The rise of Islamic State jihadists in Iraq and Syria continues to shock and horrify us. We are all familiar with the crimes against humanity: the videotaped beheadings, the grisly torture, the ritualized rape, the …
The link between crime and terrorism was discussed during a seminar at the National Security Summit that we attended recently. The link has attracted broad attention overseas (such as here), but only limited discussion in …
While Albert Palazzo’s response to ASPI’s Beyond 2017: The Australian Defence Force and Amphibious Warfare adds another dimension to the amphibious debate in Australia, it highlights another quite interesting characteristic within Defence. Language creates a …
The differences between Australia and India will be bridged by systemic needs and policy problems, not by leadership will. Instead of leadership chemistry, the drivers can be the convergence of strategic interests and the great …
Australia’s Defence Minster Kevin Andrews was in India this week, where he met with his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar as well as Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj. Andrews contributed an op-ed to The Hindu and delivered …
The Japanese have never exported Defence products so it isn’t surprising that, in their own words, they are ‘behind the power curve’ with respect to the SEA 1000 Competitive Evaluation Process (CEP). That was apparent …
As a young soldier I had the opportunity to see the Australian Army’s transition between rifles, from the venerable 7.62 L1A1 SLR to the 5.56 F88 Austeyr. And during my Army service I carried both, …
As always, one admires James Goldrick’s spirited defence of the importance of sea control to Australia’s defence strategy, and of the priority for major warships in our force structure. He suspects sceptics like me of …
It all seemed so much easier in the old days. Equipment got old and it was replaced, like for like. Not always of course. Remember we used to have an aircraft carrier? In fact, at …
The Beat Yakuza and mafia shake-ups Japanese police are bracing themselves for potential violence following reports of a split in one of the yakuza, or organised criminal syndicates that operate in Japan. Plans to move …
The recent Strategic Insights paper Security through aid by Anthony Bergin and Sarah Hately on the use of aid and development assistance to enhance security gives attention to important but currently neglected opportunities to counter …
It took 24 hours—and apparently an angry call from a blindsided President Joko Widodo—for Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo to revoke a raft of new restrictions on visiting foreign journalists, which were similar to those …
In the First World War, Indian and Australian servicemen fought together on the beaches of Gallipoli, in the deserts of Mesopotamia and the Middle East, and in the fields of France. In the Second World …
In April 2015, the Commonwealth Government established a National Ice Task Force to develop a National Ice Action Strategy. With the establishment of the National Ice Task Force one could be forgiven for thinking that …
The US Third Circuit Court of Appeals has affirmed the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTA) authority to charge corporations over insufficient levels of cybersecurity. Wyndham Worldwide, the parent company of several hotel chains is being taken …
Diplomacy is a demanding responsibility of governance because the expectations of it are high and diverse. Its tired stereotyping contrasts with the reality of its challenges. A nation’s diplomacy needs to inform its government about …
Hugh White’s column for The Strategist on naval surface ship-building in Australia continued his campaign against such a national effort, but was actually centred on his long standing objection to the maintenance of a capable …
Sea State The US’ incoming chief of naval operations (CNO) Admiral John Richardson has been invited by his Chinese counterpart, Commander in Chief of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy—Admiral Wu Shengli—to visit China to discuss …
In Australia and in my home country of Canada, we’re seeing various responses to radicalisation. Putting security and police officials at the front of the reintegration and de-radicalisation efforts is important, but they won’t be …
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) is set to report tomorrow on the tricky matter of whether the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015 is necessary and appropriate. As the …