What must have been the longest and most widely watched election campaign in world history is at last at its end, and we will soon discover who American voters have chosen to replace George W Bush in the White House.Will it be Barack Obama, the international connoisseur's choice, or that veteran battler, John McCain? What is clear is that our world, gripped in a debilitating global financial crisis, and exasperated by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, wants changes of direction.We are at something of a watershed.Almost 20 years ago, with the once great Soviet Union crumbling, the West was extolling the triumph of capitalism. Today, the concept of free market capitalism is itself under a cloud, so many are hoping that Barack Obama, if the polls are right and he is chosen, will come up with a change of direction, one that will help restore the confidence of the international community in our capacity to reform our economic order, our security system and our relations with each other and our environment, a brave new world order ensuring the survival of humanity.It is indeed a tall order, far too tall for a man whose enthusiasm is unmatched by experience in government. The extent of his success will therefore depend critically on the wise counsel, not only from the advisers around him; he will be counselled by world leaders.The occasion presents the Rudd government with an opportunity not to be missed.As a loyal ally in wars and peace, our views should be taken seriously in Washington, and the Government must therefore be ready of offer them at the earliest opportunity. Indeed, the readiness of the new administration to listen to us is a test of the real worth of that ANZUS alliance, which has led us into disastrous and unpopular wars. Of course, getting our message across is not as simple as all that.The new regime will face a flood of advice from Britain and other NATO allies, as well as from United States allies elsewhere - countries like Israel, Turkey and Saudi Arabia in the Middle East, and, in Asia, from Japan and South Korea. It will take some time for this onslaught to be digested, and, in this complex process, it would be easy to exaggerate our influence. I have always felt that Australia is at something of a disadvantage, because our record is that of a loyal compliant ally, not a questioning one.Under John Howard we have been a subordinate rather than a colleague of the United States.Prime Minister Rudd should take early steps to change an image that has undermined our status as an independent state.Another event gripping media attention is the impending execution of the three Bali bombers, Amrozi, Mukhlas and Samudra. Understandably there is no sympathy here for these terrorists, but we should not applaud their execution. Firstly, if Australians are totally opposed to capital punishment, even for killers like Ivan Milat, we can hardly condone it for these young misguided fanatics.Secondly, don't forget there are several Australian drug traffickers on death row in Indonesia; our support for the killing of the Bali bombers could tip the balance, ensuring that they, too, end up before a firing squad. James Dunn is an author with four decades of experience as a foreign affairs official and with UN agencies.