Same here. The nasty extra is that we pay for US protection against unknown enemies. That's protection as in protection racket, mind.
regards,
Hein
It is getting worse here: http://www.abc.net.a...-report/4856112
This is all part of the American Empire's strategy to "contain" China. We are suddenly of strategic importance as a giant air base for the Yanks. Nevermind that China is one of our biggest trading partners and this will just antagonise them or that, in the unthinkable event of an actual conflict between the USA and China, we would become part of the warzone.
Could it be the USA, in its current state, remembering with nostalgia the good ol' days of being a political, military and economic powerhouse, is looking to recapture those days with another potential cold war scenario - this time against China...maybe Australia can lease the land next door to the base out to the Chinese so they build one as well, for the sake of fairness of course.