Concerns about the strength of the U.S. alliance have emerged since the election of Donald Trump to the US presidency, with supporters of the alliance expressing considerable anxiety about the continuing strength of the Australia-U.S. relationship.
“Donald Trump remains deeply unpopular with the Australian public”, says Dr Vince Scappatura, a specialist in international relations.
“The familiar romantic mantra of the Australia-U.S. alliance as a special relationship rooted in shared values is now much harder to sell with President Trump in the White House.”
Dr Scappatura sees a great deal of effort being made behind the scenes to shore up the Australian-American Alliance.
“Recent revelations about the Chinese Communist Party cultivating networks of influence in Australian politics have rightly attracted widespread criticism in the Australian press,” Dr Scappatura says.
:”However, left largely unexamined are the much larger and more effective ‘public diplomacy’ activities of the U.S. lobby in Australia.”
Dr Scappatura says that institutions like the Australian American Leadership Dialogue have for decades functioned to socialise Australian elites into adhering to a worldview that aligns with U.S. foreign policy interests. The evidence suggests it is highly effective.
Dr Scappatura will address the issue of the U.S. lobby in Australia during the upcoming Independent and Peaceful Australia Network National Conference in Melbourne over the weekend of 8-10 September 2017.
For further information on the IPAN conference and program, see www.ipan.org.au
