The Other Special Relationship: The United States and Australia at the Start of the 21st Century

Edited by Dr. Jeffrey D. McCausland, Dr. Douglas Stuart, Prof. William T. Tow, Professor Michael Wesley.

February 2007

250 Pages

Brief Synopsis

This volume summarizes the major findings of the conference participants over the last year. Beyond the thematic resemblance between this volume and the previous study of U.S.-UK relations, another similarity is the importance of two events in determining London and Canberra’s relations with Washington. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11) represent the first turning point. The British and Australian governments reacted similarly to these attacks—immediately identifying 9/11 as a transformative moment in international relations. But the Australian Prime Minister’s presence in Washington, DC, during the 9/11 terrorist attacks intensified the personal impact of the events, and within a few days his government had invoked the ANZUS Treaty to offer its full support to the United States. The second “big event” dominating both U.S.-UK relations and U.S.-Australia relations has been America’s management of the Global War on Terror and, in particular, its leadership of the ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Contents

Preface
Jeffrey D. McCausland, Douglas T. Stuart, William T. Tow, and Michael Wesley

Acknowledgments

Introduction
The Honorable Bill Hayden

Panel I: Foreign Policy: Setting the Context

1. Panel I Chairman’s Introduction
Douglas T. Stuart

2. The Future of U.S.–Australia Relations and the Curse of George Harrison
John C. Hulsman

3. The Australian-American Alliance: Towards a Revitalization
Paul Kelly

Panel II: Foreign Policy: The Alliance in the Asia-Pacific Region

4. Panel II Chairman’s Introduction
William T. Tow

5. The Alliance and the Asia-Pacific Region: An American Perspective
Andrew Scobell

6. The Alliance and the Asia-Pacific Region: An Australian Perspective
Robert Ayson

Panel III: Political and Legal Aspects of the Special Relationship

7. Panel III Chairman’s Introduction
Michael Wesley

8. The Relationship’s Political Aspects: An American Perspective
John Higley

9. Australian Public Opinion and the Australia-U.S. Alliance
Brendon O’Connor

Panel IV: Economic and Business Aspects of the Special Relationship

10. Panel IV Chairman’s Introduction
Brendan Taylor

11. The United States and Australia: Competing Economic Perspectives
Leif Rosenberger

12. Economic and Business Aspects: An Australian Perspective
Don Russell

Panel V: Security and Defense Aspects of the U.S.-Australia Special Relationship

13. Panel V Chairman’s Introduction
Jeffrey D. McCausland

14. The United States, Australia, and the Search for Order in East Asia and Beyond
James J. Przystup

15. Security and Defense Aspects of the Special Relationship: An Australian Perspective
Michael Evans

Conclusion
16. The Future of the U.S.-Australia Alliance: Adapting to New Challenges?
James A. Schear

About the Contributors

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