US–China relations: great expectations

Towards the end of 2017, America’s official rhetoric on China changed so abruptly that the sensation was one of a dam bursting. The national security strategy issued in December 2017 and the national defence strategy …

National security wrap

The beat Footage of police brutality leads to arrests in Hong Kong Amid accusations of police brutality linked to pro-democracy protests, two Hong Kong police officers have been arrested after footage was released of them …

Forgetting Palestine

Israel is approaching another parliamentary election, and Palestinians have barely been mentioned. The vote comes at a time when the United States is pushing its poorly conceived economy-focused ‘Peace to Prosperity’ plan. With the Israeli–Palestinian …

Back to the Middle East, but at what cost?

They say timing is everything. This week I’ve been devouring the United States Studies Centre’s excellent new report, Averting crisis: American strategy, military spending and collective defence in the Indo-Pacific. It makes a convincing argument …

Defence projects and the economy

In response to Australia’s increasingly uncertain strategic outlook, there are now calls to boost defence spending well beyond the current target of 2% of GDP in what’s assumed to be a steadily growing economy. Taxpayer …

Are we preparing for the right kind of conflict?

Hugh White’s latest book has stimulated a debate about the defence of Australia and the capabilities and shape of the Australian Defence Force. This is an important discussion to have, not only because it will …

The five-domains update

Sea state BAE Systems has started construction on HMS Cardiff, the second of Britain’s Type 26 City-class frigates, which are set to replace the current anti-submarine warfare Type 23 frigates. The new class will ‘contribute …

Remembering the miracle of 1989

This month marks 30 years since Europe—and human civilisation generally—began to undergo a miraculous transformation that is now etched in the world’s memory. By the summer of 1989, the Soviet Union was already in terminal …

Ethical AI for Defence

The public discourse on artificial intelligence in the military context tends to get messy very quickly. There seems to be an AI variant of Godwin’s law (which holds that as any online discussion grows longer, …

Soft power’s hard edge

I’ve just returned from the frontline of Australia’s soft power engagement in Asia. The New Colombo Plan that provided this opportunity is funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is a key …