We've repeatedly dispatched small, but elite forces to fight with our allies whenever they've needed us - drone WW1 to Iraq. By being dependable we should secure some bargaining chips along tie road.
Maybe I'm being too cynical, but how exactly does our assistance get Australia anything? How many countries are dependable to act merely out of good will or out of returning a past favour(s)?
It just seems to me that the USA would abandon Australia the moment Australia became too inconvenient & if they could "sell" their action (or lack thereof) to the American public, & by sell I mean not unduly risk that government losing their next election nor the American people becoming to unruly for the state... & relying on popular opinion in America getting much consistently done seems laughable.
Really how valuable is Australia's assistance to the USA or the UK? I vaguely remember hear about a "proposal" that Australia move closer to the UK post Brexit, but whether there was anything of substance to that...
It seems almost as if Australia buys bombs off the USA and drops them where the President of the Free WorldTM asks :/
All for what exactly? Browny points? If Australia doesn't have decent bargaining chips already what reason do the Australian governments have to think they'll acrue enough in the future?
Sure it might seem to be working for now, but isn't one of the main points being defence/protection, so what about when push comes to shove? I mean frankly I don't really see why&how Australia would be invaded by a country in the near future, but isn't that that risk still the point of appeasing the USA?
Or is it really just that there's noone else to go to to protect ships from pirates?!