Well, Amos, I've got US relatives. My father was in the RAAF, and his wife sister (me mum) married a really nice Yank, who eventually went back after the war, taking her with him. But most aussies are a bit cynical about the US...

There are still bits of "tank roads" around the state of Qld. Concrete - aleegedly to the tanks wouldn't bog in the snow - in sunny tropical Qld - advertising tourist slogan "sunny one day - perfect the next"...

neither the US (nor australia) would do anything about East Timor in the 1970's - and who was indonesia buying their weapons from - the US! So as to just what the real motives in the Berlin airlift were, who knows - I don't!

My cynicism may be cheap, but it's not easy!

Australian journalists were killed in the E Timor invasion.

Robin