BC as usual, you post the most sensible comments....
on the matter of ANZUS though - its alliances such as this that resulted in the assassination of Arch-Duke Ferdinand that turned a local conflict into WW1, yet the alliance also rescued us in WW2 when the UK was demanding that all our troops should be sent to Europe regardless of Japanese aggression in our region.
so measuring up the cost of WW1 (which forged the alliance with US and NZ) to the benefit of WW2 assistance, which turned the Japanese back and saved Aus from military invasion.
so its not merely cost/benefit in $ terms..... its our freedom to be Aussie and our long-term membership as one of the most free nations in the world.
in these terms, the cost is minimal and insignificant.
