The United States' most senior military officer says he would like to see Australia build its relationship with Indonesia in order to boost stability in the south-east Asian region.
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In a wide-ranging press briefing in Sydney on Tuesday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey said Australia had "such an important role in the region" and added that balancing its global efforts such as Iraq and Afghanistan against a closer regional focus would be a key part of the Abbott government's coming Defence White Paper.
General Dempsey, who is the most senior of the US's 1.3 million uniformed military personnel, has been visiting Australia to speak with the Chief of the Defence Force, Mark Binskin, and other top brass about future co-operation between the two countries' forces.
Asked if developing relationships in south-east Asia, including improving the relationship with Indonesia, was an area where Australia could do more, General Dempsey said: "I think so ... To the degree that Australia's relationship with Indonesia continues or can improve, I think it brings another level of stability to south-east Asia."
His comments come amid another awkward time in Australia-Indonesia relations as preparations continue for the execution of Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
General Dempsey said Australia had been "an incredible partner globally".
"What we need to do together is continue to have that discussion about how much regional, how much global [effort is needed] ... We certainly encourage Australia to maintain a global perspective while recognising the importance they bring to the region."
This was one of the key issues in talks with Air Chief Marshal Binskin, he said.
On Iraq, General Dempsey said the coalition had "blunted and reversed the momentum" of the Islamic State terror group, which represented a strategic gain because the group needed to continually make progress to attract new supporters to its radical ideology.
Painting a picture of the role being played by some of the Australian special forces in Anbar province, General Dempsey said they were working in a specially-secured base within the larger al-Asad air base, home to the Iraqi army's 7th Division. About 350 US troops are also in the internal base.
Al-Asad is the "foundation" from which an offensive by the Iraqi force to take back parts of Anbar province from the Islamic State would be launched, with help from local Sunni tribes, he said.
"That's why the facility is so important," he said.
But the base has come under rocket and mortar fire repeatedly in recent weeks.
"We've been working with the Iraqi security forces to leave the base and go out on patrol to the points of origin [of the rocket fire]," he said.
"I'm not suggesting to you there's no danger to service at al-Asad air base. What I'm suggesting to you is that's a critical node in our campaign plan and that we're doing everything we can, with Australian forces as well, to protect our personnel there."
General Dempsey said that drones would be a "significant factor" in Australia's military future and praised the decision by the RAAF to send personnel to the US to learn how to fly the Reaper drone, which can be armed. Chief of Air Force Geoff Brown has previously said he is interested in acquiring armed drones for the RAAF.
