The civil nuclear cooperation agreement signed by Australia and India seriously undermines Australia’s credibility as a responsible nuclear supplier, along with the international nuclear non-proliferation regime as a whole. The Joint Standing Committee on Treaties …
In a recent blog I raised the broader question of ‘what next after ISIS?’ The military mission is now evolving around President Obama’s statement about disrupting, degrading and destroying ISIS. But to date, the conditions …
In their hunt for an elixir of immortality, Taoist alchemists discovered gunpowder, sparking an era of warfare defined by the use of firearms. Centuries later, the steam sloop Nemesis, with her twin 32-pounders, would destroy …
Once alerted to the menace posed by brutal terrorists in Iraq and Syria, the world has swung into action with vigour and resolve—and enough potent military hardware to make even the most hardened terrorist think …
Recent media debate around the increased terrorism alert and concern for national security begs the question of whether the current Australian ministerial framework for domestic security would benefit from reform. Nobody seriously suggests that a …
Turn to Douglas MacArthur for a tough and true description of what Australia means to the United States. It’s 1942. The US commander is meeting Australia’s Prime Minister John Curtin to plan the war against …
We’re kicking off today with an interesting question: can diplomats be interdicted as part of new screening measures to detect Ebola? This is just one issue of many raised by Lawfare blog’s Paul Rosenzweig on …
Defeating ISIL (otherwise known as ISIS or, simply, Islamic State) will need much more than air strikes and small groups of advisors on the ground. ISIL and its allied organisations are already showing themselves to …
Australia should re-focus its Antarctic efforts, clearly state its Antarctic strategic interests and match its Antarctic aspirations with action and carefully directed investment. These are the essential elements of a report released today by the …
A momentous decision was taken last week: the Turkish Parliament voted 298–98 in favour of a resolution authorising military incursions into northern Iraq and Syria, and allowing foreign forces to use Turkish territory for operations …
The independence referendum in my native land has attracted more attention on this side of the world than I would have imagined. Separatist movements in the region are studying the Scottish example to see what …
When Prime Minister Abbott addressed the Boao Forum in China in early April, he told his audience that ‘Australia is not in China to do a deal, but to be a friend’. Actually, since he …
As allied forces begin the air campaign against Islamic State forces in Iraq and Syria, there are concerns in the US that IS could turn to cryptocurrencies to bolster their already substantial funding base. Reports …
In an ASPI Special Report launched today, we explore options for future police engagement between Australia and Papua New Guinea. In July 2013, during negotiations to reopen the Manus Island detention centre, PNG Prime Minister …
Historically, Vietnam’s relationship with China has been complex. Stretching from 111BC and early Chinese cultural domination of Vietnam to the 1979 border conflict and more recent disputes over competing claims in the South China Sea, …
While it’s possible we could get an Ebola case in Australia, the chances are pretty low, with no direct flights between here and the west African countries most affected. Those countries also now have in …
Titles are always difficult, so give a good mark to ‘Australia’s Defence: Towards a New Era?‘ Mixing pickiness with praise, tick the ‘new era’ idea while guffawing at the question mark hanging off the title. …
It’s (another) public holiday here in Canberra but we’ll be back tomorrow with our usual considered analysis, stats and graphs for your reading pleasure. Can’t wait until tomorrow? Check out the new videos released last week on our YouTube channel. …
Headlining today’s round-up is a CTC Sentinel post by Andrew Zammit on new developments in Australian foreign fighter activity. Among the key changes, he notes that since November 2013 Australian fighters have preferred to fight …
After nearly thirteen years, an election rife with fraud, and an audit process so contested that the parties agreed not to release the final vote totals (but leaked them anyway), Afghanistan has completed its first …
