As an Anglo-Dutchman—British mother, Dutch father—I cannot help but take Brexit rather personally. I’m not a wholehearted Euro-enthusiast, but a European Union without Britain feels like losing a limb in a terrible accident. Not all …
Sea State There’s been plenty happening on the water this past week, with a number of incidents and training exercises taking place. On Friday, the Taiwanese navy mistakenly launched a supersonic missile in the direction …
As has been anticipated for a number of years, China is now Australia’s largest trading partner. It’s all but certain that this will remain the case for the foreseeable future, which means that Australia’s political …
These are difficult times for China. After decades of double-digit GDP growth, today’s slowdown points to an economic system in trouble. Once hailed as a model of development, the Chinese economy now appears sclerotic and …
The recent commemoration ceremonies in Britain and France on 1 July marked the 100th anniversary of the worst military disaster in British history. On that day in 1916, a large force of 13 British divisions …
The decision by the United Kingdom’s voters to ‘Brexit’ the European Union is not an example of the British black humor that I love. It’s not ‘Monty Python’s Flying Circus,’ ‘Yes, Prime Minister,’ or ‘Fawlty …
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington, DC, in June garnered little public attention outside of India. Yet diplomats and military professionals in Asia and beyond were certainly watching closely. For good reason: the …
If China’s future course is the vital question, the answers in economy-world are different to those in security-world. The versions of China offered in the two worlds clash in nature, form and quality. In security-world, …
The column inches on Brexit were quickly racked up this week by those enraged or enamoured with the result, so here’s just a taste. Late night TV superstar John Oliver was excoriating in his analysis …
The shock of the British vote to leave the European Union has yet to sink in. Yet European leaders must steel themselves for what’s to come. In fact, Brexit might be the initial tremor that …
After Britain’s shock Auf Wiedersehen last Friday, politicians in the UK and Europe are now struggling to figure out what a Brexit divorce will look like. One way to do this is to look at …
Last year I wrote a series for The Strategist on the USAF’s new bomber program. (Parts one, two and three.) I was sceptical of the possibility of producing a state-of-the-art long range bomber for anything …
Welcome to The Strategist Six, a feature that provides a glimpse into the thinking of prominent academics, government officials, military officers, reporters and interesting individuals from around the world. 1. What are the major challenges facing …
The Beat In-depth: International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 26 June marked the 29th International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. Drug abuse is a major problem globally, with the UNODC’s World …
The United Kingdom, in voting to divorce the European Union, is steering the West into uncharted territory. Will the EU now unravel, as other populists and nationalists demand plebiscites on their respective countries’ membership? Will …
In case anyone thinks that Indonesia’s somewhat diffident assertion of its fishing rights in the waters around the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea is just the usual squabble between fishermen from neighbouring countries, …
For the past decade, successive prime ministers have been grappling with the question of how best to organise the Australian government to face a widening array of oft-interconnected national security issues. Now, with a shifting …
According to a recent survey by Tech London Advocates, London’s tech experts and cyber security professionals are ‘overwhelmingly opposed’ to the UK’s recent decision to leave the EU. Mainland Europe represents an essential source of …
On Monday I spoke at a conference sponsored by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA, ANU’s Strategic & Defence Studies Centre and the JMSDF Command and Staff College on 21st Century Trilateral Maritime Cooperation. The conference …
Almost a quarter of a century after the demise of the USSR, Russia is back on the world stage and in a familiar threatening manner. Some are describing the resurgence of Russia as a return …