Australia’s leading academic researcher on public opinion has produced a fascinating study that draws together public surveys of defence and national security attitudes. The report by ANU’s Ian McAllister is part of a public consultation …
When President Joko Widodo was presented with an army beret recently, he caused general amusement by planting it like an upturned flower pot on his head, rather than flattening it rakishly across his right ear. …
At ASPI’s Army Future Force Structure Conference the week before last, one theme was particularly recurrent: the ‘operating environment’ that the army is now working in is increasingly dangerous. In particular, we frequently heard that lethal …
Like the operations of submarines themselves, current Australian policy on submarine acquisition seems opaque, with the surface troubled by hints of turmoil down deep. There’s little clue as to why the Government is so wedded …
For India and Australia, a striking new reality is in view. One of the great negatives in India’s traditional view of Australia is turning into a positive. Suddenly Australia’s alliance with the US makes us …
This week’s round-up of articles, videos, podcasts and events starts now. How can we promote a closer US–India relationship without triggering either Chinese concerns about containment or Indian concerns about entrapment? For more on what could …
There are other important dimensions to consider in a large complex project such as the Future Submarine Program (FSP) SEA 1000 besides the economic arguments that we so often read about. As the Rand Corporation …
Where the al-Assad regime no longer exercises control in Syria, communities are grappling with the challenges of self-governance in an unstable political and military environment. Despite the unimpeded power of armed groups, ongoing regime bombardment …
My first exposure to defence economics came from a wonderful book called The Cost of Sea Power by Phillip Pugh. Among its many insights was a clever way of displaying the relative defence efforts of …
The Asia Pacific region is in the midst of the most recent wave of massive migration, with oppressed Rohingya Muslim minorities from Myanmar seeking resettlement in Malaysia. In May, it was thought that up to …
Minister for Defence Kevin Andrews recently gave a preview of what the cyber security community can expect from the forthcoming Defence White Paper during a speech in Canberra. It seems that the next White Paper …
The Beat Mafia influencing Australian business and politics The Mafia isn’t just limited to Italy; it’s thriving in Australia. A joint Four Corners/Fairfax report reveals the influence of the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta in Australian businesses through …
Claims that a destabilising ‘arms race’ is underway in the Asia–Pacific have become commonplace and are supported by reports that regional defence spending has surpassed Europe for the third consecutive year. As my ASPI report released …
With nuclear modernisation programs under way across a range of countries, Russia asserting its right to deploy nuclear weapons in the Crimea, NATO reviewing the role of nuclear weapons in the alliance, and a recent …
The Royal Navy stands at a crossroads as work for the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) gets underway in the United Kingdom. It has the framework in place to provide significant flexibility to …
Last week saw the conclusion of a series of high-level meetings in Washington between US and Chinese government officials as a part of the annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED). There were a couple of …
The secret of success is constancy to purpose—at least that was Disraeli’s view. It is a pity that recent prime ministers and foreign ministers, Liberal and Labor alike, have failed to see ‘constancy to purpose’ …
Below is an extract from ASPI’s publication Gen Y jihadists: preventing radicalisation in Australia, launched yesterday. In 2014, the Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium estimated that as many as 15% of ISIL’s foreign recruits could …
Greece’s economic woes feature daily on the British broadsheets. The high drama negotiations between Greece and Europe have evoked a narrative akin to that of David and Goliath. Yet as Europe’s politicians attempt to balance …
The following is an abridged extract from ASPI’s new report, Gen Y jihadists: preventing radicalisation in Australia, released today. Australia’s counter terrorism policies cover a vast range of responses, from military operations in the Middle …