Politics U4 AOS1

military

What is the name of the belief that the US is fundamentally different and better than other states

US Exceptionalism

Previously the US valued

Imposing American values on the international system (principles of liberty, equality, and government by the consent of the people) and strong global interconnectedness

Critiques on democratic participation

• Only 65% of Americans voted in the 2024 presidential election 

• Elections are held on a weekday when not everyone can vote 

• Specific forms of ID are needed (hard to get and expensive) 

• Few polling places in low socio-economic areas 

US defense budget 2024 compared to China

 $968 billion (largest in the world, which is greater than the combined military budgets of the next 10 states) compared to China’s at $234 billion (International Institute for Strategic Studies)

Military equipment in the Indo-Pacific

13,000+ aircraft, 11 aircraft carriers (which are said to extend the sovereignty of the state) and 72 nuclear powered submarines

How many personnel and nations are included in Talisman Sabre (largest bilateral military exercise)

35,000 personnel, 13 nations and 15 major events

What did Americans do with Australian equipment during the 2025 excercise

Flew Australian F-35s

How much was spent on the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (2025)

$9.86 billion (ABC, 2025)

How much was spent on the upgrade of Tinian Island

$400 million under Agile Combat Deployment (ABC,2025)

Current US deployment in the Indo-Pacific is equal to

That of the end of the cold war (Lowy Insitutue, 2025)

How many troops did the US have in Australia in 2021

1,085 (Al Jazeera, 2021)

Peter Hegeseth quote 2025 “Deter aggression..

In the Indo-Pacific by a communist China”

Peter Hegeseth quote 2025 “We will remain…

the strongest and most lethal force in the world”

Economic Response (under military)- 

The US is the world's biggest arms supplier. Between 2016-20 and 2021-25 total US arms export grew by

27% (Stockholm international peace research institute)

What percentage of arms transfers in 2021-25 were US

42%

In the Asia and Oceania regions the US remains the leading arms supplier accounting for

35% of the regions total imports

According to the Lowy Insitute Power Index 2025, the US is ranked _ in military capacity while China is ranked_

1st, 2nd (due to being ranked 8th for defense networks) grown by 1% since 2024

US Purchasing Power Parity vs China PPP in 2023

US = $US 28 trillion, China = $US 35 trillion

US GDP per capita vs China GDP per capita

 US = $US 82,200, China = $US 12,600

What were US exported goods approximated at of the total exported goods in 2025

$2.179 trillion of the worldwide $26.3 trillion (Statista)

What were Chinas exported goods approximated at in 2025

$3.77 trillion (Statista)

The US dollar is currently what

the most commonly used currency and the world’s reserve currency (57.8% use US Dollars in foreign exchange reserves)

What percent of the voting right in the IMF does the US hold

16.5% (needs 85% vote to pass)

How much was given to US business involved in manufacturing semiconductors in subsidies under the 2022 CHIPS and science act

$52 billion

What percent of the worlds semi-conductors does Taiwan produce

over 90%

Why are semiconducters important to the US

To maintain a sophisticated military (e.g. fighter jets) the US needs access to semiconductors

What was US debt in June 2026, its growth and its interest

over 39.2 trillion USD, growing by over 3 trillion with an interest bill of over 1 trillion a year (US Congress Joint Economic Committee)

What did the Congressional Budget Office estimate the Big Beautiful Bill will add in spending annunally compared to money brought in by tariffs

$590 billion per year compared to $360 billion

What was the executive order withdrawing from the Paris Agreement

14162 (Jan 20th, 2025)

What was the executive order withdrawing from the world health organisation

14155 (Jan 20th, 2025)

What is the impact of withdrawing from the WHO

• No access to the research by the WHO, so they will not know accurate research about diseases or outbreaks.

• It steps back from its role in shaping international health policies creating a leadership vacuum for other states

• It used to provide 12-15% of the WHO’s funding, therefore threatening the WHOs ability to provide health services including HIV/AIDS, maternal and child services and malaria. (ABC news)

What is the executive order for the April 2nd Liberation Day tariffs

14257 (April 2nd, 2025)

Quote from Donald Trump 2025 on liberation day tariffs “Make America…

wealthy again”

What did the Liberation Day tariffs result in for the US

massive US bond sell off and Trump pulling back tariffs to 10%

Due to the US’s 145% tariff what did China reciprocate with

125% on April 11th, resulting in a 90 day pause on May 12th reducing tariffs to 30% (ABC)

How many manufucturing jobs were lost in the US in May 2025

8000 (ABC, Four Corners)

How many jobs does the US Labor Department estimate are empty in manufactuirng

half a million

Where is the US ranked on the Asia Pacific Lowy Power Index in diplomatic influence

3rd

How many embassies did the US have in the Pacific Island Nations vs China

US has 10 embassies, recently reopened embassies in the Solomon Islands and Tonga, with plans to open new ones in Vanuatu and Kiribiti. China has 10 after added embassies in the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and is hoping to establish one in Nauru (Lowy Insitute)

What are the 3 aspects of diplomacy used by AUKUS

Technological (cooperation on advanced tech), Defense (defense cooperation to manage transfers and IL) and Public (building public support for AUKUS)

What is the US ranked in cultural power by the Lowy Insitute Power Index 2025 and why

1st due to high cultural projection which increases its reputation and its information flows which are the appeal of its media outlets and universities (ranked 1st)

What does the Fullbright scholarship provide international students

4,000 international students with scholarships each year to study in the states

Why are international students benififcal to the US

It promotes American culture and ideals abroad (liberty, individualism, freedom), which improves international public opinion of the United States and it builds a vast network of international leaders who understand and support US values, reducing global conflict through mutual understanding.

