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  • 20 Dec 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Climate change
    • Pacific Islands
    • United States

    Trump’s relations with the Blue Pacific

    Tarcisius Kabutaulaka
    The second Trump administration will find a region different from when last in office.
  • 19 Dec 2024
    • Japan
    • Defence & Security

    An opposition party could hold the deciding vote on Japan’s national security policy

    Rintaro Nishimura
    Minority government has its challenges, as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is discovering.
  • 16 Dec 2024
    • Taiwan
    • Defence & Security

    Taiwan and Ukraine: Learning the right lessons

    Mick Ryan
    The Ukraine experience has turbocharged Taiwan's learning about modern war.
  • 13 Dec 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Russia
    • Ukraine

    Ignoring the real biowarfare threat

    David Heslop , Joel Keep
    The sudden renovation at an old Soviet biological weapons site needs to be better explained.
  • 12 Dec 2024
    • Japan
    • South Korea
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    The trouble with Australia’s best friends in Asia

    Kieran Thompson
    Political turmoil in Japan and South Korea cannot be insulated from relations with the region.
  • 11 Dec 2024
    • China
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Pacific Islands
    • Nauru

    An ounce of prevention: Nauru deal puts defence spending in a different light

    Sam Roggeveen
    Australia’s Nauru deal is a victory for preventive diplomacy, closing off any possibility of a Chinese security presence.
  • 4 Dec 2024
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Transnational Challenges
    • Pacific Islands

    “Narco-subs” in the Pacific demonstrates need for effective maritime security cooperation

    Henrietta McNeill , Genevieve Quirk
    Criminals are always looking for an edge. Listening to what the Pacific needs and coordinating maritime security responses will help blunt the threat.
  • 26 Nov 2024
    • Aid & Development
    • Australia in the World
    • Defence & Security
    • Diplomacy
    • Global Economy

    Balancing the books on Australian statecraft

    William Leben , Ruby Saulwick
    It should be easier to judge the budget against the warnings of challenging times.
  • 25 Nov 2024
    • Philippines
    • Defence & Security

    Weak link or “frontline ally”? Where the Philippines will fit into Trump’s rivalry with China

    Richard Javad Heydarian
    US-supplied Typhon missiles are on Manila’s wish list but could come with a catch.
  • 22 Nov 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Russia
    • Ukraine

    Russia escalates, strikes Ukraine with a new missile, warns West

    Sam Roggeveen
    Putin wants to target Europe’s commitment to support Ukraine.
  • 20 Nov 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • European Union

    Has the time finally come for a European defence?

    Eglantine Staunton
    Talk might be finally giving way to action. Maybe.
  • 15 Nov 2024
    • China
    • Defence & Security

    China makes a statement at the Zhuhai air show

    David Vallance
    The biannual event showcases China's technological and military ambitions, and offers some surprises this year.
  • 14 Nov 2024
    • Australia in the World
    • Defence & Security

    Will the Intelligence Review bring DIO into the light?

    David Schaefer
    Australia's Defence Intelligence Organisation is a national resource, and it should have a profile to match.
  • 4 Nov 2024
    • Defence & Security

    Victory in 21st century conflict

    Mick Ryan
    Western powers need to re-acquaint themselves with a concept that is out of fashion.
  • 30 Oct 2024
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    Costs vs benefits in Pat Conroy's new missile age

    Sam Roggeveen
    Missiles are expensive, and the further they need to travel, the dearer they get. That should be good news for Australia.
  • 29 Oct 2024
    • India
    • Defence & Security
    • United Kingdom

    India’s historic shift in attitude about a US base at Diego Garcia

    Rahul Jaybhay
    Scouring the archival records is revealing of New Delhi’s changing strategic priorities.
  • 28 Oct 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Quad
    • United States

    What a Trump return might mean for AUKUS and the Quad

    Aiden Warren , Charles T. Hunt
    A nascent regional security “minilateral” architecture is vulnerable to Trump’s brand of disruption.
  • 25 Oct 2024
    • China
    • Indonesia
    • Defence & Security

