Barely a day goes by when ISIL isn’t in the news, or there’s no new report detailing its activities, adroit use of social media or recruiting methods. In the midst of all this, al-Qaeda has …
One can only conclude that the Commonwealth Government is actively facilitating the demise of the Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC). The government-owned shipyard has been singled out as responsible for a $3 billion blow-out in cost, …
The unfolding humanitarian and political disaster in Iraq and Syria is ultimately a consequence of confusion, impetuosity, a preoccupation with tactical issues at the expense of strategic ones, and an ignorance of the political, communal, …
Technology is steadily marching in the direction of increased autonomy, a change that will undoubtedly influence weapon platforms in the future. The notion of offensive use of lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS)—systems that can independently …
In a Special Report launched today, we show how Australia’s defence science policy is at a critical juncture. Years of budget salami slicing and organisational change to refocus on short-term services has left the Defence …
Remember a decade ago when the US appealed for China to be a responsible stakeholder? Congratulations, Washington. Wish come true. China sure is responsible for a lot of things happening strategically and economically. And a …
It’s the Queen’s birthday public holiday here in Canberra so we’ll be back tomorrow with our usual considered analysis, stats and graphs for your reading pleasure. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for something to read, check out …
With the second G7 kicking off next Monday, and plenty of foreign and security policy issues set to be on the table, make sure you take a look at German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s op-ed in …
Peter Jennings has recently argued that Australian (and American) ground force personnel, now training elements of the Iraqi army, should accompany them into combat in the future. This change of operational tactics seems necessary following …
Ringed as we are by archipelagos, freedoms of navigation and overflight (FON) are extremely important to Australia. The archipelagic sea lanes (ASL) passage introduced by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) …
Consider the Trans-Pacific Partnership as an economic hard power weapon. The TPP can’t deal out death like the US 7th Fleet. But a lot of the language used about the TPP is more geopolitics than …
Australian police agencies’ capacity to proactively disrupt terrorist threats will continue to be eroded without new legislation to protect classified intelligence used in warrants—potentially putting us all at risk. And some of our senior police …
The Beat FIFA arrests The world’s most popular sport received more attention than usual last week when Swiss police arrested nine current and former FIFA officers, charging them with various corruption offences over a 24-year period. …
China is starting to give Asia a big case of initiative fatigue. Too many ideas, too much activism. As Simon and Garfunkel crooned, ‘slow down, you’re moving too fast!’ Xi Jinping confirms he’s the most …
China’s dredging activities in the South China Sea are significantly disrupting the region’s marine environment. As James Bortley reminds us, ‘the Spratly Islands’ immense biodiversity cannot be overlooked’. In April the Philippine Department of Foreign …
When ISIS fighters recently took back the town of Ramadi, in Anbar Province, Iraq it was a serious blow to the Iraqi government and their international allies. Until now, Iraq and the US have relied …
At the recent meeting of the US–Japan Cyber Defense Policy Working Group, both countries agreed to deepen their already extensive cyber cooperation. In a joint statement the two nations spoke of the increasing risk posed …
The balance of power is one of those concepts that gets the most attention when it’s shifting. Or wobbling. When people are talking about it, it’s time to be worried. And everybody is worried. As …
The election of a Conservative government with a slim majority comes at a time when the strategic challenges facing the United Kingdom have acquired new urgency. The election campaign itself was remarkable for the lack …
Sea State The 2015 Shangri-La Dialogue ran over the weekend, and maritime security issues featured prominently in the wake of escalating tensions in the South China Sea. In his keynote address, US Secretary of Defense …