What amount did international students contribute to the US economy between 2023-24

$43.8 billion (American Admissions Commission)

How much was international visitor spending to the U.S. was projected to fall to in 2025

just under $169BN, down from $181BN in 2024. (World Travel and Tourism Council)

How many more goods did teh US import than it exported to China

$US295 billion

What has the US funding to ICE increased by as well as the Big Beautiful Bill funding

20 billion USD between 2024 and 2025 [The Conversation] with 30 billion from the BBB

Prior to 2000, median US wages were around thirty-five times that of workers in China. Today, that multiple is less ..

than 5 (Rizvi, 2021)

How many people were booked in ICE detention in July 2025

57,000 (Traceports)

Inflation rates have been steadily decreasing in the US with 2026 being

3.2%, projected to be 2.2% until 2030 (IMF, 2026)

How has US GDP grown

GDP has been growing since 2021, with 2026 GDP growth at 2.3% (IMF, 2026) which is the highest in the world, beating all other G7 nations.

How many jobs have added to the US economy in May 2026

American employers added 172,000 jobs in May 2026 (BBC, 2026).

How much as annual national income growth averaged over the past

3.3% (the Conversation, 2026).

How many US troops does Japan host

50,000 US troops and the aircraft carrier USS George Washington

What does the QUAD include

Australia, India, Japan and the US and participates in intelligence sharing and joint military exercises

What did the US the tariff Japan

24% tariff on Japanese goods and 25% on automobiles

Japanese PM Shugeru Ishiba said that the tariff was

“very hard to understand”

The US is Japan’s what largest export market

2nd with the US buying $50 billion of Japanese vehicles in 2024

Pew Research poll on Japanese people

72% had no confidence in Trump's ability to do the right things in regards to world affairs (Pew Research, 2026.)

Anthony Albanese said the liberation day tariffs were ..

“not the acts of a friend”

What tariffs were placed on Australia

10%

How many Australian viewed America favourably in 2024 vs 2025

Pew Research centre showed 2024 40% viewed America favourably while in 2025 only 29%

What percent of Australians had no confidence in Trumps ability to do the right thing in regards to world affair

82%

Finish the quote (NSS) “We will make America

safer, richer, freer, greater, and more powerful than ever before”

Finish the quote (NSS) “A world on fire..

where wars come to our shores, is bad for American interests”

Finish the quote (NSS) “The Indo-Pacific is already

the source of almost half of the world’s GDP based on PPP”

Finish the quote (NSS) “Reaffirm our

commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacifc” 

Finish the quote (NSS) “They placed misguided..

and destructive bets on globalism and so called “free trade” that hollowed out the middle class” 

Finish the quote (NSS) “We want a Hemisphere

that remains free of hostile foreign incursion or ownership of key assets”

Finish the quote (NSS) “Ensure that our markets

continue to be the most dynamic, liquid, and secure and remain the envy of the world”

Finish the quote (NSS) “Imposed historic

tariffs to bring critical industries back home” 

Finish the quote (NSS) “No adversary or

danger should be able to hold America at risk”

Finish the quote (NSS) “Strength is

the best deterrent”

Finish the quote (NSS) “The US cannot

allow any nation to become so dominant that it could threaten our interests”

Finish the quote (NSS) “We must protect

our country from invasion”

Finish the quote (NSS) “The US must never be dependent

on any outside power for core components.. Necessary to the nations defense or economy”

Finish the quote (NSS) “China got rich and powerful, and

used its wealth and power to its considerable advantage” 

Finish the quote (NSS) “Given that one-third of global shipping passes annually through the South China Sea,

this has major implications for the American economy. Hence deterring a conflict over Taiwan… is a priority”

Finish the quote (NSS) “Preventing conflict requires

a vigilant posture in the Indo-Pacifc”

Finish the quote (NSS) “President Trump uses unconventional diplomacy,

America’s military might, and economic leverage to surgically extinguish embers of division”

Finish the quote (NSS) “Continue to prioritise commercial diplomacy,

to strengthen our own economy and industries, using tariffs”

Finish the quote (NSS) “America first diplomacy seeks

to rebalance global trade relationships” 

Finish the quote (NSS) “Make ourselves

the partner of first choice”

Finish the quote (NSS) “Prioritizing reciprocity and fairness [with China]

to restore American economic independence"

Due to the tariffs China ended up restricting

exporting of critical minerals

In the week after liberation day tariffs the stock markets _ resulting in _

“suffered major loses” resulting in “the brink of a financial crisis within the first 100 days”

What number of toyssold in the US are made in China

80%

What did the 145% and 125% tariffs result in a

“choking contest” (Katherine Tai, US trade rep 2024)

What agreement with Japan helped to enhance tehir trade relationship

US critical minerals agreement with Japan (2023)

Finish the quote (WTO) “Highlights the substantial…

risks associated with further escalation” (on Trumps tariff war with China)