ASPI suggests
1 May 2013|

There has been a lot said on the Boston Bombings. ASPI’s Toby Feakin on what we know and don’t know:

UPDATE: The Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at ANU will be holding a panel discussion on the upcoming Defence 2013 White Paper. The event is on at 6:00pm on Monday night, with Emeritus Professor Paul Dibb AM, Professor Hugh White, Associate Professor Brendan Taylor, and Dr Richard Brabin-Smith AO discussing the question: “what does it say, what should it have said?” If that’s not enough, there will be drinks with the panelists afterwards, but don’t forget to sign up.

It seems that chemical weapons have probably been used in Syria. Here is Mark Fitzpatrick from the IISS on the standard of proof required before we can say the red line has been crossed. Obama is under pressure to provide a response.

On naval matters we have a handful of US Navy admirals stand up for aircraft carries:

Nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and their embarked air wings enable the United States to act as a key guarantor of peace and stability around the world. Having the ability to operate without a “permission slip” for basing and over-flight access, while generating the range of effects necessary to deter potential adversaries, is more than just a symbol of power. It is the essence of power.

On a not-unrelated topic, RAND Corporation has released a publication on Sea Power and American Interests in the Western Pacific, of which there is a brief version here.

Things in Asia could be worse according to this article from Foreign Policy:

Beijing’s defense expenditures, measured in 2011 dollars, grew from $18 billion in 1989 to $157 billion by 2012, an increase of over 750 percent. Surprisingly, no East or Southeast Asian countries responded with similar increases in spending.

But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing  to worry about, according to the interestingly titled China’s Forbearance Has Limits (PDF) from the National Defence University in Washington DC.

If you are in Canberra, Professor Russell Trood will be speaking on Australia’s campaign to win a seat on the United Nations security council today at 5.30 pm (AIIA Conference Centre, Stephen House, on Thesiger Court in Deakin) .

Finally, rumor is rife in Canberra that we will see a new Defence White Paper released in the next few days. ASPI’s Peter Jennings writes that “Sadly, it looks as though the 2013 defence white paper has been “fitted for but not with” money.” If the rumors are true, then look out for in depth analysis here on The Strategist.