^[1]For all your international security and defence reading, look no further than ASPI Suggests!

Tomorrow’s ANZAC Day (25 April) will mark the 100th anniversary of the first major military action fought at Gallipoli by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. For a different perspective on the war, here’s an emotive interview ^[2] with the daughter of a Turkish veteran of Gallipoli, Adil Sahin. This week The Strategist also featured posts about WWI by historian Robin Prior on Churchill’s hand in the strategic case for Gallipoli ^[3]and Director of the Australian War Memorial Brendan Nelson on the importance of remembrance ^[4].

For an American perspective on the Battle of Gallipoli, head over to strategy blog The Bridge for Brett A. Friedman’s reflections ^[5] on what he sees as a ‘watershed moment in the history of modern warfare’.

A few weeks ago there were reports that India’s new Vikrant-class aircraft carriers could be equipped US technology ^[6]. With both countries now agreeing to explore joint development of the aircraft carrier, Carnegie’s Ashley J. Tellis argues ^[7] for greater strategic convergence between the US and India, given the prospects of Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean. Tellis also calls for broader cooperation on the Vikrant and for the US to offer India access to the Hawkeye and F-35C. Meanwhile, over on The Diplomat, Robert Farley looks at ^[8] India’s bright future in carrier aviation despite the challenges of the Rafale deal with France ^[9].

‘Western democratic powers are no longer the dominant external shapers of political transitions around the world’, write ^[10] Thomas Carothers and Oren Samet-Marram. Their new piece tracks how global influence is now dictated by a marketplace of nondemocracies and non-Western democracies, and results from the diffusion of power away from the West to ‘the rest’.

Speaking of which, the BBC’s Carrie Gracie explores ^[11] the Xi–Putin relationship and Russia’s pivot to Asia. With the signing of a US$200m deal on robotics, seen as ^[12] ‘a big move for Sino-Russian economic relations’, it appears their ‘borgs will be BFFs as well. But the bear isn’t embracing the panda too tightly; as Artyom Lukin wrote back in March, it’s also reaching out ^[13] to other partners in East and Southeast Asia.

Hat tip to ASPI researcher Clare Murphy who reports ^[14] some fascinating insights from a Melbourne-based Kenyan professional about the recent terror attack in Kenya on Australian Outlook.

Shifting to Iran, critics of the recently-brokered nuclear framework deal often cite fears of nuclear weapon proliferation in the Middle East. Dina Esfandiary and Ariane Tabatabai argue ^[15] that an assessment of probable scenarios suggests that’s not likely to happen. In backing up their position, their piece usefully breaks down the limitations in each Middle Eastern country. A valuable resource for nuclear watchers.

Lastly, back in November 2012 American rapper Waka Flocka Flame ^[16] declared via Twitter that he was running for president. This week, Flame made it official ^[17]: #Waka2016. So what would a Waka Flocka foreign policy look like? According to the magazine Foreign Policy ^[18], his priorities are #FreePalestine ^[19], #FreeKurdistan ^[20] and that Canada is ‘MADD (sic) real’ ^[21]. The Strategist team wishes Mr Flame good luck in his quest for the White House.

Podcast

Turning to more legitimate political players, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard Carly Fiorina is set to launch ^[22] her presidential campaign as a Republican candidate on 4 May. For an insight into her thinking on politics, leadership and foreign policy, listen to Nina Easton’s Smart Women, Smart Power interview ^[23] with Fiorina earlier this month (1hr). For the visually inclined, video here ^[24].

Events

Canberra readers, ANU’s Michael Wesley will discuss ^[25] the big challenge of ‘weak powers’, India and Indonesia, in the Sir Roland Wilson Building, Wednesday 29 April at 12.30pm.

Brisbane-folk, Indonesia expert Tim Lindsey is giving a talk ^[26] on why the Australia–Indonesia relationship is so difficult, at the Gallery of Modern Art in South Bank, Tuesday 19 May at 6pm.