ASPI today publishes a book on its first 20 years: An informed and independent voice: ASPI, 2001–2021. A senior diplomat from one of Australia’s close ‘Old Commonwealth’ partners tells a story about hosting a Canberra …
In a development that could significantly increase Australia’s ability to carry out military operations in space, the government has launched a search for options for ground-based electronic warfare capabilities. Defence Minister Peter Dutton says the …
My late friend Andrew Peacock could spin a good yarn, but one story in particular still holds a peculiar resonance for Australian politics and history. Christmas 1972 saw Peacock in Washington DC. The Australian Coalition …
Following the collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, the US and its allies are accelerating efforts to evacuate their citizens and Afghan refugees. Brendan Nicholson speaks to Peter Jennings about how …
Australia’s borders and migration system are now the most secure they’ve ever been. With the third wave of Covid-19 now raging in Australia, it seems clear that our international borders will be all but closed …
Canberra, we have a problem. The collapse of the Afghan government and security forces; the victory of the Taliban; the abandonment of Afghans, particularly women; the unruly scramble to evacuate; and the apparently limited consultation …
Indonesia appears to be persevering with plans for its grand infrastructure rollout, likely to cost over US$400 billion, despite the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on the archipelagic nation. Australian businesses can join this endeavour through the …
In the year 2034, the United States and China become embroiled in a series of military conflicts that escalate into a devastating tactical nuclear war. Other countries—including Russia, Iran and India—get involved. Suddenly, the world …
You can have a cheap submarine capability, or you can have a safe and effective one. There’s no third option. Australia has chosen the second option; consequently, its submarine capability costs a lot. But how …
Foreign direct investment is increasingly being seen as a threat to national security as relations between China and the West deteriorate. Twenty-five nations imposed new security regulations controlling investment inflows during the past year. There …
A persistent question lurking in the background of Australia’s alliance with the US has always been whether our powerful ally would come to our aid in a time of military crisis. Contemplation of the strategic …
China has become a peer competitor with the US for a wide range of technologies, a remarkable feat for a country that was bereft of most modern technologies just four decades ago. China has been …
With two decades of war in Afghanistan coming to the grimmest of possible ends, it is worth remembering that three decades have now passed since war came to the Balkans. Both are case studies in …
ASPI celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. This series looks at ASPI’s work since its creation in August 2001. Australia can no longer take refuge in the barriers of time and distance as a defence …
In early 1918, a boatload of fresh-faced American doughboys disembarked on a wharf in Southampton in England. Their snappy clean uniforms and the sparkling rifles slung across their shoulders didn’t go unnoticed by the men …
President Joe Biden declared on 8 July that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan would be a responsible one, the Taliban would not be able to conquer the country, and America’s departure from Kabul would not …
The arms control community has been gripped by the discovery that China appears to be building hundreds of new missile silos. The development raises the prospect that China may be breaking out of its traditional …
As the Australian parliament continues its inquiry into extremist movements and radicalism, it’s vital that attention be paid to the ways online funding mechanisms can be exploited by individuals and groups promoting right-wing extremist (RWE) …
Sea state All three of Australia’s Hobart-class guided missile destroyers have passed the final phase of testing and evaluation now that HMAS Sydney has returned from a successful 18-week trial deployment to the US and …
For years, Iranian moderates, such as former President Hassan Rouhani, tried and failed to reach an understanding with the West. Now, a hardliner is in charge. Does President Ebrahim Raisi’s election spell the end of …