Australia's been positioning itself as America's best friend in the world for a long time now.

It's 20 years since the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, after which Australia followed the US into both Afghanistan and Iraq.

It's also, co-incidentally, 70 years since Australia signed the ANZUS treaty with America, a treaty thought to guarantee mutual protection.

In fact, the US alliance is the centrepiece of Australia's whole foreign policy.

But what if it's not what we think it is?

Today on the Signal, can Australia really count on the US?

And if we can't, then what should we be doing differently?

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Dr Emma Shortis, Research Fellow, Social and Global Studies Centre, RMIT University, and author, 'Our Exceptional Friend: Australia's fatal alliance with the United States'