Australia and China: a view from the US

Three years ago, I created a minor diplomatic furore when I opined, during a live interview broadcast on the ABC’s Radio National Breakfast, that the time was fast approaching when Australia might be required to …

The Tulagi turning point

The New York Times reported on 16 October that the People’s Republic of China had leased the island of Tulagi from Solomon Islands. A secret deal was apparently struck in September, no doubt around the …

ASPI suggests

The world US President Donald Trump has lifted sanctions on Turkey following a promise that it would cease fighting in northern Syria. Vox argues that Trump’s stance on Syria is the clearest articulation of his …

Why are governments going to war with big tech? 

The Australian government loves to hate on big tech. In recent years, successive governments have admonished the industry for its alleged role in hiding the communications of terrorists, its resistance to assisting police, its lacklustre …

The knock-on effects of impeachment

The impeachment process instigated by the US House of Representatives has the potential to produce significant international consequences. As the administration’s attentions and energies are absorbed by the process, there’s a real danger that the …

National security wrap

The beat  Police use of tasers scrutinised in Western Australia  The ABC investigated the use of tasers by police in Western Australia using data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. The investigation was prompted …

The end of Sri Lankan democracy?

One of Asia’s oldest democracies may be in jeopardy. Sri Lanka’s presidential election next month is expected to bring to power another member of the Rajapaksa family, whose affinity for authoritarianism, violence and corruption is …

Should Australia build its own nuclear arsenal?

ASPI releases today the second issue of its Strategist Selections series, pulling together a collection of 36 of my Strategist posts on nuclear strategy. I’m honoured to follow in the footsteps of Kim Beazley, whose …

China’s navy is making friends in Dili

While relations with Timor-Leste remain strained over Australia’s 2004 bugging of its cabinet office, the young nation, on half an island just 720 kilometres from Darwin, has asked China to help train its navy. The request …

Time to bite the bullet in Syria

Recent events in Syria have naturally raised two questions: Who lost the country? And where might the international community go from here? The first one is easier to answer. Looking back, Syria has probably been …