    Prabowo’s China challenge around the Natuna Islands

    Rahman Yaacob
    An early confrontation might not be the message first thought.
  • 14 Oct 2024
    • Indonesia
    • Defence & Security

    The risk of a Timor-like intervention still shapes Indonesia’s view of security

    Rahman Yaacob
    As Prabowo Subianto prepares to take the reins, it’s doubtful that China worries him most.
  • 11 Oct 2024
    • Defence & Security

    The Black Sea battle: Learning the right maritime lessons from Ukraine

    Jennifer Parker
    Ukraine’s effective strategy in the Black Sea offers a masterclass in how a smaller, determined naval force can challenge a much larger one.
  • 8 Oct 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Middle East Conflict
    • Ukraine
    • Global Issues
    • Iran
    • Israel

    When the friendly skies above go dark, rockets light up

    Kazimier Lim
    How airspace closures signal the geopolitical strategies unfolding in the Middle East.
  • 8 Oct 2024
    • Australia
    • Australian Defence Force
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe

    Does Finland’s "total defence" doctrine hold lessons for Australia?

    Grant Wyeth
    Liberal democracy doesn’t defend itself. The Finns know a thing or two about protecting it.
  • 4 Oct 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • The Trump Presidency
    • United States
    • US Elections

    Kamala Harris and national security: The rising cost of military leadership

    Sam Roggeveen
    A Harris administration is unlikely to reverse America’s eroding military advantage over China.
  • 1 Oct 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • The Biden Presidency
    • The Trump Presidency
    • United States
    • US Elections

    Trump and Asian security

    Sam Roggeveen
    Ideological and policy tribalism is a feature of every presidency. The new Trump team will be no different.
  • 18 Sep 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Israel
    • Lebanon

    Pager bombs: Precision warfare takes a personal turn in Lebanon

    Mick Ryan
    The implications of this attack stretch far beyond Hezbollah to future threats.
  • 17 Sep 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    A step-change to Beijing's "lawfare" in the South China Sea

    Peter Leavy
    The “salami slice” approach to island building in the South China Sea has worked well for China. The world risks seeing that same approach repeated in international law.
  • 12 Sep 2024
    • China
    • Taiwan
    • Defence & Security

    The implausibility of a Taiwan blockade

    John Quiggin
    If all-out war is an inevitable consequence of a blockade, why wouldn't China cut to the chase and start the war immediately?
  • 11 Sep 2024
    • Indonesia
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    A step, not a leap: Assessing the Indonesia-Australia Defence Cooperation Agreement

    Yohanes Sulaiman
    As a statement of neighbourly ties, the deal is a good one. But temper expectations.
  • 9 Sep 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    South China Sea: The “transparency initiative” success is plain to see

    Richard Javad Heydarian
    But pressure on the Philippines means that its key partners must step up more.
  • 6 Sep 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Maritime Security
    • Trade
    • Iran
    • Yemen

    Iran’s shadow hand in Houthi Red Sea attacks

    Jonathan Campbell-James
    How the Houthis and Iranians work together isn’t absolutely clear – but stopping the threat to shipping requires more than shooting down incoming missiles and extends to disrupting an intelligence and targeting system.
  • 5 Sep 2024
    • Defence & Security

    Is AUKUS Pillar II growing too quickly?

    Kieran Thompson
    More ambition and more members can’t be a mask for success.
  • 27 Aug 2024
    • Indonesia
    • Defence & Security

    Indonesia pledges closer defence ties with Australia one day – military drills with China the next

    Rahman Yaacob
    Jakarta carries risks while seeking the rewards of its friends to all approach to defence diplomacy.
  • 22 Aug 2024
    • Defence & Security

    AUKUS: The Singapore Strategy Redux

    Albert Palazzo
    Successive governments are making the nation vulnerable to a repeat performance.
  • 21 Aug 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Russia
    • Ukraine

    Surprise and modern war

    Mick Ryan
    The Kursk offensive is a reminder of the enduring power of surprise. Prudence suggests that Australia needs be prepared.
  • 16 Aug 2024
    • Southeast Asia
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    Interoperability: The missing link in Indo-Pacific security

