ABSTRACT
During the Global War on Terror, the US received no stronger support than from the group of nations often called the Anglo-Sphere but which Winston Churchill would have recognised as the core English speaking people. Following the perspective of the 'clash of civilisations', this is a group of states which mostly share a core set of values and language, have a liberal economy and democratic state, and who are among the richest and most developed in the world. For the Anglo-Sphere the Commonwealth has limited worth. Until the 1950s, Australia retained strong economic relations with Britain and the Commonwealth. The Pacific Rim embraces the littoral of the largest ocean, and is inhabited by diverse people of Asian, European and Malay-Polynesian origin. Anglo-phone countries are not part of the Anglo-Sphere because of ethnic concerns such as the West Indian nations, cultural distinctiveness such as India, or cultural divergence as in Malta.
