[pmulcahy11b]

I'm not sure what basing 2500 Marines in Australia will do from the standpoint of US interests. From the Australian POV -- well, an American troop presence is always a mixed blessing. American troops are paid better then most of their counterparts in the world and they love to carouse and buy stuff for friends and family to send home, so economically it will be good for the community they're based in. But -- let's just say that American troops don't always put the best, shall we say, social face forward in other countries. Like I said, mixed blessing for the Australians.