[Peter Ward]

Well...I'll have to call out the bit about Australian Governments "ready to go to war to protect our country"

Australia has a sad history of fealty to US, often not in Australian interests. The ANZUS treaty was created to prevent Australia developing our own nuclear weapons (the foundations of the power reactor to facilitate this still remain in Jarvis Bay) The US simply didn't want anyone else to have nukes that might challenge their hegemony. The agreement was we'd be under a US forces umbrella. With the possibility of a second Trump presidency...humm...just ask the Ukranine how well that worked for them with the Republicans in the last year (yes, Ukraine has a treaty with the US for protection if they gave up their Nukes! )

I just missed the Vietnam draft, a disgraceful intervention and multi-decade economic punishment by the US..while I am not a fan of communism governing for the "greater good" is not all bad. e.g. universal health care and if a state has a change of government....it's their business.

More recently there was the invasion of Iraq.

After falsely accusing Iraq of causing the New York September 11th attacks (the perpetrators were Saudi...can't invade them. Too much oil. ) Iraq apparently had "weapons of mass destruction". Another bald faced lie that Howard reiterated.

Mean while when appalling US conduct has been exposed...think of one Julian Assange...the lack of spine by generations of flaccid Australian politicians to protect our citizens has been breathtaking.

I have absolutely no faith in politicians to protect my interests, particularly if vested interests are involved.