beethoven said:
i think its actually quite amusing that we aussies have such an inflated sense of our own importance in world affairs...while we are obviously aligned with the US and britain in the so called 'war on terror' and as such are possible targets of terrorist attacks it is absolutely absurd to think that we are in any way important enough to warrant our belief that we are prominent on the world stage. Most people in the US aren't even aware that Australia was even involved in Iraq, and the same goes in Britain. Just because our role in the coalition of the willing gained newstime here in Australia, doesnt mean it did everywhere else. we are not a "looming entity" in any way, except perhaps in our own minds.
I wasn't suggesting that we are a target or that we are as prominent as the US and the UK, but rather that we are far from being as insiginificant as both you and azzie suggest. Besides, given that we are all well aware of reports that many US citisens cannot find Canada on a map, I wouldn't be one to use such 'evidence' supporting your stance freely.
It's our position in the minds of those in power and those acting against the global movement against 'terror' that matters, not how where stand in the eyes of a farmer from kentucky or steel-worker from Sheffield. Just to reiterate, I'm not saying that we are as prominent as other nation-states, but rather that we aren't that insiginificant.