Australian Foreign Relations - Essay Example

Australian foreign relations Name Course Institution Professor Date Introduction Middle power implies to a position in regards to international relations whereby a state is not a superpower though it still has a great or moderated influence on world affairs. States that are regarded as being Middle powers are internationally recognized. The question of whether Australia is a middle power nation or not shift concerns and focus on the evaluation of the various issues which Australia has had some intervention in. the discussion herein analyses whether really Australia is a middle power in regards to the degree of this state’s interests in world affairs. Under the leadership of the Labor Government which was elected in the year 2007, Australia is shifting some concerns in line with international interests. The state indicated active participation in the issue regarding the global climate change and was well represented in the forum that took place in Copenhagen. Australia’s contribution in response to climate change indicated quite a great influence as far as interventions to ensure a sustainable environment is concerned (David, Sutton and Philip 2008, p.56). It was demonstrated that Australia could be at the forefront in the mitigation of climate change through the formulation of policies that would act as drivers to Australian actions in the mitigation of climate change. To begin with, in response to the change in the global climate Australia shifts concerns to fossil fuels. Research has it those less than one eighth recoverable reserves of fossil fuel that is remaining in the world which basically constitutes 3.5 trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide that may be potentially emitted is capable of being burnt which would finally result to a devastating state (David, Sutton and Philip 2008, p. 60). To prevent this Australia focused on using the power and authority that it has in the global market in relation to coal geared towards staring a norm against the exploitation of resources more specifically fossil fuel. The alternative presented was that people should replace fossil fuels with those sources of energy that can be renewed. In this case Australia aimed at seeing to it that there is the imposition of a moratorium on the new developments in the country in relation to both gas and coal (David, Sutton and Philip 2008, 77). This would mean signaling the leaders in the entire world as well as investors of the need to look for alternative means of sources of energy in a bid to shift reliance from fossil fuel. Search global influence definitely presents Australia being a middle power nation. On the case of climate change, another concern by Australia regards renewable energy. From a global perspective, Australia is an economy that is quite advanced in the aspect that it is among the states in the world which enjoys the sun’s highest degree of brightness. In connection to this, Australia therefore plays quite a major role in relation to finding solutions regarding changes in global climate. Australia thus advocated for the use of wind and solar photo-voltaics, this being quite a critical technological approach for de-carbonizing the global system of energy. It is understood that the technology that involves the conversion of solar energy into usable energy instead of dependence on fossil fuels has already been adopted in some nations of the world. The technology is seen to produce energy 24 hours with power emanating from the sun hence providing among the best options geared towards replacing the use of fossil fuels (David, Sutton and Philip 2008, p. 37). By Australia being a central player in climate change issues and fostering the adoption of solar technology for the mitigation of climate change, is an indication of the influence this state has being a middle power nation. With the state of Australia being at the forefront of finding solution to climate change, Australia is thus bound to be the world powerhouse as far as solar thermal technology is concerned. This means that the state works in cooperation with other nations of the world to promote and guarantee that concentrating solar thermal power turns out to be the cheapest for of energy which actually should be demanded instead of coal. It is solely Australia being a middle power state that has the ability and capability of leading the entire world towards coming up with solutions of the global change in climate. The responsibility of Australia undertaking the leadership for global interest shows that it is a middle power state. The position of Australia’s leadership to technologically clean the global economy has its outcome being a more equitable and prosperous world economy with improved abilities of avoiding the impacts of climate that are quite devastating. Australia is also seen as being a middle power nation from its responsive behavior in relation to the attacks of the pentagon. During the September 11, 2001 bombing, coincidentally John Howard had taken a state visit to Washington D.C on that same day. He could be able to view from the hotel where he was staying smoke from the pentagon rising in the air after the bombing. He had visited the place the day before. The following days after the attack the Howard government attributed some meaning to the events and how they were related to the state of Australia. It was in three arguments which included; the nature of the attacks which was quite extraordinary that ushered a global perspective with the need for the recognition of attacks being on the values and norms which Australia and the United States shares; as well as the need for the state of Australia to show some form of solidarity with America (Leaver 2001, p.20). The idea that the attacks on September 11 were exceptional was surely not under any limitations to the prime minister of Australia though his suggestion that the attacks lead to a new era of Australia’s influence in the global sphere is a vital aspect worth noting. The 9-11 attack is understood to have marked the entry of a new and more dangerous era compared to the cold war. This propelled Australia’s interests in military interventions in unity with the United States in a bid to prevent such attacks, hence its declaration to start the war on terror as well from the declaration of the same by the United States. Suggestions have it that the 9/11 attack was propelled and resulted from the fact that there exist some shared values between America and Australia (Lee Koo 2005, p.32) It is demonstrated that the shared values constituted the