Overview
AMERICAN AUSTRALIAN RELATIONSHIP: BUILDING ALLIANCES
Australia has participated alongside the US in every military conflict in the last 50 years. Australia is a reliable ally, security partner and friend of the United States. Australia is the only nation to have sent combat forces to fight with the United States in every major conflict during the twentieth century, including World Wars I & II, Korea, Vietnam, the First Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Australia was one of the first countries to join the United States in the coalition to fight terrorism following the attacks on 11 September 2001. Australia invoked the ANZUS Treaty for the first time on 14 September 2001, and has since made military contributions to the US-led campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The ANZUS alliance is the foundation of defence and security cooperation between Australia and the United States. This cooperation increases Australia’s ability to protect itself and its interests by providing access to world-leading defence hardware and technologies and to vital intelligence capabilities. Working with US forces and the ability to contribute to multinational coalitions are both central to Australia’s defence policies, acquisition and training. New Zealand is also an active participant in multilateral peacekeeping.
Prime Minister John Howard and US President George W. Bush, State visit, May 2006
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