[def8cefe]

>As for someone living in Australia, you'll be fine in that corner of the world.

(While not a member) Australia relies on NATO. Without it they would exist at the mercy of China. Without the US, NATO goes limp, especially in the naval power department.

[magicsmoke]

Why would China wander over to Australia? China would probably look west into the Indian ocean more than they would look east, because that's where their oil comes from. They'd also have to get past Indonesia first, and frankly Australia has had more foreign policy problems with Indonesia in the past than with China. East Timor and illegal migrants come to mind.

Australia is as safe from a war in Eurasia as the Americas are. The events of WW2 made that quite clear. Imperial Japan even at its greatest extent was only able to make bombing runs on Australia's north coast. Frankly, there's nothing really worth fighting over as far away as Australia is from the rest of the world. Australia's key foreign policy objective is to play nice with the global naval power. Not because it needs protection, but it needs to not get locked out of the global shipping and trade network.

[tiredyam]

This whole argument is silly. War is dead. China will not conquer your land but they will buy your corporates and leaders souls. Why did the brush fires happen?