> As an Aussie observer, I'm seeing more US influence in our region.
Not an expert, but my guess is that there is (probably valid) concern about China. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" and all that.
Not an expert, but my guess is that there is (probably valid) concern about China. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" and all that.
AUKUS is one of these huge deals with the results coming many years after huge investments creating great uncertainty. That makes it easy to attack politically.
EDIT: What's missed by the original commenter is that Australia was already investing in submarines from France. If delivered, there would be similar outcomes. The project had just as much uncertainty around it and was off-track when AUKUS was announced.
- 80%+ said close ties with the US was important to AU security
- 70%+ named China as a security threat to AU
- 55%+ stated confidence in the US acting responsibly in the world
But that's the majority of dumb Australians, much like the majority of dumb Americans. Our two sets of dumbs have a lot of similarity.
Australia's identity has been lost in the last thirty years up it's own anus of mineral riches and the feeling of lifestyle entitlement that came with it. The USs 51st state. Yeehaaw...