Power is the ability to impose one’s will without aid from or hindrance by others. It can be exercised by individuals (including individual states) or in combination with others (through alliances, for example). Power can …
Charles de Gaulle had ‘a certain idea of France’. But does Ursula von der Leyen, the next president of the European Commission, have a certain idea of Europe, in the way Jacques Delors did when …
As the French launched the first of their Barracuda-class nuclear-powered attack submarines this month, the transfer of advanced intellectual property to Australia for its conventionally powered cousin gathered momentum. So far, 19 engineers from Naval …
In our final episode looking at ASPI’s ‘War in 2025’ conference, we bring you analysis of the fabulous speech delivered by the chief of the Australian Defence Force, Angus Campbell. We also talk with the …
The news that China and Cambodia may have signed a secret agreement for Beijing to have long-term control over part of Cambodia’s Ream naval base, with the right to base People’s Liberation Army naval vessels, …
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recently concluded three-day visit to Washington was aimed at resetting US–Pakistan relations. The relationship has been under great strain for several years and reached its nadir after the assumption of …
One of the frustrating and tragic aspects of the Syrian conflict is its capacity to regenerate in ever-more complex guises. So many players are involved, both internal and external, that the conventional media have pretty …
Scott Morrison has been touched by Forrest Gump magic. Come the election, the prime minister went into full Forrest mode: ‘Run, ScoMo, run!’ A federal election is like a box of chocolates. You never know …
Our man, the American journalist George Packer’s new 600-page biography of Richard Holbrooke, is a masterful book, not just for what it says about the late US diplomat himself, but also for how it portrays …
Hugh White’s How to defend Australia is an elegant book but also something of a party trick: engagingly clever but not realistic. It will be essential reading for every national security master’s degree by coursework …
The world China this week released its new defence white paper titled China’s national defense in the new era—see here for the English version. Australia is mentioned a grand total of once in the 51-page …
In the past decade, the concept of urban resilience has become integral to the development and design strategies of city planners and decision-makers around the world. As cities have grown larger, there’s been a concerted …
Recently I considered the differences between American and European understandings of technology in a strategic context. There’s a further wrinkle to be teased out concerning a specific group of Western nations: those that belong to …
The Hong Kong government has scrapped the extradition bill that’s been at the heart of mass public protests. The backdown on plans to allow criminal suspects to be turned over to Chinese courts might dissipate …
It’s a strange and poignant juxtaposition of anniversaries. On 24 July 1969 President Richard Nixon, just seven months into his presidency, was 1,500 kilometres southwest of Hawaii aboard USS Hornet to welcome the Apollo 11 …
The beat Crackdown on Calabrian mafia across the world Canadian and Italian police have simultaneously cracked down on mafiosi from the infamous Calabrian group ’Ndrangheta. In Canada, police arrested nine suspected members for a money-laundering …
The last five years have not been kind to the European Union’s foreign-policy prospects. A new great-power competition is shunting aside the international rules-based order, and aspects of globalisation—from trade to the internet—are being used …
Image: Maxar via Google. In June 2019, a report by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Rakhine State, Myanmar, was leaked to the media. In it, ASEAN outlines a process for the return of …
Indonesia’s defence minister, Ryamizard Ryacudu, was one of my first phone calls after becoming minister for defence—a call that made me feel incredibly positive and encouraged. Minister Ryamizard’s commitment to Indonesia and Australia’s strong relationship—and …
Corporations already protect their assets and functions. However, considering business capabilities as part of our national security capabilities isn’t normally a factor in corporate planning. In a new report released today, From board room to …