ABSTRACT
At a political level, of course, 9/11 and the subsequent ‘war on terrorism’ made it easier for the Bush administration to justify a war against Iraq that was mostly sought for reasons unconnected to terrorism. This chapter aims to review the major developments arising from this commitment by the Australian government. It argues for less use of terrorism as a blanket term, for a more critical stance towards US policy, and for a more nuanced approach to the regional dimension. In evaluating Australian involvement in the ‘war on terrorism’, author starting point is that Australian governments should be doing all in their power to prevent terrorist attacks directed against Australian citizens and residents. An initial issue is the meaning the Australian government gives to terrorism in the context of the ‘war on terrorism’. Realists such as Owen Harries have countered that states determine their policy on the basis of an assessment of their national interest at any given time.
