Chris Slee: New book examines Australia's role in the region

Chris Slee reviews New book examines Australia's role in the region.

If Australia were to break with the US, the latter would react in a hostile manner. This might include military action, perhaps in the form of a naval blockade. Submarines might be useful in deterring this.

But if Australia still had a capitalist government, even one that was relatively independent of the US, it might use its armed forces to attack and intimidate its Pacific neighbours.

Breaking with the US is essential, but so too is opposing the exploitative relations between Australian capitalism and the people of the Pacific.

Emphasis Mine

So Australia is bound to the US Imperialism through coercion and bribery. The stick of US military action coerces Australia to accept the bribes of imperial profits. The carcasses of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Vietnam, Somalia, Sudan, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela, etc. are there for all to see what happens to those who oppose US Imperialism.