Peter Van Onselen: Albanese has thrown us into the frontline of the Middle East conflict - and the risky gamble tells us everything we need to know about the political war he's facing in Australia
Anthony Albanese's latest move in response to the Middle East crisis tells us a lot about how he now sees the politics of national security.
Sending a surveillance jet with airborne command capabilities, as well as 85 ADF personnel, to the United Arab Emirates is hardly the action of a PM looking to stay out of the fray. While the government stresses that the mission is defensive in nature and not combat-related, the deployment still tells us something about Albo's mindset.
The PM is making sure that Labor can't be painted as soft, hesitant or morally confused while the region suffers and the US is demanding loyalty from its allies.
Australia has already ruled out offensive operations within Iran, but that doesn't mean the current deployment won't involve mission creep if the war drags on.
Don't forget the PM's quick response to the initial strikes was to support the action, not the first instinct of every ally. Albo seems to be positioning himself as a reliable mate of Donald Trump, despite the pair's very different world views.
It's pragmatism in the context of a delicate AUKUS arrangement and the volatility of the US President. Trump is more than happy to tie diplomatic and military support to trade relations, and he'll be President for almost three more years.
Albo is also staying in front of where domestic politics might go next. Angus Taylor's first question time as Opposition Leader was dominated by the so-called ISIS brides issue, with the Coalition trying to establish a familiar line of attack around borders, security and alleged Labor weaknesses.
Whether that tactic was smart or not is beside the point. I for one think that not focusing on the economy was a mistake. Either way, the PM clearly saw Taylor's strategic intent. He knows a new conservative leader needs only a handful of culturally charged issues to start building a broader case that Labor is indulgent on security matters.
Anthony Albanese's latest move in response to the Middle East crisis tells us a lot about how he now sees the politics of national security
Seen that way, the Middle East response is partly about inoculating Labor and the PM from such criticisms. In the wake of Albo's poor response to the Bondi massacre, his Middle East response is designed to rebuild trust with voters.
By sounding firm on Iran, backing the Americans and moving military assets under the cover of defence, Albo narrows the space Taylor has to wedge him from the right.
The asylum decision for five Iranian women footballers (and possibly more to come) fits the same pattern.
On one level it is plainly humanitarian. The players feared persecution after refusing to sing Iran's national anthem, and Australia granted them protection after interventions, including a conversation between Trump and Albo.
But politically it also lets the PM show moral purpose without looking anti-Western or reflexively hostile to the anti-Iran coalition.
In other words, Albo can look tough on the regime while compassionate towards its victims. That is a much easier sell to middle Australia than the language of protest politics coming from parts of Labor's left flank.
It's no coincidence that the government didn't move too early to offer asylum, lest doing so be seen through a less favourable prism. Once the Opposition and then Trump called for the offer of asylum, not doing so would have been problematic.
Trump has already threatened Spain with a trade embargo over its refusal to facilitate operations linked to Iran, and publicly mocked UK PM Keir Starmer as 'not Winston Churchill' for Britain's hesitancy.
Sending a surveillance jet with airborne command capabilities, as well as 85 ADF personnel, to the United Arab Emirates is hardly the action of a PM looking to stay out of the fray
Albo wouldn't have needed much imagination to see the risks had he hesitated in backing Trump. There is a practical cost to being seen as unhelpful.
Nearly four years into his prime ministership, with 30 years of parliamentary experience, Albo is showing the sort of pragmatism that builds longevity.
He knows to a certain extent that he can take his left flank for granted, given the nature of Australia's preferential voting system alongside compulsory voting.
And the louder the criticism that comes from the Greens, the more likely it is that the mainstream thinks Albo must be doing something right.
