You are talking a zero sum game Nemo.
With due respect, that is ridiculous.
You seem to have very traditional colonial values about "alliances". ie you don'r really believe that you superpowers should be questioned by your subjects. We should just be grateful for your grace and your Singapore style empty promises of "protection".
??

ffs, since when did briton last go into a war simply in the interests of an allie, and stick it out to the bloody end.
Au still has troops under fire in a number of countries - for zero national interest except backing up an alliance.

Oh I am just indulging in a little reality regarding Australia.

As far as subjects go and your pejorative use of the word colonial in order to shut down the kind of criticism you so freely offer, you can easily change all that at the next election and free yourselves from the awful yoke. Good luck mustering up the vote.
Given the taste of the electorate for evangelical morons like ScoMo, it's a big ask.

Also, it is "Britain" more correctly known as UK.

BTW, I have an Australian passport in addition to a passport from my country of birth.

Au still has troops under fire in a number of countries - for zero national interest except backing up an alliance.

Bring them home then to defend Australia, and no need to be a client state.
Plan on conscripting everyone between age 16 and 55, because you do not have the population, money or technology to do the job.

Yes Nemo, it is fine.
Isn't that why we here? - to have a good argument with each other instead of kicking the cat.

Not sure you are very in tune with Australia's reality tho.
Not being nasty - but Singapore was a huge wake up call. Au went looking for a new defence model precisely because of your betrayal. (as most of the histories interpret it)
So was Vietnam and Iraq a wake up. They learned it was a big mistake to take an unquestioning subservient role to anybody when it comes to entering and conducting a war.

The defence and foreign ministers "fuck off, don't be so ridiculous" to Pompeo just last year was the first, very significant, signpost of Au's new policy of taking a more independent stance.
You will find Au much more assertive in pressing its right to a place at the strategic policy table these days. Get used to it.

Yeah, you can fight them with steyr carbines and didgeridoos. You live near Garden Island.
Seen the state of the weapons on the navy ships? I have. Mostly the patrol boats carry shoulder fired missiles as the actual deck guns do not function.
The Australian manufacturing sector does not really lend itself to defense.
Just not enough people for an isolationist approach.

As to "your betrayal" I was not yet born - if I had been I would cite the Battle of the Coral Sea where USA halted the Japanese advance as a counter to your argument that Australia need not rely on alliances.
I don't need to gaslight or use strawman tactics.

At least they fight, Comrade.

Anyway - since when did B52s beat Ho Chi Minh sandals with brains?

Not even readable

Zero sum again, Nemo.
Independent is not spelt isolationist.
And I did not say Au did not need alliances - exactly the opposite.
You seem to be really uncomfortable with the concept of Au not being just an on-call puppet.
I can assure you Australia loves its new mode. Including the coming decisions on exactly how they will engage with their friends in this sphere.
They will join the team - but they will insist that it is in fact a team effort this time around. Get used to it.

And if you think they have nothing to offer strategically you will probably fail - again.
Au's understanding of the realities of Free Asia is far more developed and sophisticated than the distant superpowers seem to have.
Plus they have much closer and more trusted relationships with most other SEA nations. They know Au has real skin in the game, that they are not just outsiders wanting to control the world.

Do you beleive it? - that war would be an unmitigated disaster for all of us here, and almost all free Asian countries are hoping to prevent that.
If you want a broad coalition of countries when it comes to the crunch, you better believe that - or you will find it very hard to convince them to take an oppositional stance towards China if/when it does become necessary.
Cowboys are out of fashion in this part of the world these days.

ps - not heard nearly one word about challenging China except militarily.
that, i reckon, would be pretty hollow.
Re-engage, reinvest, restore real aid and assistance that actually does help the recipient not just the donor.
Talk laugh sport culture - all that shit
and don't call them dumb fuckers who eat with their mouths open. if you really want allies.

(sorry didnt mean "you" personally. I meant UK. No strawman.)

I figured some of you guys might appreciate this.
excellent analytical history. (no agenda, a gift to friends)
The 1941 - 45 period is my (very-) special interest.
https://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/f ... IAMA25.pdf
I haven't read the next in the series yet - but here it is for my old aviator mate
https://www.navy.gov.au/sites/default/f ... IAMA26.pdf
I hope some of you are into this kind of stuff. Detailed on-the-water ground truthing.
and all of it instructive today.