Why mate equals hate

Second, these moderates are reluctant to put forth anything that is not rabidly anti-American, for fear of being perceived as pro-American. Pro-Americanism not only challenges the deeply held Australian characteristic of disdain for authority but also contradicts our traditional propensity for supporting the underdog - and the last thing one could label the US is an underdog, in just about anything.

This aversion to pro-Americanism, furthermore, also is driven by the fear of being associated with the long-held American tendency for exceptionalism.

Unlike in the US, open declarations of self-perceived moral superiority do not sit overly well with Australians.

While nearly all of us would agree with Bush's claim that the way of life in the so-called "free world" is far superior to that in fundamentalist police states, we would probably be extremely hesitant to make this the cornerstone of our message to the world. To Australians, it is the diplomatic equivalent of telling everyone how much better you are than everyone else, which, in turn, borders dangerously on the most feared criticism one can ever inflict on an Australian - being "up yourself".

And, condemning the Bush Administration has other benefits. By distancing themselves from the US, many of those in the middle of the road can avoid stinging attacks from Bush's Australian critics, who sometimes have a disturbing tendency to view those who disagree with them as both intellectually and morally inferior.

Whatever the case, all of this makes clear that the Lowy findings are intriguing, to say the least. It also is clear that if there is one thing everyone has an opinion on these days, it is American foreign policy. As the Lowy poll demonstrates, the vigour of debate on this topic shows no sign of waning.