Green means go for the Asian Century

The Australia in the Asian Century White Paper was released only six weeks ago but since then, in the accelerated world of current politics, there’s been a flurry of launches: an Energy White Paper, a …

Show me the money

In the film Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise’s client Rod Tidwell believes that the only way a team can ever really demonstrate that they value him is to pay him more—leading to the famous ‘show me …

Pacific (sub)regionalism – where to next?

Richard Herr’s recent item on intra-regional relationships in the Pacific is a timely contribution to this discussion. The past, present and future of regionalism and sub-regionalism in this part of the world are topics of …

The incredible shrinking ANZAC alliance

It’s the lot of smaller countries to fret over how seriously their interests are treated by bigger allies. It’s not surprising then that Robert Ayson worries about what New Zealand has to do to stay …

Four ships for the price of six?

A few years ago, I estimated the per ship costs of the Air Warfare Destroyer program. The conclusion I came to, based on conservative assumptions, was that we were getting three ships for the price …

ASPI suggests

Here’s this week’s collection of new articles and reports in the defence, strategy and security world for your reading pleasure and some events to attend. Articles and reports If you’re interested in the changing nature …

Pamphlets, papers and policy

Dear Minister In some quarters, your promised 2013 Defence White Paper is already being ridiculed as ‘the white pamphlet’. Others take an even more pessimistic view, with Hugh White doubting that a document will be …

Feeding the nuclear watch dog

Earlier this month, Myanmar announced that it will sign the Additional Protocol to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Comprehensive Safeguards Agreements—a bold step for a country that has long been suspected of having nuclear …

ASPI suggests: welcome to the Iron Dome

Welcome back for another instalment of new reports, articles and events in the defence, strategy and security world. Articles Iron Dome has been seen as a successful missile defence system during recent violence between Israel …

What the Kiwis want from trans-Tasman defence relations

It’s hard to get folks excited about the Australian–New Zealand defence relationship. It’s uncontroversial because we’re already close partners in a fairly low octane South Pacific neighbourhood, where we’re expected to work together. And it’s …