When Prime Minister Julia Gillard met President Barack Obama for the first time last week, Gillard reminded the world that the US and Australia were “great mates” and Obama in turn affirmed: “The United States does not have a closer or better ally than Australia.”

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went one step further during her recent visit, whispering in our ear “… that the United States has no better friend than Australia.”

But it seems that best friends forever isn’t a promise the Americans reserve for just one country …

America has “no better friend” than Israel — Vice-President Joe Biden, 2010

“As the Indian people celebrate Republic Day all across India, they should know that they have no better friend and partner than the people of the United States” — President Obama, 2009.

“I decided to come first to Britain because we have no better friend. We have no better ally.” — Condoleezza Rice, 2005

“The United States has no better friend in the world than Japan. The United States has no more important alliance in the world than the US-Japan alliance.” — US Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer, 2008

“I love this country. We could not have a better friend and ally” — President Obama speaking in Canada, 2009.

The Australia-US alliance is very important to Australia, and Australian prime ministers love being stroked and duchessed by US presidents. But as our fledgling PM will learn, when it comes to best friends, America is a bit of a tart.