9.18.2005
Criticism of Aust-US Alliance Warranted: Expert (ABC.net.au)
Last Update: Sunday, September 18, 2005. 7:18am (AEST)
An international relations expert says although former Labor leader Mark Latham's view of Australia's alliance with the US is over-simplified, it should not be entirely dismissed.
In his book, The Latham Diaries, the former Opposition leader calls the alliance "the last manifestation of the White Australia mentality" and "another form of neo-colonialism".
Dr Michael McKinley, from the Australian National University (ANU), says while Mr Latham is right to criticise the alliance for dominating Australia's security policy, he has oversimplified the relationship.
"I think there is a problem there because successive governments, whether they be Coalition or Labor, have always understood the alliance to be something worthwhile on a daily basis," he said.
"There's about seven or eight benefits which are thought to accrue to Australia almost every day of the week by being in the alliance."
Dr McKinley says Mr Latham's comments are extreme.
"The alliance is something that needs to be very strongly criticised for the way in which it over-determines Australian security policy and over-determines the Australian national interest," he said.
(More ... Criticism of Aust-US alliance warranted: expert. 18/09/2005. ABC News Online) ¶ 12:04
An international relations expert says although former Labor leader Mark Latham's view of Australia's alliance with the US is over-simplified, it should not be entirely dismissed.
In his book, The Latham Diaries, the former Opposition leader calls the alliance "the last manifestation of the White Australia mentality" and "another form of neo-colonialism".
Dr Michael McKinley, from the Australian National University (ANU), says while Mr Latham is right to criticise the alliance for dominating Australia's security policy, he has oversimplified the relationship.
"I think there is a problem there because successive governments, whether they be Coalition or Labor, have always understood the alliance to be something worthwhile on a daily basis," he said.
"There's about seven or eight benefits which are thought to accrue to Australia almost every day of the week by being in the alliance."
Dr McKinley says Mr Latham's comments are extreme.
"The alliance is something that needs to be very strongly criticised for the way in which it over-determines Australian security policy and over-determines the Australian national interest," he said.
(More ... Criticism of Aust-US alliance warranted: expert. 18/09/2005. ABC News Online) ¶ 12:04
