Our Prime Minister is currently on a jaunt to Washington, Ottawa and Dublin – and in some position to regard himself, and his country, fairly smugly by way of comparison. But it is not quite as simple as that. His government has handed down a fairly successful budget – showing solid fundamentals, if not much regard for what makes them solid or fundamental. The success of the budget depends on US economic stability and US relationships with China. The US is becoming increasingly bogged down in Iraq, while simultaneously seeming to talk itself into fewer and fewer policy options short of war in Iran. Furthermore, the question of selling energy, not least uranium to India and to China, involves important foreign policy considerations for the Australian and United States governments respectively.
On the face of it, there could hardly be a better time to be paying a visit to the United States, firstly to inform oneself about the state of American thinking on the many important questions, and secondly to press strongly some of Australia's different views and interests. By visiting important and significant progressive 'middle-of-the-road' powers, with a view of the world somewhat different from our own, Howard further cements his standing and appeases some moderates.
Alas, all too often we see little of the exchange of experiences, and in the general bonhomie and routine ritual which John Howard seems to love, the primary result is enthusiastic Australian endorsement for whatever the US is doing, with only token acknowledgement of the differing Australian interest.
Even at the best of times, it has been hard to get any concentrated American focus on the problems of failed economies and collapsing polities in the western Pacific. The US, quite reasonably, regards most of these problems as being for Australia and the 'neighbourhood' to solve, and confines itself, when taking any notice at all, to ritual support of our initiatives, and, in the case of East Timor, a vague benevolence focused on helping to remind the Indonesians that they have no option but to get over the traumatic circumstances of its birth. Generally US policy does not contain much in the way of useful practical ideas.
But John Howard, in Australia's interests, should be concerned to let Americans – and for that matter the world - know what is happening, if only to help avoid Australia's being painted as the villain when things get worse. And not only in the Solomons, where the farce