Political Science

In its effort to integrate and work with other countries in the globalised world, Australia has taken a number of steps. According to the international relationship theories, foreign policies play a major role in determining the relationship of a country with the rest of the world. In lens of foreign policy and other self-styled multidimensional strategies, this paper reviews the efforts that have been taken by Howard government in engaging with the rest of the world.

Australias engagement with the rest of the world
Australia has taken a self-styled multidimensional strategy to regional security for long. It sees the region with an eye of transnational threats and it takes them more seriously than other challenges like inter-state war. Australia sees its security not being threatened by the major powers but rather by other international development (James, et al 1997). This development includes terrorism, regional disorder, and proliferation of Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD). This has made Australia to approach regional security by making distinctive policies which include reassertion of its close partnership with the US reaffirming and in some cases extending bilateral cooperation and reduced limited multilateral partnership and engagement (Jeffrey, et al 2007).

Asian states compose a complex region characterised by old fashioned strategic rivalries and threats of great power war. The region also faces range of problems which pose a threat to people, communities and states that do not benefit from state-military sources. Australias major concerns with Asian states are terrorism, proliferation of WMD, transnational crime, and transnational range of issues (Greg, 2006).  Though Australia is not assuming strong leadership role in the area, its policy is working and heavily targeting terrorism.

One of the policies by the Australia is its partnership with the US. Australia-US cooperation is a fundamental element of Australias defense and security. Australia acknowledges that major power cooperation determines regional order and that American position in stabilizing conflicts in such Asian states like Iraq leads to Australia having an interest in America balanced region (Greg, 2006). The government knows that the US is able to bring and maintain regional order and it also provides important resources to Australia in terms of improved intelligence which is helpful in advancing Australias security needs in the region.

Apart from this bilateral cooperation with the US, the governments next policy was reaffirmation of a string of bilateral partnership with Asian partners (James et al 2002). This involved partnership with Japan and China and included constant talks, military exchanges and training as well as confidence building measures. Cooperation with Malaysia and Singapore has been formalized, together with an improvement in relationship with Indonesia (Jeffrey et al 2007). Counterterrorism agreements have been signed with Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Another Australian strategy has been encouraging and pursuing of regional multilateral efforts. Australia has been a major player in the STAR initiative in APEC. Though this multilateral effort has not been successful due to mutual mistrust within the region, weak organizations and porous borders, Australia has been pushing its efforts, while knowing it can do little to change state preferences (David, 2005).

The Howard government sought close partnership with the US because it believed that a globally dominant US would be good for the world. This promoted a decision to give top priority to the cultivation of a US-Australia bilateral cooperation different from the predecessor of John Howard (Cotton  Ravenhill 2007). While Paul Keating was pro-American, his high priorities were on Australia-Asia pacific engagement.

Howard governments experience with East Asian economic crisis seems to have promoted the partnership, but it is the government expression of support during the September 11 terrorist attack and its devotion to support fight on terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq which changed the bilateral cooperation (Jeffrey, et al 2007). The Howard government has taken bilateral as well as unilateral efforts, for example, the quick response during the tsunami tragedy and the deployment of military and police units in South pacific and East Timor which was praised by Washington (Ross, 2002).
This contribution by Howard government in military support in coalition operation has played a great role in enhancing the relationship of Australia and the US (Greg, 2006). To ensure that its military capacity is able to meet the demand for the operations, the Howard government has put in place some strategy to empower its defense capabilities. First, the government has raised the budgetary allocation for ADF by more than 10, an increase in real terms over level of more than ten years (Cotton  Ravenhill 2007).

This will ensure that the government has a large, better protected, more mobile army that can be deployed more easily. The government also went ahead and gave 3 annual increase in the defense up to the year 2016 (Stewart, 2005). The government has been doing this by acknowledging that the global character of the security challenges is becoming more complex thus making the operational tempo to be great. The government has also quarantined the defense from substantial budget cuts and increased outlays in real terms. They restored one infantry battalion and projected to add two battalions by 2010. The government also abandoned the notion that their defense structure should determine the defense of Australia and adopted a global perspective in determining these structures (Weiss, et al 2004).

Australia has also acknowledged that terrorist networks are a great threat and nation states remain the most important player in bringing order. Eventually, Australia sees global balance of power to be the most determinant of Australias security. Australia has been steadfast to support America even when they were under pressure and did not consider this as blind loyalty. Even with American disengaging from Iraq, Australia sees that its interest will not be served by this but instead must remain prepared for long-term commitment. With the US-China cooperations, China-Japan tensions, Australia has taken an enormous role in the maintenance of Northeast Korean stability (Ann, 2005).

According to the government, their alliance with the United States has added value to their dealings in the region and this cooperation was turning to be an asset rather than a liability. The relation has led to a growing web of other ties. In 2006, the government signed the Lombok Treaty with Indonesia (Cotton  Ravenhill 2007). There was another joint Declaration on security cooperation among Australia, Japan and the US for the benefit of the region in totality. The government has also pursued free trade agreement with China and has been working with them in a number of areas to increase regional wealth and stability (Cotton  Ravenhill 2007).

Conclusion
In conclusion, the government does have a good point of the wide range of challenges posed by Asian states on regional security and is directing its energy primarily on terrorism. With the need to stabilise relations among states that are engrossed in mistrust and who have limited resources to secure themselves and the wider region, it will be good to appreciate the efforts of Australia. They are a role model of middle power strategy to cope with such circumstances they find themselves in (Jeffrey et al 2007).