Asia Pacific Security
US courts Vietnam with military chief's visit
'The place for you right now is Vietnam.' So President Obama and Defense Secretary Hagel reportedly told the Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, and…
AUSMIN 2014: What are we getting ourselves into?
Here's The Australian's Greg Sheridan on this week's AUSMIN talks:
...the two governments committed to establish a working group on integrating their efforts on ballistic…
Commentary
The U.S.- China Rivalry Has Asia on Edge: Can "Middle Powers" Create Stability?
The U.S.- China Rivalry Has Asia on Edge: Can "Middle Powers" Create Stability?C. Raja Mohan and Rory MedcalfThe National Interest15 August 2014Please click …
At AUSMIN 2014, let's talk about naval force posture
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel arrives in Sydney, 11 August 2014. (Department of Defence.)
US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel touched down in Sydney today for the annual…
New Lowy Institute paper urges Indo-Pacific middle powers to band together
In a new Lowy Institute Analysis launched today, International Security Program Director Rory Medcalf and Nonresident Fellow C Raja Mohan argue that Indo-Pacific middle powers…
SSBNs are unnecessary and destabilising
A Chinese Type 094 (Jin-class) SSBN. (Wikipedia.)
Regarding the Chinese and Indian ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) programs and their impact on international security, my…
Sea-based nuclear weapons in Asia: Stabiliser or menace?
On this day in 1945, the first nuclear weapon was used in conflict, with devastating consequences for the people of Hiroshima. In Asia today, nuclear weapons remain part of the…
Relax, Japan is not remilitarising
In my previous post I argued that the last few months have seen a spike in punditry claiming that Northeast Asia's status quo is about to change, and that conflict is more likely…
Relax, Korea is not drifting toward China
Perhaps inspired by the centenary of World War I, this year has provoked a lot of clamouring about shifting security in Northeast Asia. The general vibe is that Japan's Article 9 …
MH17: Could a re-energised Europe rescue the Obama Doctrine?
It is always morbid to talk of what ground nations might gain from disasters such as the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, but international politics has never been a…