Australian politicians seem to go weak at the knees over US power.

The WikiLeaks cables and Julia Gillard's initial supine response - agreeing with American politicians who claimed without evidence that Julian Assange had acted illegally, and by implication that the Australian government would not stand in the way of his rendition to the US for punishment - was, to say the least, cringe-making.

One thing can be said about US administrations, Republican or Democrat - their representatives understand that when they are dealing with foreigners they know their job is to protect and enhance the US public interest as they see it. But a majority of Australian politicians seem to be overawed by US power and influence.

As former Liberal prime minister John Gorton said in the 1960s, too many Australian politicians and bureaucrats are infected by the puppy dog syndrome: roll over and get your tummy tickled. Not much has changed. We are seen as a loyal ally. In Washington this gives Australian politicians and diplomats plenty of access but no influence when our interests aren't in line with America's.

This was seen in the negotiations over Australia's 2005 free trade agreement with the US. The Howard government went into the negotiations on the basis that the US would open up its market for our agricultural exports.

The Bush administration wasn't interested in opening up its markets to Australian imports. It was interested in opening up Australian markets in services such as finance, protecting US investment in Australia, extending protection of US intellectual property rights and weakening the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. The latter, by keeping drug prices low, was seen rightly as a brake on ''big pharma's'' right to gouge the Australian health system, as occurs in America.

Some Australian negotiators wanted to break off the talks. Australia was effectively on a hiding to nothing. Howard refused. Instead, the man described by President Bush as ''a man of steel'', rang Bush and begged for an increase in Australia's sugar quota to the American market. Howard was refused point blank, but he still signed up.

A few months later America announced an increase in sugar quotas for Latin American sugar producers including Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Panama for reasons related to US strategic and political objectives.

Australia Bows To America