The crisis of liberal democracy is roundly decried today. Donald Trump’s presidency, the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom and the electoral rise of other populists in Europe have underscored the threat posed by ‘illiberal …
Debate: "General"
For over a decade, both of our major political parties, in the face of uncertain times, have been going forth ‘getting tough on security’. It would seem that General Melchett, Stephen Fry’s character from …
Australia’s four foreign policy white papers are windows on their moments, offering a 20-year narrative of shifting times. The arc is across four stepping stones aligned in purpose but beset by swift tides. The white …
The world This week marked the 18th school shooting of 2018 in the US. The Daily Beast discusses how the perpetrator trained with Republic of Florida, a white supremacist separatist group, from which he acquired firearms. …
Following Richard Menhinick’s post about Australia needing a more potent and lethal navy, it’s worth thinking about why we have a navy and what role it would play in a regional conflict. From my reading, …
The government will soon announce the successful bidder to replace the Army’s ASLAV armoured cavalry vehicles under project Land 400 Phase 2 Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRVs). My new ASPI Strategic Insights paper can be found …
The first step in solving a problem is recognising that there is one. When it comes to tackling cybercrime, it’s time to admit our approach isn’t working. Our failure is staring us in the face. …
Commentary on the character of our security relationship with the US rarely examines what type of ally Australia is. We first, and often exclusively, focus on what type of ally the US is. However, the …
The beat Netanyahu in trouble Following a year-long investigation, Israeli police have recommended that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be charged with bribery. Netanyahu has been under investigation for accepting gifts worth more than AU$356,000 from …
When I joined the Australian Army in the early 1990s, we used the latest binocular technology—electric binoculars that also provided GPS coordinates. These allowed us to see for kilometres, obtain coordinates and plan approaches. Today, …
Current perceptions of Russia as a power factor in the Indo-Asia–Pacific (IndAsPac) geopolitical system are very much influenced by established post–Cold War assumptions that Moscow is no longer able to influence the regional geostrategic landscape …
For well over three years now the ADF has been engaged in operations in the Middle East in the fight against Daesh. Our forces have acquitted themselves exceptionally well. The strike component of the Air …