<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/16/trump-global-world-order-us-australia-alliance>
"Perched high above Canberra stands a stylised American eagle statue on a
towering column.
Colloquially derided as the Phallus in Blunderland or the Chicken on a Stick,
the Australian-American Memorial was paid for by mid-century Australians “to
commemorate the service and sacrifice of American men and women in the defence
of Australia” during the second world war.
But there is perhaps another way to interpret an 80-metre statue high above
Australia’s defence headquarters: that of a malevolent power monitoring a
subordinate.
For seven decades Australia has sought and found security in its alliance with
the US. But the alliance depends on the social licence of the Australian
people: a belief, even just a grudging acceptance, that it is in Australia’s
interests.
It remains as an article of faith for much of Australia’s political class. Late
last year the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, told the Senate, “One of
the rules of politics is that you try not to play the US relationship into your
domestic politics.” But has the Australian public lost faith in the US?"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
