As an European it's pretty clear now that the US is our enemy. This is just the start. We really need to put our military in order and prepare for the inevitable attack.
It's impossible to catch up to the US war machine in 4 years only. We can only start the process, but I also doubt the US would sit by idly and let us become too powerful.
We don't really need the power to be able to attack the US. Just enough to be able to defend ourselves and that is far from impossible even in 4 years.
Don't worry. The US may have the most experienced, well funded, and outfitted military on the planet, but the bafoons at the top keep getting in the way of the military executing a war the way it wants to.
See: Iraq 2, WMD boogaloo, or the cult classic Vietnam: Congress goes to war.
I wasn't kidding in the slightest. If the DoD had executed the second Iraq invasion it would have taken a few days. But Rumsfeld and his croneys insisted on it being done their way, and they didn't know shit about fuck when it came to warfare. (Note: this may have been because Rumsfeld was lying and committing crimes that, had the military done things the way they wanted, would have been exposed.)
As an Australian I wish we'd negotiate to join the EU. Philosophically we have more in common with the EU then America and together is better.
But we cant even join with New Zealand and od not ne suporsed if the EU didnt want us, I'd not want us, though we do all seem to mostly hate immigrants so we have that in common :(
Our previous governments have tied us to the US so tightly that we may as well be a US vassal state. Whatever America's foreign policy is, is Australia's policy. Our military is dependent on the US for its equipment.
It would be great to have more ties to the EU and SE Asian counties but thats unlikely to happen unfortunately.
Side note, New Zealand can however decide to join us. The Australian constitution has a provision that a successful referendum in New Zealand admits them to the Federation.
Given the All Blacks record however this is unlikely.