Publication

This article is a response to Australian strategist Paul Dibb’s piece ‘How Australia Can Defend Itself Against China’s Military’, the main points of which addressed what is meant by Australian defense. In doing so, the text’s author addresses 1) the centrality of the ANZUS Treaty to Australian defense, including how it forms Australia’s equivalent of nuclear deterrence in light of the lack of clarity over how Washington would intervene on Canberra’s behalf in a war; 2) how questions over US support for allies since the election of Donald Trump create problems for Australian policymakers; and 3) the threat China poses to US facilities in Australia and what issues this raises regarding Australia’s defense, and more.