Australia Shouldn't Be Fighting ISIS

As you say, interesting. Australia is a Western nation thrust deep in the Eastern world. Underpopulated, underdeveloped, it is a plum target for its neighbors that are bereft of natural resources (although, despite its land mass, I'm not sure Australia is the mother load of natural resources - it seems a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to depend on it for the raw materials of industry). Having lived for the better part of its existence under the protective umbrella of a vast and dominating empire, it's easy to see how they failed to develop an individual identity. So, yes, it's time to reassess its place in the world.