    Jennifer Parker
    Settling on a definition of an overused buzzword is the first step for Australia to ensure successful military partnerships in Southeast Asia.
  • 14 Aug 2024
    • China
    • Defence & Security
    • Cyber Security
    • Digital Disruption
    • Technology

    Beijing’s Baltic confession exposes undersea vulnerability

    Cynthia Mehboob
    While China claims a blunder, its ship cutting a pipeline and cable last year leaves transparency questions aplenty.
  • 6 Aug 2024
    • China
    • Philippines
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security

    A respite for the Sierra Madre, but Philippines-China tensions remain

    Rommel Ong
    A provisional understanding is just that. Much now depends on China’s behaviour and its record is not encouraging.
  • 5 Aug 2024
    • Australia
    • Australian Public Opinion
    • Defence & Security
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Public Opinion
    • Public Opinion Polling

    Thinking the “unthinkable” again?

    Michael Clarke
    Security motivations alone rarely explain decisions to “go nuclear”. Australia’s history on the question is complex.
  • 5 Aug 2024
    • Philippines
    • Defence & Security

    Marcos vs Duterte: Domestic politics meets grand strategy

    Henry Storey
    Doubts linger regarding the longevity of Manila’s forward-leaning stance on regional security.
  • 2 Aug 2024
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Ukraine

    What Australia can learn from Ukraine's long-range strike weapons

    Mick Ryan
    Ukraine now has multiple options for strike operations at an affordable cost. This is exactly what the Australian Defence Force needs.
  • 23 Jul 2024
    • Asean
    • Indonesia
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    ASEAN centrality stands in the way of an Indonesia-Australia alliance

    Pia Dannhauer
    While Jakarta’s non-alignment approach makes a pact unlikely any time soon, common strategic objectives can still be achieved.
  • 18 Jul 2024
    • Japan
    • Philippines
    • Defence & Security

    Philippines-Japan security pact puts China on notice

    Richard Javad Heydarian
    Though both nations recognise the indispensability of Washington, they are also hedging against future uncertainties.
  • 17 Jul 2024
    • China
    • China's Military
    • South China Sea
    • Defence & Security
    • Maritime Security

    Moving beyond the grey zone: The case for ICAD

    Adam Lockyer , Yves-Heng Lim , Courtney J Fung
    Why some Indo-Pacific nations are renaming the place between peace and war.
  • 17 Jul 2024
    • Australian Navy
    • Defence & Security

    A second suitable piece of real estate

    John Blaxland
    The geostrategic significance of revamped submarine facilities off the WA coast echoes its utility from 80 years back.
  • 12 Jul 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe

    NATO’s collective power – and Australia’s role

    Jane Hardy
    Moscow should be alarmed.
  • 12 Jul 2024
    • Australia in the World
    • Australia and Climate Change
    • Australian Navy
    • Defence & Security
    • Maritime Security

    Testing the climate for AUKUS

    Albert Palazzo
    The deterrence effects of nuclear-powered submarines are easily overstated, and the boats won’t fulfil Australia’s most pressing security needs in a changing environment.
  • 10 Jul 2024
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Maritime Security
    • Technology

    Cable ties: Defending seabed lines of communication

    Samuel Bashfield
    Underwater vulnerabilities need to be far more prominent in the conversation.
  • 8 Jul 2024
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe

    The NATO summit in Washington will be critical to Australia’s interests

    Jane Hardy
    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should have gone.
  • 5 Jul 2024
    • Defence & Security
    • Europe

    Four key influences on the evolution of the Ukraine War in 2025

    Mick Ryan
    Ukraine, Russia and NATO are already considering their strategy for the military campaigns of 2025.
  • 4 Jul 2024
    • Indonesia
    • Australia
    • Defence & Security

    The time has come for an Australia‑Indonesia military pact

    Sam Roggeveen
    An effective alliance is founded on a common vital interest which can only be met together. Australia and Indonesia have one.
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