As the United States continues to isolate itself, the rest of the world is starting a process of realignment - with the exception of Australia, of course. More information is becoming available about how we are being turned into a giant US military base, without any public discussion. At the same time, several opinion polls are showing that even though the alliance with the US remains vital in the minds of a majority of Australians, the pattern is shifting decisively.

For those under the age of 35 - the nation's future leaders - the trend is clear: increasing trust in China and decreasing confidence that the US would come to Australia's aid during a conflict. Is this shift reflected in government policy? Of course not, as we rush to further ingratiate ourselves with the flailing Trump administration. Meanwhile, China is also transforming but in an economic sense moving from a manufacturer to a creator and innovator - something APDR witnessed last week as a guest at the Asia Pacific Media Forum in Shenzhen.

There could be some powerful lessons for Australia in how small, high technology, AI enabled systems can massively increase self reliance.

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The U.S. is continuing to demonstrate its unreliability as a security partner on an almost daily basis - something our politicians and Defence officials refuse to acknowledge is happening. Latest pieces of idiocy include Donald Trump's decision to try to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America as a deliberate and childish insult to Canada. More disturbingly, a Pentagon report has been leaked saying the US plans to recognise Argentina's claim over the Falkland Islands if the UK doesn't increase Defence spending to 5% of GDP - an outrageous piece of blackmail.

In Australia, the Saturday by-election for the WA seat of Secret Harbour has seen the election of a One Nation candidate with a massive 18% swing against Labor. Normally, State by-elections aren't hugely consequential for Federal governments - but this one might have national security implications. Just five days before the vote the Federal government announced a massive $12 billion investment (out of a total of $25 billion) in the nearby Henderson maritime precinct. Rather than impress voters, this huge infrastructure spend might have had the opposite effect.

Also, Defence Minister Richard Marles has left for yet another visit to the US and UK spruiking complete nonsense about the strength of the relationship with Washington. He is unable to see what everyone else can - and that is the US is unravelling further almost every day.

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We have a lot of foreign policy material to cover, starting with the Strait of Hormuz and President Donald Trump's idiotic war with Iran. Of all the Middle East countries that hate Iran, on the top of the list is the UAE. With a population of just 1.1 million people coupled with vast economic wealth, it seeks to interfere in the affairs of a number of other countries. We ask again - with all this wealth, why has Australia given about $100 million worth of AMRAAM missiles to them and why is a RAAF Wedgetail aircraft still deployed there?

Probably more consequentially, a sudden rift is emerging between South Korea and the US, with President Trump now openly siding with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator and mass murderer. This is just an appalling development - South Korea is a vibrant democracy with a thriving, creative economy. North Korea is one big prison that has nothing to contribute to civilisation. Thankfully, Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles has said publicly that Australia sides with South Korea - and also Japan, which is part of the mix. This is one of the rare occasions when we seem to have realised that the actions of the US are contrary to Australia's safety and security. It's a long overdue development - and let's hope it continues.

However, there is now a very real prospect of South Korea developing a nuclear weapon if it can no longer rely on the US. If that happens Japan will instantly follow. Both countries are well prepared and could field and deliver a nuclear warhead in months. If that happens, where will it leave Australia?

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