The largely unrecognised risk to Australia that our powerful ally will strategically collapse through internal political stresses is greater than the much discussed threat of war with China. Allan Behm, Director, International & Security Affairs Program, The Australia Institute, in conversation with Michael Lester about his new book The Odd Couple: The Australia-America relationship (Upswell Publishing 2024).

With many similarities culturally and historically that inevitably bind us together we make an odd arguably mismatched couple characterised by dominance and servility respectively, under stress and not coping well. Our respective insecurities and pathologies get in the way of a mutual identification of our respective interests to the detriment of both. The risk of a mutual catastrophe can be avoided by a better alignment between our respective individual and mutual interests, particularly through development of a more confident Australian voice and broad diplomacy.

Listen to the podcast here: