For the last half-century, some sections of Australian public opinion have been confused about the dramatic changes in the country’s international relations and posture. In recent times that has been reflected, among other things, in strategic confusion and empty rhetoric about “Asian Century” or concepts like “the Indo-Pacific”, which have no meaning for practical politics, defence strategy or even economics. The reality is more complex. Until well after the Second World War most Australians considered themselves “British”, and Britain was “home”. That changed in the quarter-century between the fall of Singapore in 1942, together with Australia’s rescue by the US…