[Ronaldus Magnus]

But Foreign Minister Alexander Downer shocked the region with a speech 12 months ago IN BEIJING in which he hinted Australia would not automatically support the US.

So much for America's most dependable ally. Secretary of State Rice ought to consider making a trip to Tokyo to hint that the US would not automatically support Australia against future Japanese Imperialism in the Coral Sea.

[Oztrich Boy]

So much for America's most dependable ally. Secretary of State Rice ought to consider making a trip to Tokyo Djakarta to hint that the US would not automatically support Australia against future Japanese Imdonesian Imperialism in the Coral Sea South east Asia.

No wait. We already got that messsge from the US State Department in the 1960s (not a criticism, as naturalman has pointed out, there are some things the treaties do not cover - and when they don't, support is not automatic)