military cooperation and intervention between the two states and certainly the influence by Australia on the broader spectrum of foreign policy. This presents that the attack was but due to the fact that Australia and America share a common life which is reflected by it being a middle power state. The September 11 attack indicated that there is need for Australia to act and take its role and position being middle power nation which is basically coming up with ways on how to face the war on terror. Australia’s promise to offer the United States with any assistance clearly indicates that the former is not any lesser that the latter in terms of global influence and interests. The promise was confirmed on September 14, 2001 with the government of Australia invoking unilaterally the central agreement of forming an alliance between the state and the United States. The treaty is refereed to as the ANZUS treaty (Seal 2004, p.45). This course of action taken by Australia is a clear demonstration of Australia’s solidarity coupled with honor of the reaffirmation that the September 11 attacks were actually a manifestation of global threat and acts of war. The behavior and response of Australia in relation to the September 11 attacks is a clear reflection of the nation being a middle power state. In line with the Afghanistan’s Taliban regime, Australia did not waver or step back from intervention but instead offered the United States assistance. The moment the American administration under the leadership of Bush concluded that the operation by the operation by military to remove the Taliban was not against the law being an act of defense themselves the government of Australia kept its military ready for the worthy course (Woodward 2002, p. 77). Towards the end of the month of November and to the beginning of December the year 2001 the government of Australia deployed some troops to Afghanistan. This is a clear indication that Australia centrally contributes to the global interventions in regards to matters of security and governance. Australia’s participation in Afghanistan is seen to have been quite necessary in line the internationally responding to the threat as posed by Taliban’s leadership of offering sponsorship to those responsible of the September 11 attacks. In connection to this, Howard was quite eager towards the establishing of the fact that there is the need for military means to be used in a bid to redress the terrorist threat. As a matter of great significance Howard gave meaning to the necessity for intervention by Australia in Afghanistan. He presented that the path taken Australia was indication of the strong desire and commitment that the state has similar to the United States in defending what is treasured and that is global peace (Leaver 2001, p.23). It is understood that by Australia taking part in Afghanistan it would be defending the similar values the state has as the United States as well as giving some practical response to the September 11 attack. The ability opportunity taking heed and intervening in the war in Afghanistan is a clear indication of Australia not being just any state but a middle power state. In regards to Australia being a middle power nation, it is quite crucial to recognize that it intervened in a smaller scale after 2001 participation in Afghanistan. More in particular is the intervention in Solomon Islands which was in the year in 2003 (Robert and Kiernan 2003, p. 19). Australia’s involvement was under based upon the idea that failed nations provided a good place where terrorists could carry out their activities. This new intervention was as well made possible by America enacting principles in relation to the global understanding of war on terror. The context of the nation of Australia acting and intervening on global matters in line with war on terror presented a myriad of opportunities being the nation acting as the regional deputy for the United States in the island. The Australian governments that have led the nation successively over the years have always accepted leadership of the south pacific region. With this in place another intervention concerns the response by Australia to the government of Indonesia. It was propelled by the fact that the government of Indonesia supported attacks of some militias on the towns of east Timor following the referendum that took place in 1999 (Robert and Kiernan 2003, p. 25). The peace keeping mission lead by Australia was quite a success which demonstrated the nation’s ability to take prominent role regionally. This is clear demonstration of the fact that Australia is a middle power state with a great influence globally in relation to its interventions. In conclusion, the idea of middle powers is a concept that cannot at all be underestimated but bears a high degree of relevance globally. This is due to the fact that it facilitates and makes it easier to identify various ways through which nations that actually may be viewed as incapable of greatly and positively influencing the world may however make huge contributions in changing it. The state of Australia is quite a good example of a nation in this category of middle power states. This has been demonstrated through its various interventions on global matters all for a worthy course geared towards positive change. Australia’s ability to attain global influence has been seen to range from serious matters regarding the global change in climate to responses and participation in activities that are aimed at ending terrorism in the world. This way the nation exercises a sense of diplomacy aiming at making a better place for everyone and for every nation. Most importantly by this nations aiding the united states a nation regarded as the world’s superpower shows how well up the nation is in handling matter of global concerns which is a good thing and source of global power as well as authority which should characterize middle power states. References David, S. Sutton and Philip, D 2008, Climate Code Red: The Case for Emergency Action, Sydney, Scribe Publications. Leaver, R 2001, ‘The meanings, origins and implications of the Howard Doctrine’, The Pacific Review, p.15-34 Lee Koo, K 2005, ‘Terror Australis: Security, Australia and the 'War on Terror' Discourse’, Borderlands journal, vol. 1, no. 1, p. 23-54. Robert, G and Kiernan B 2003, the Specter of Genocide: Mass Murder in the Historical Perspective, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Seal, G 2004, Inventing ANZUS: The Digger and National Mythology, Brisbane, UQ Press. Woodward, B. 2002, Bush at War, New York, Simon and Schuster. Read More