Australia's Evolving Strategic Posture in the Asia-Pacific

Australia has been adjusting its strategic relationships to better structure its defense posture to the evolving post-Cold War correlates of power in the Asia Pacific. The 1997 defense strategy review, the foreign and trade policy white paper, and the defense efficiency review have done much to codify the Howard Government's new direction for Australia's external security posture. While this is not a return to the old policy of forward defense it does have ramifications for Australia's defense policy of self reliance. The Howard Government’s recent defense policy initiatives includes “forward cooperation” as a key component of Australia's new strategic posture.