth in Asia and elsewhere; the same norms of domestic and international behaviour that best deliver innovation and productivity growth, and thus the life-styles that individuals in developing countries want to copy.

 

The Anglosphere demonstrates itself time and time again to be the engine of global order and the essential enforcer of international stability, even at a time of sweeping strategic change.

 

Depending on the strategic issue being discussed, NATO and Japan might be added to the list, the point of commonality being that we’re talking about the capitalist democracies which support open trading systems and the international rule of law.

 

http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/alliances-three-cheers-for-the-anglosphere/