15th August, sky news.

Former chief of army Peter Leahy says the ANZUS Treaty doesn't automatically mean Australia is obliged to join the US in a war against North Korea.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed Australia would back the United States in any confrontation with the rogue state.

But Mr Leahy has told Sky News there is some dispute about exactly what action the treaty commits Australia to.

'I don't think it's an automatic demand for action,' he said.

'It talks about consulting, acting in accordance with constitutional processes.

'Clearly we'll consult about this, then there's the issue of what does that does the action actually mean.

'Is it military action, is it economic or diplomatic action.'


Turnbull has committed australia to something before ANY facts are known, accident, incorrect intelligence, trump drunk, pre-emptive strike, retaliation. We're in, whatever the reason.And if something happens that brings in the chinese, it's a different ball-game, and australia is undoubtedly expendable in the grand scheme of things. Thank you idiot turnbull.

The full text of the ANZUS Treaty is available online.

Article V
For the purpose of Article IV, an armed attack on any of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of any of the Parties, or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific or on its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific.
A pre-emptive strike by america is not covered in the treaty, somewhat obviously.
Which will get china involved. Turnbull says, due to anzus treaty, australia will be involved (whatever the circumstance).

My concern is you have two idiots with bad haircuts making the decision.
What's the chance of a misunderstanding? Or a misinterpretation?
If we can go to war on the pretext of the enemy having WMD, even when our government had prior information from their own agencies that this was not the case, should something happen with US-North Korea, it may well be a while (a few nuclear bombs, X number of casualties) before the truth comes out.

American troops in Korea it would seem are covered under the ANZUS treaty. So in a very small area, around the DMZ, you have american, south korean, and north korean troops, and not far away, the chinese PLA.

No chance of something going wrong there!
Especially when the bad haircut boys are beating their chests.