The apprehension of 16 terror suspects in Australia’s two major cities serves as a timely reminder about the costs associated with the War on Terror. In early November 2005, federal police foiled a potentially large-scale attack after 500 police officers raided homes in Sydney and Melbourne. For its part in averting the catastrophe, Prime Minister John Howard’s government deserves credit. But in the wake of the Bali bombings and this latest near-miss at home, a reappraisal of Australia’s role in the War on Terror is urgently needed. A reactive police force and the reduction of civil liberties entailed in the extensive Anti-Terrorism Act, introduced in December 2005, cannot ensure the country’s long-term security needs. Australia must place greater emphasis on regional security, strengthen ties with neighbors, and work to eliminate its image as the United States’ lackey.

With relatively little previous experience in dealing with terrorism, Australia must consider why it has suddenly become a target of aggression. The Howard government’s unwavering allegiance to the US cause in Afghanistan and Iraq has certainly bolstered ties with the United States, but it has also created new enemies closer to home. This animosity comes partly from Southeast Asian governments, which dislike Australia’s role as the United States’ regional watchdog. Under constant US surveillance, countries like Indonesia and Malaysia face a difficult choice between risking domestic turmoil by clamping down on fundamentalist groups, or toeing the US party line. Both options have enormous security implications.

Australia’s northern neighbor Indonesia has been a consistent critic of the United States’ unilateral approach in Iraq and a disaffected supporter of the regional War on Terror. Since 2002, Southeast Asian terrorist groups have killed 90 people and have caused hundreds of injuries in two major terrorist bombings in Bali. In September 2004, the Howard government received a direct hit when terrorists detonated a car bomb outside the Australian embassy in Jakarta, resulting in 11 deaths. These attacks are linked to the recent arrests in Sydney and Melbourne by the involvement of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian terrorist organization with close ties to Al Qaeda. A collective commitment to stop future attacks is the only way to increase Australian security. Given the opposing attitudes towards the invasion of Iraq, however, it will be difficult for Jakarta and Canberra to see eye-to-eye on the best type of approach.

To begin with, Australia must adopt a softer stance toward its Asian neighbors. Earlier this year, the Howard government signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in a bid to gain admittance to the group. The Liberal-National coalition hesitated to enter the agreement, fearing that they might create conflicting obligations for Australia in the region, but the potential economic and security benefits rightly won out. Access to the Asian organization will pay countless dividends for Australia while also enabling Canberra to influence regional security decisions. The Howard government understandably worries that closer ties with Asia will detract from a strong alliance with the United States. But this is unlikely to become reality and, even if it does, Australia should prioritize regional integration above its already overly submissive relationship with the United States.

For Australia to minimize the risk of a domestic terrorist attack, the government must avoid making knee-jerk decisions. Enacting changes to sedition laws and removing civil liberties will polarize potential support for the government and harden the resolve of the state’s enemies. Harsh anti-terror legislation is also alienating the greater Australian Islamic community. The key is cooperation. The government needs to increase its cultural, economic, and strategic engagement of Asia to help spread regional influence. Strengthening ties with other Asian countries and working, as an equal, to help defeat terrorist cells within Southeast Asia will be the critical steps in securing Australia’s future. And if the government can work side-by-side with its Asian partners in defeating terrorism, it will also build the network of regional allies that it currently lacks.