The Ibn Rushd College of Education for Humanities at the University of Baghdad held the doctoral dissertation defense entitled “U.S.–Australian Relations (1981–2011)”, presented by Suad Mohsen Eidi, a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of History specializing in Modern History.
The examination committee was chaired by Prof. Dr. Ali Mohammed Kareem, with Asst. Prof. Dr. Aseel Abdul Sattar Hajim serving as both supervisor and committee member. The committee also included a distinguished panel of faculty members from the Department of History, in addition to Prof. Dr. Maria Hassan Mughtath from the College of Basic Education, Al-Mustansiriyah University, who participated as an external examiner.
The dissertation aimed to analyze the development of U.S.–Australian relations during the period 1981–2011, examining their evolution across the political, military, security, and economic spheres. It further explored the impact of major regional and international transformations on the bilateral relationship, particularly the end of the Cold War, the September 11 attacks, and the rise of China. In addition, the study investigated Australia’s strategic significance within the United States’ Asia-Pacific strategy and assessed how the alliance influenced Australian foreign policy as well as the country’s political and strategic decision-making autonomy.
The study concluded that Australia pursued a balanced policy that combined a strong commitment to its alliance with the United States while maintaining a degree of independence in political and strategic decision-making, particularly in response to evolving global dynamics and China’s emergence as a major power. The findings also indicated that Australia served as a key strategic partner in supporting U.S. security and military objectives across the region, while simultaneously benefiting from the American security umbrella to strengthen its national security and enhance its regional standing.
Based on these findings, the researcher recommended drawing on the Australian experience in managing strategic alliances by achieving an effective balance between fulfilling alliance commitments and safeguarding national interests, while preserving relative independence in political and strategic decision-making.
