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Headlining today are details about the nuclear deal signed with Iran. For a thorough overview, listen to CSIS Senior Fellow and Director of the Proliferation and Prevention program Sharon Squassoni on the particulars of the deal, critics’ concerns and the future ahead ^[2] (35mins). Prefer to read? Check out these ten essential points about how effective IAEA verification will be achieved, by Thomas Shea, who served in the IAEA’s Department of Safeguards. And lastly, here’s an Atlantic piece by Peter Beinart on how supporting the war in Iraq and the #IranDeal are intertwined ^[2].

For those watching terrorism more globally, check out two new reports from the International Crisis Group, one on Tunisia’s ability to respond to the rise of jihadism and social violence ^[3], and the second on developing a civilian-led and intelligence-based counterterrorism strategy in Pakistan ^[4]. Both reports survey the state of security forces including the police, military and militias in each country, recommending that law enforcement and internal security forces take the lead in improving domestic security.

Next is the new book by Emma Sky, a Middle East expert from Britain who served as a political advisor to US General Ray Odierno in Iraq from 2007 and 2010. A conflict resolution specialist working with the military, as a woman in a male-dominated environment and as a Jewish person in an Arab land, she has a unique take on how Operation Iraqi Freedom unfolded, how its nation-building efforts became unstuck and the complexities of Iraqi society ^[5]. For more on the book, The Unraveling: high hopes and missed opportunities in Iraq, check out this review on The Bridge by David Mattingly ^[6].

Are we witnessing the end of Europe? Over on the New York Review of Books, Timothy Snyder writes about the roots of the philosophical crisis facing the EU ^[7] over integration. Delving into the history of Ukraine and Russia, to uncover more of the challenges facing Europe ahead.

The BBC has a feature on the ‘killer robot that never sleeps’ ^[8]. More specifically, a South Korean arms manufacturer has built a gun turret that shoots without the need for human mediation. Check out the footage in the story.

Lastly, here’s your latest selfie challenge: take a picture with a drone ^[9].

Podcast

Last month saw the horrific crash of an Indonesian Air Force C-130, killing 140 passengers, raising questions about the state of the military’s hardware. In the latest New Mandala podcast ^[10], Evan Laksmana talks about reform in TNI, modernisation, civil–military relations and Jokowi’s ‘global maritime axis’ vision (14mins).

How does journalism become a diplomatic tool of the state? In the latest CIMSEC podcast ^[11], Dean Cheng of the Heritage Foundation discusses Russia’s and China’s new journalism institutions and China’s new media markets (37mins).

Event

Canberra: Is Australia at a tipping point with women in strategy and leadership? Watch a high-powered #allfemalepanel hosted by the Institute for Regional Security’s Women in National Security network on Wednesday 12 August at 5.15pm, register here ^[12].