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The cultural war is global. Basically, the world is divided into two kinds of people. Conservatives recognize that actions have consequences. Consequently, they tend to act with consequences in mind. The left tends to live for the moment.

If Australia did not support the U.S., there would be no material consequence in the short run. Australia would save a few hundred million dollars and a few Aussies would be alive who may be killed in combat (non were killed in the Gulf War). However, over the long run, Australia would have no allies, because the U.S. is the only nation on the planet with both the ability and will (at least while a Conservative is in the White House)to defend Australia against global terrorism and regional powers such as China, North Korea and Indonesia. If Australia were attacked directly, Britain and New Zealand would offer token material aid. A few countries--Spain, Italy, perhaps Japan--would offer polite conversation. The rest of the world would ignore Australia even while it was destroyed.

Howard represents the older generation of Australians who remember or studied Australia's experience in the early 1940s, when Japan was on the march.

What we're seeing in the Axis of Weasels is the end of the collective defense. Every country for itself, as in the 1930s.