{"id":38539,"date":"2018-04-13T14:37:22","date_gmt":"2018-04-13T04:37:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/?p=38539"},"modified":"2018-04-13T14:37:22","modified_gmt":"2018-04-13T04:37:22","slug":"aspi-suggests-80","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aspistrategist.ru\/aspi-suggests-80\/","title":{"rendered":"ASPI suggests"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/figure>\n

The world<\/strong><\/p>\n

This week found the war in Syria right back on the front page: this short Atlantic Council blog post<\/a> discusses Donald Trump\u2019s own red line on chemical weapons. With the president initially exclaiming that airstrikes could \u2018be very soon or not so soon at all\u2019<\/a>, this timely journal article<\/a> explores under what conditions states opt to use airpower as a coercive tool.<\/p>\n

Research from German think tank SWP looks at the central role that controlling Syria\u2019s airspace<\/a> will play in determining the country\u2019s future. Two Brookings fellows and a former US ambassador to Syria wrote in USA Today<\/em><\/a> that withdrawing US troops could lead to the rise of ISIS 2.0. Evelyn Farkas provides<\/a> trenchant policy advice for Trump in FP<\/em>. And John Hopkins\u2019 Majda Ruge penned a passionate op-ed<\/a> on the international community\u2019s failure in its responsibility to protect, drawing on her own experiences in Sarajevo in 1992.<\/p>\n

The changing nature of warfare is a topic regularly featured on The Strategist<\/em>. This week Robert H. Scales reminisces about his tenure as head of the US Army\u2019s Army After Next<\/em> project and offers lessons on how to avoid incorrectly forecasting the future<\/a> of warfare. Edward Lucas shows how the Salisbury attack was an example of hybrid warfare<\/a>. And Roman Shleynov briefly outlines<\/a> the history of Novichok.<\/p>\n

Claims that China plans to build a military base in Vanuatu brought strong denials<\/a> from Beijing and generated plenty of debate. The BBC<\/a> summarises how nations have responded to the story<\/a>. It\u2019s also worth recalling the CSIS research<\/a> on Beijing\u2019s base building in the South China Sea in 2017. And Joanne Wallis looks at China\u2019s growing influence in the Pacific for The Strategist<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

More on China, this Al-Jazeera feature<\/a> examines the country\u2019s global web of spies that makes possible its surveillance (and silencing) of dissidents abroad. Other authoritarian governments across Asia<\/a> also try to control discourse online, especially on social media platforms.<\/p>\n

Facebook was a hot topic in the US, where CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled by Congress on the platform\u2019s data collection habits. The Economist<\/em><\/a> analyses how he failed to reassure the public about Facebook\u2019s privacy standards, and The Atlantic<\/em><\/a> looks at the three big questions Zuckerberg hasn\u2019t answered. And for amusement, read Inc.<\/em>\u2019s article on some of the weird and wacky questions<\/a> that were asked.<\/p>\n

A new Witness<\/em> episode portrays the struggles of El Salvadorians deported from the US<\/a> [25:00]. Many had previously fled El Salvador\u2019s extreme gang violence. Facing uncertainty, the country\u2019s growing call centre industry presents a chance for a future for these returnees. Sarah Esther Maslin highlights<\/a> in The Economist\u2019s 1843 <\/em>magazine that the church offers an alternative to gangs like Barrio 18 and MS-13.<\/p>\n

And for bookworms, former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright\u2019s new book, Fascism: a warning<\/em>, hit the shelves on Tuesday. She looks at the rise of authoritarianism that\u2019s threatening democracy around the world, and sounds a dire warning<\/a>. NPR\u2019s interview<\/a> delivers the highlights in concise form.<\/p>\n

Tech geek<\/strong><\/p>\n

Given a potentially imminent risk of a direct military clash between the US and its allies against Russia in Syria, we start off with the big picture<\/a> of US, French and British combat assets in theatre, courtesy of IISS.<\/p>\n

Russian air defence capabilities in Syria include combat aircraft<\/a> and the potent<\/a> S-400<\/a> and S-300VM<\/a> SAM systems. Add in the challenge posed by Russia\u2019s potent electronic warfare<\/a> capability. Here\u2019s an interesting article<\/a> on how US and allied forces might handle this threat if the worst happens.<\/p>\n

Unless the US is prepared to risk striking Russian forces, strike options are limited. Justin Bronk<\/a> at RUSI examines this conundrum, suggesting that any strikes are likely to be symbolic and ineffective. There\u2019s also an excellent analysis<\/a> at Stratfor on what options the US might consider.<\/p>\n

Turning away from Syria, space advocates (including this one) are over the moon (pun intended) with a decision<\/a> by Rolls Royce and Boeing to support Reaction Engines<\/a> and its SABRE<\/a> combined-cycle air-breathing rocket. This will enable single-stage or two-stage-to-orbit access to space with airline-style efficiencies, as well as hypersonic airliners.<\/p>\n

China is developing air-launched ballistic missiles<\/a>. This would represent a new type of long-range missile capability for China, for both nuclear and conventional missions. When matched with a new bomber\u2014the H-20<\/a>, now in development\u2014the missiles will strengthen China\u2019s ability to project precise and rapid firepower at long range.<\/p>\n

Multimedia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Politico <\/em>takes you to Italy and captures<\/a> life in Gardone Val Trompia, the village producing 70%\u00a0of the EU\u2019s small firearms and supplying 40%\u00a0of the global market.<\/p>\n

This interactive New York Times<\/em> feature<\/a> portrays some of the young women that were among the Chibok girls that Boko Haram kidnapped four years ago.<\/p>\n

Twenty years after the Good Friday Agreement, BBC Newsnight interviews<\/a> former Taoiseach (head of the Irish government) Bertie Ahern. [10:24]<\/p>\n

Podcasts<\/strong><\/p>\n

This Reckonings<\/em> episode<\/a> brings together a former neo-Nazi and a former jihadist. They talk about their experiences and what attracted them to violent ideology. [59:45\u2014jump to 1:40]<\/p>\n

The Modern War Institute podcast<\/a> hosts researchers who interviewed Americans who had travelled to Iraq and Syria to fight against<\/em> ISIS. [32:00]<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve found a new podcast, Long Distance Call<\/em><\/a>, in which Indonesia-based Aussie journalist Eliza Harvey converses with her mother, ABC broadcaster Geraldine Doogue, about current affairs and other things. This week<\/a> they talk about the journalism industry, John Le Carre and Hillary Clinton as the wrong candidate. [30:51]<\/p>\n

Events<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sydney, 16, 17 and 20 April, 5.30\u20137.30 pm, Power House Museum, \u2018Rosi Braidotti: the human in the age of technology and climate change\u2019 as part of the 2018 Thinking Out Loud Lectures program. Further info and tickets here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Melbourne, 17 April, 6.30\u20137.30 pm, University of Melbourne, \u2018Safeguarding planetary health, banning nuclear weapons and the first Nobel Peace Prize born in Australia\u2019. Info and registration here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Canberra, 18 April, 7\u20138 pm, ANU College of Law, \u2018An Australian bill of rights\u2019 with former president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Gillian Triggs. Info here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The world This week found the war in Syria right back on the front page: this short Atlantic Council blog post discusses Donald Trump\u2019s own red line on chemical weapons. 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