The beat Wishful thinking An Albanian gangster’s boasts from prison have angered the UK prison service. Tristen Asllani, who’s serving a 25-year sentence for drug and firearm offences, posted an image on Instagram of himself …
The Polish government has provoked yet another international crisis, this time by adopting a law that is ostensibly meant to combat the phrase ‘Polish death camps’. The law targets a geographical shorthand, sometimes used abroad, …
In my last post, I considered the high-level strategic policy implications of strengthening Australia’s relationships with the US and other nations as part of an effort to support the US national defence strategy (NDS). That …
The Trump administration’s Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) has received mixed reviews. Some see it as a dramatic move away from a long-term US policy of reducing the size and salience of its nuclear arsenal, and …
In his book The grand strategy of the Byzantine Empire, political scientist Edward Luttwak credits Byzantium’s longevity to the quality of its diplomacy. By relying on persuasion, alliances and containment, rather than force, Luttwak argues, …
Just as we need to protect Australia’s critical infrastructure—our banking systems, power supplies, ports and roads—we must protect our digital information assets, particularly those that make us a nation legally, culturally, socially and historically. Digital …
I’ve always enjoyed reading Graeme Dobell’s think pieces. He’s a champion of the Pacific islands in Canberra and notable for his blunt appraisals of Australia’s standing in the region. But I’m not persuaded by the …
Last month, at the ASEAN summit in India, Indonesian President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo laid out Indonesia’s vision for a ‘stable, peaceful and prosperous’ Indo-Pacific. He said that Indonesia wants an ‘Indo-Pacific regional architecture’ based on the …
Sea state Last week, a boarding team from HMAS Warramunga seized 414 kilograms of heroin valued at $124 million being smuggled on a dhow in the Indian Ocean. This latest haul brings the total value …
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been hailed as the world’s most ambitious development proposal, costing an estimated US$1 trillion. The BRI promises new railways, roads, ports, energy systems and telecommunications networks across Eurasia; …
The release of the Trump administration’s 2018 national defence strategy (NDS) in January highlighted a more dangerous threat environment with an assertive China and aggressive Russia at the top of US concerns. The document states …
In his first televised interview since the recent widespread demonstrations in Iran, President Hassan Rouhani disappointed many by failing to address any of the root issues that sparked the unrest. An oppressive regime continues to …
In lieu of our regular round-ups on women, peace and security for December and January, we bring you some of the analysis and research conducted in 2017. Our February update will be published in early …
US defence secretary James Mattis recently made his first trip to Southeast Asia. Significantly, the visit took in Indonesia and Vietnam, both listed in Washington’s newly released national security strategy and national defence strategy as …
South Korean President Moon Jae-in has made a good start to the New Year. Not only did he broker an agreement to bring North Korea to the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang; he also convinced …
The US is the essential status quo power, led by a revisionist president. China loves the current status quo, while liking how the tide of change flows its way. The labels ‘status quo’ and ‘revisionist’ …
Welcome, dear readers, to the first ‘ASPI suggests’ of 2018. The world While Michael Wolff’s Fire and fury lit flames under the White House to start the new year, the cabinet files scandal and the …
In 2016, the United Kingdom’s Brexit referendum and Donald Trump’s election to the US presidency created an impression that Eastern European–style populism was engulfing the West. In reality, the situation in Western Europe and the …
On 20 January, the Turkish armed forces began Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, an area of Syria controlled by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), one of the key opposition groups to the regime of …
‘Keeping the peace’ has become a dangerous endeavour in recent years. At the end of 2017, militants attacked a UN base in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Fifteen peacekeepers were killed—the highest single …