A couple of weeks old this article. Interesting development for Perth if the report's recommendations are followed, as CSGs are about 7500 people - or a small town - and much bigger than the US marine contingent in Darwin.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politi...801-23emq.html

the US military 'pivot' to APAC is inevitable considering the rise of China and the possible confrontation in the South China Sea. it complements the US marines already in Darwin.

WA faces the Indian Ocean and a good launchpad for Mid-east missions as well.

I think Australia is the only country the US can trust in this part of AsiaPac at the moment after NZ rejected nuclear powered US subs and ships.

For me this is all about the South China Sea, yes. They have bases closer to ME and SCS but in a nutshell the Chinese are developing a lot of offensive weapons systems that could strike those bases, whereas Australia is out of range. Perth also offers almost immediate access to blue water as well which is handy for the two SSNs that they look like they're going to park there.

and with a low population density australia presents a more tolerable level of collateral damage with only a few (mostly southern) population centers to guard.

and it's kinda risky considering china is probably australia's most important trading partner.

I can't see anything like that happening. Beijing has nothing to gain and everything to lose if it carries on like that. If it fires missiles at Australia not only does that serve no purpose at all except taking out one US CSG, but it ensures the end of their coastal cities and economy in retaliatory strikes. Nope - the next war is economic.

This partly symbolic on behalf of the US. Its bases in Guam and Japan are much closer to SCS than Perth is. This is about making a statement to Beijing that Washington is not stepping back from the region. It does balance the increasing Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean though and their growing interest in Africa.

Interesting. $16 trillion national debt and they continue to spend billions of dollars on the military.

What worries me is that a country with an economy the size of the US's has a $16 trillion debt, but a country with an economy the size of the UK's has a $9 trillion debt.

But not sure parking their ships in Perth is going to cost more than wherever they are currently parked.

guess who buys most US government bonds?

China!

China is funding its own 'enemy'. such irony

Where do you get that figure from ? It appears to be $1.5t.

public or corporate?

The often-quoted figures of $15 trillion and $9 trillion refer to total private and public debt. These figures do not account for assets the states have, material or debt they may be owed by other states.

Fiddling just like that old Roman Emperor. Whilst the Garrisons guard far flung places on the edge of their Empire.

If there is one dead set in stone lesson I've learnt in my 50 years plus on this Planet it's History definitely always repeats itself.

If you want to know what the future holds, read a comparison from HIstory.

Why don't you include those in your figures?

They're actually quite hard to find. I think the UK assets end up meaning they UK owes about $1. something trillion as Chris955 mentions, but it is not a net creditor like others above it like Luxembourg. Not sure what US assets are.

But what would you compare to? The obvious one is Rome, or British Empire perhaps. The US is in decline, we know that much. But these things take time and it's not going to unwind in a couple of years. The Chinese are building an offensive capability as fast as they can and being increasingly belligerent in the South China Sea. They are also increasing their military budget (despite the massive poverty of much of their population) at an alarming rate, but it remains something like 20% of the US one, depending on who you believe. They are a long way behind the US in terms of military capability in other words, and its only serious competitor. So I see the US in decline relative to its former self, but retaining global dominance for many decades to come.

If the US does this then 0.5% of the population of Perth becomes US military.