Post by Warrigal on Jul 25, 2018 21:35:42 GMT -5
Every year the Australian Foreign Minister and the Defence Minister meet with the US Secretaries of State and Defence.
It is usually a routine event but this year it is a bit different.
As a side note, the Australian Government is a conservative one but conservative out here means just that - mostly centre right, pragmatic rather than driven by ideology. I prefer the platforms of the Opposition (centre left) but I can live with the current lot. In the photo are two women who are extremely competent in their portfolios of Defence and of Foreign Affairs. I admire both of them.
This is the introduction to an opinion piece about some tensions in the relationship between Australia and US from an Australian perspective.
Behind the staged Australian-Ministerial (AUSMIN) press conference in Palo Alto, California overnight reside more questions than answers about the trajectory of the US-Australia relationship in a disruptive Donald Trump era.
True Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State, declared the relationship "rock solid".
True he asserted "the US and Australia both know we can rely on each other".
True Defence Secretary James Mattis told us the "US and Australia will walk-the-walk in the Indo-Pacific".
Whatever that all means.
Full article here: www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-25/donald-trump-pompeo-bishop-us-forces-darwin-ausmin-australia/10033172
