VANGUARD - Expressing the viewpoint of the Communist Party of Australia (Marxist-Leninist)
For National Independence and Socialism • www.cpaml.org
(Above: US commanders are trained in managing those they control. Source: www.army.mil/ )
The US has an obsession with the interoperability of its military equipment and that used by its allies. It is regarded as an important factor linking the Pentagon with far-flung countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Moves by Canberra, therefore, to assess the ability of various countries across the region to challenge China, if the situation arises, carry all the hallmarks of US-led fears about the threat to their traditional hegemonic position and the significance of Australia as a hub for 'US interests'.
It follows similar intelligence assessments of the Pacific region, which found the US would struggle and have serious difficulties challenging China.
Early in the New Year, a major statement issued by Canberra about regional defence and security was timed to coincide with the establishment of the Trump administration; it contained many points of interest. Australia, as a major regional hub for 'US interests', was clearly following directives from the Pentagon; compliance is the name of the game.
It followed concerns arising about 'Australia's strategic outlook', toward the vast region, with an emphasis that 'efforts should begin immediately behind the scenes to extend the solidarity proposal to a range of nations'. (1) The whole exercise would appear an additional element and component of the already operational US-led Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS).
Central importance in the statement was placed upon Australia providing assistance 'in the form of diplomatic, economic, technical, intelligence and material support and – subject to there being in place a military alliance between nations – could also involve defence assistance'. (2) A long list of regional countries was then provided as being regarded of interest, stretching from the Maldives in the east, to Taiwan in the north, and the Pacific Islands Forum in the west, with Australia linked to New Zealand in the south, both members of the elite Five Eyes intelligence-sharing organisation. (3)
The timing of the statement remains a matter of curiosity; the horse would already appear to have bolted. Last year, for example, an official military statement concerning Australia's regional role included reference to already existing 'co-operation agreements recently signed with India, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea'. (4) The same statement also drew attention to 'under existing alliances with Singapore and the US, training ranges and defence bases are being expanded and upgraded in Queensland and the Northern Territory'. (5)
The statement, however, stressed that Australia had no intention of attempting to establish an 'anti-China coalition', but to establish communiques with individual countries in order to 'make Beijing's calculations vastly more complicated'. (6) Beijing, when assessing its own regional position, will be faced with having to study individual countries and the wording of diplomatic agreements.
The moves follow decisions taken by the US over a decade ago to improve their regional intelligence, following the rise of China as a competitor. Early in the last decade the US military expanded their Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to include as many as 1,600 new intelligence-gatherers working in the convergence of military and intelligence agencies. (7) Emphasis was placed upon intelligence assessments 'focused on emerging threats and more closely aligned with the CIA and elite military commando units'. (8)
Inter-operability would appear an important factor when assessing the expansion of the DIA; the US have made greater use of allies for basing their agents in sensitive areas.
The developments have coincided with an official announcement that the ADF has already laid the basis for military personnel from other Five Eyes countries to join Australian counterparts as serving military officials, it would appear interoperability is a fact already in working practice. (9)
The development would appear reciprocal: more than a hundred Australian military personnel, for example, have also graduated from US nuclear submarine schools and an announcement that the USS Hawaii (SSN 776) arrived in Perth, West Australia, with an Australian officer at the helm, leaves little to the imagination. (10) Future US strategy will include provision of military equipment for forthcoming hostilities, military personnel from allies will, however, be in the firing line following Pentagon directives.
The moves follow revelations that the US was no longer the dominant power in the Pacific;
a commission, established by US Congress, issued its findings several years ago. (11) Recommendations from the final US government report also included the US 'further relying on traditional allies, including Japan and Australia … and the … US military superiority is no longer assured and the implications for American interests and American security are severe'. (12) Fears have now arisen that closer diplomatic relations between China with its allies, Russia, North Korea and Iran, have contributed toward an increasingly serious challenge to US hegemonic positions across the wider Indo-Pacific region. (13)
These developments, however, have been given minimal publicity and have been conducted through stealth; they have, nevertheless, far-reaching implications for Australia, which has been placed in a pivotal regional position for defending 'US interests' in the wider region. Australia has been drawn even closer to US diplomatic positions, with all the hallmarks of real-war scenarios becoming increasingly visible and looming on the horizon:
We need an independent foreign policy!
1. Regional security pact in our hands, The Weekend Australian, 11-12 January 2025.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. Alliances enhance domestic training, Land Forces Supplement, Australian, 11 September 2024.
5. Ibid.
6. Weekend Australian, op.cit., 11-12 January 2025.
7. Pentagon plays the spy game, Guardian Weekly (U.K.), 7 December 2012.
8. Ibid.
9. ADF to welcome Five Eyes recruits, Australian, 30 December 2024.
10. Bipartisan support in US helping fuel AUKUS impetus, Australian, 10 January 2025.
11. Study: US no longer dominant power in the Pacific, Information Clearing House, 22 August 2019.
12. Ibid.
13. See: Afghan war exist 'was right thing to do', Australian, 15 January 2025.