Common ground obvious with Obama, Abbott despite gulf

CYNICS were proven wrong today when Barack Obama hit it off with Tony Abbott in a meeting that delivered results for both leaders.

The alliance with the US is so crucial to Australia that the two leaders were bound to find common ground despite the obvious gulf between them on policies from healthcare to climate change.

On the most vital matter discussed, Obama and Abbott were marching to the same military tune.

Regional security was the dominant subject in the talks in the White House and the US President was clearly at ease with the new Australian leader in their first substantial face-to-face conversation.

Abbott is in earnest when he says the US should not have to act alone to secure peace and prosperity for the world.

That is just what Obama needs to hear from Australia at a time when some in the US suspect their European allies are not willing to do their fair share when responding to Russia’s intervention in the Ukraine.

Both leaders were clearly at ease with each other in the Oval Office. The event did not have all the trimmings of a full press conference in the East Room — arranged by George W Bush for John Howard in 2006 and then for Kevin Rudd in early 2008 — but Obama was generous in his remarks after the meeting was done.

With Iraq imploding, Obama had other calls on his time. Even so, a US official later noted that the meeting went longer than scheduled — it was well over one hour — and was one of the best the president had held with a leader from the Asia Pacific.

Obama brought all his top cabinet members into the room: Vice-President Joe Biden, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel, Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Adviser Susan Rice.

There were jokes like Obama’s suggestion that Abbott should take a break when he visits Hawaii on his way home this weekend. (This won’t happen: the Prime Minister is meeting US military commanders in Honolulu instead).

But there was also real substance in the framework for military co-operation. The US regards this outcome as highly significant — essential, in fact, to deepening the alliance.

Abbott’s goals for the US visit have seemed blurred at times over the past week, but there was none of that once he reached the White House.

Finally, thanks to Obama, he had a result.