Southeast Asian Perceptions of Australia´ s Foreign Policy

Abstract

This article argues that while the US alliance remains at the forefront of australian security policy, the deepening of ties between the United States and australia has the potential to complicate australia's relations with its Southeast asian neighbours. Moreover, the manner in which the Howard government has attempted to manage this shift in policy has only exacerbated the problem. australian pronouncements of support for the US policy of pre-emption, the perceived preference of the australian Prime Minister to take on the role of "deputy Sheriff", and the unwieldy approach taken by the australian government in policy announcements pertaining to maritime and security policy have caused unnecessary tension and mistrust between australia and some Southeast asian states.

Illusions of Relevance? An Australian Encounter with Malay History and Southeast Asian Security

“…A project to instruct Australians in this way is indeed radical, but is very far from fulfilling the criteria for radicalism in a "postmodern" sense, inasmuch as it eschews the deconstruction of constructs such as "Asian Values" in preference 24 While no doubt the al-Qaeda attacks on the United States were unprecedented, and also the supportive response of self-styled "sheriff" John Howard more emotional and vocal than that of a Labor administration might have been, it only occurred in the framework or spirit of the durable ANZUS pact. Snyder [39] offers insights into recent Australian-ASEAN tensions. 25 The writer owes most of his knowledge of the Project to Ingleson [14], but takes responsibility for all angles and emphases in this discussion.…”

“…But Milner may sincerely believe that Realism is far more normative than descriptive -while perhaps finding less objectionable on that score the more "harmony-emphasizing" theories, and especially the operative doctrine of ASEAN. 39 One other angle that was promised, to round off the discussion of Return of History, was going to relate to the -in fact missing -dimension of international human rights. Here, even more than with the question of balance of power and Realism, one will have to resort to speculation.…”

“…To meet a diametrically different man from the Milner image, a reading of Roberts [36] is recommended. 39 A stimulating essay on the image of Realism and/or balance of power thinking, published some seven months before the world-shaking event of 11th September (which in some ways perhaps shattered balance of power assumptions though still not in the minds of American "Neo-Cons"), was Freedman [10]. Incidentally, Milner's presumed attachment to neoliberalism or liberal internationalism seems compatible in general spirit with Oakeshott's formula for national cohesion, and the rejection of Realism is in tune with Oakeshott's hatred of theory and ideology (see next paragraph), but as remarked earlier in this section, the "conversation paradigm" relates to nations, not international groupings of nations.…”