Howard mulls hosting US bases in Australia

Howard said no overtures had yet been made but the United States was undertaking a review of its military bases around the world following the war in Iraq.

"There shouldn't be any assumptions made that we would automatically agree or disagree, we will have a look at it -- it's possible," Howard told public radio in the Northern Territory capital of Darwin, regarded as a possible site for a US military presence aimed at curbing terrorism in South East Asia.

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Howard said he would not provide any "blank cheques" to the United States but added "if they have a proposal to put to us, we'll have to consider it".

Australia was one of the staunchest members of the so-called coalition of the willing that backed the US-led invasion of Iraq, sending about 2,000 troops to the Gulf.

Howard and US President George W. Bush also share a close personal relationship, with Howard visiting Bush's ranch in Texas earlier this year.

US ambassador Tom Schieffer said recently that he expected to see greater cooperation between US and Australian forces and local media reports said Washington was looking at basing up to 5,000 US marines in Australia.

The countries already jointly operate the top-secret Pine Gap base in the Australian outback, which monitors communications satellites.

The US-Australian military alliance dates back to World War II. Since then the two countries troops have fought alongside each other in in Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf.

However, the close relationship has at times heightened tensions with Australia's regional neighbours, particularly Howard's 1999 comments likening Australia to the United States' "deputy sheriff" in Asia.