Articles by: "Andrew Smith2"
What we’re securing against

The past week has been a rich one for annual events. For Aussies, of course, the major one was Australia Day. Here in the US we’ve seen two others: the kick-off of the annual G’day …

The US and Australian strategy

The recent debate in these pages on how Australia should think and act as a power in the international system is important and timely. The thoughtful contributions of Peter Jennings, Andrew Carr, Rod Lyon, John …

The United States—independent and exceptional?

Today, America marks its Independence Day, the anniversary of one of humanity’s greatest achievements—and boldest experiments. Despite a looming hurricane and a myriad of other challenges ‘foreign and domestic’, here in central Florida the 4th …

Reserving judgement

With another Defence white paper in the offing, opinions abound on what that document should prescribe for the ADF’s force structure. As always, the challenge is setting a structure that meets Australia’s defence needs without …

Trust and patience are the keys to Bougainville

I’m grateful to Peter Jennings and Karl Claxton for providing a superb example of the Phase Zero planning in their proposal for Bougainville. Their nine-point recommendation incorporates many of the features of a good Phase …

Arctic and Antarctic strategy: poles apart?

The United States Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel recently released his Department’s new Arctic Strategy during a speech at the Halifax International Security Forum. This document follows the US National Strategy for the Arctic Region …

Phase zero planning for Australia

Anthony Bergin, Hayley Channer and Sam Bateman’s recent Strategy Report ‘Terms of engagement…’ touches on a problem that’s defied strategic planners worldwide. Nations tend to know how to intervene militarily when it’s unavoidable. Doctrine lays …

DWP 2013—what will the Americans think?

The Defence White Paper 2013, like most of its recent predecessors, emphasises the United States Alliance, even to the extent of capitalising ‘Alliance’ whenever used in relation to the US. The document counts no other …