Australia and the World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Australia and the World - Essay Example Although Australia may not need boots on the ground, the country can do little without support from US especially US intelligence, logistics, material and technical support (Lee, 2013). Although Australia has ships and planes, the country is unable to operate them without source codes and software updates; navigation and targeting information that only the United States can provide. As well, the country requires ammunition and maintenance sourced from the US, making hard for the country to achieve military self-reliance. Not only does the country require support in extreme events but also in almost every event since there a few military situations the country can operate independently. Although the bilateral relationship between Australia and USA is strong and benefits both nations, Australia remains the main beneficiary. For instance, the stability and security that US presence offers the Asia-Pacific region is an essential foundation for Australia’s security and progress. According to Leahy (2013), Australia remains close to America to a point that Australia cannot afford losing US support. Therefore, ensuring that US support is guaranteed remains an essen tial element in the country’s decisions making. This is highlighted by the US quest for enhanced presence in Australian bases, which the Australian leadership considers to be reasonable and manageable. The country associates the bilateral relation with access, training and maintenance because the relationship has enabled the country to gain from ‘joint bases’ like the increased presence of marines in Darwin (Leahy, 2013). According to Bell and Bell (2010), various studies attempt to offer details regarding Australia’s post-war reliance on the powerful and capitalist ally. Australia’s dependence on external relations especially with regard to diplomatic and military alignment toward