'More than an Ally'?: Contemporary Australia-US Relations - Tapa dura

'Do alliance relationships confirm or contest the proposition that states are inherently selfish, never tiring of trying to get more than they give? By working through a range of detailed case studies, this study animates the Australia - US alliance as few other works have done. It raises the bar and will provoke debate and catalyze further research.' Ron Huisken, Australian National University, Australia 'Maryanne Kelton has written what will likely become the standard scholarly source on Australian-American relations during the Howard era. Using well-chosen and thoroughly-researched case studies, she focuses on the importance of threat perception in explaining why the Coalition consistently fashioned its foreign policy to prioritise the alliance. This book offers sobering lessons for any country which has to deal with the United States.' Kim Richard Nossal, Queen's University, Canada 'Provides us with a lively and comprehensive account of the Australia-US relationship in the crucial areas of trade, defence and foreign policy. Meticulously researched, this analysis considers the profits and perils of mobilizing domestic politics to drive foreign policy. Essential reading for anyone interested in the fate of "non-great" powers in their alliance relationships with the US.' Ann Capling, University of Melbourne, Australia

With the ascendancy of the Coalition government in 1996 there was a marked shift of emphasis directed to deepening Australia's relations with America. The Coalition government strategically linked security and economic well-being and this linking was contextualized by threats both internal and external. By deepening the relationship of the US alliance in foreign, trade and defence policies, the Australian government sought to resonate on inherited and conservative perceptions of threat in the domestic environment. Maryanne Kelton introduces specific cases to demonstrate both the intensity and complexity of dealing with the US. Through these empirical studies the government's approach is examined across trade, security and industry sectors. The book adds to the current debate as it provides an explanatory framework for understanding the Australian government's choices in its relations with the USA across the broader spectrum of security issues.