Intelligence and security
Why America's Iraq strategy will work, and why Australia should take part
Here are three observations on Iraq:
1. Australia does have a core interest in Iraq
One of the arguments already used by opponents of any Australian participation in military…
Australia's Iraq deployment: Pragmatism over principle
The Prime Minister's unsurprising announcement of an Australian military commitment to the US-led anti-Islamic State (IS) coalition answered a few questions and raised others. I…
Is Abbott spreading Australia too thin?
Two months ago, as Prime Minister Abbott's globalist reflexes were becoming increasingly apparent, I offered a perspective from Washington that the US should welcome a more…
Abbott's first year: What the pundits get wrong
So, the first-year assessments are in, and it seems the Abbott Government has done well on foreign policy.
Mark Kenny says Abbott has established 'a solid profile as a man of…
Five fallacies in Australian thinking on Iraq
An RAAF C-130H Hercules deploys aid to civilians in northern Iraq. (Image courtesy of the Department of Defence.)
There's a lot to be concerned about in the way Australia is…
Australians back tougher anti-terror laws
The early numbers are in on the Government's proposed toughening of Australia's anti-terror laws and they make for interesting reading. According to Newspoll, 77% of respondents…
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…
Fighting Islamist terrorism: Communities the key
There is an obvious connection between what is happening in Iraq at the moment and the Abbott Government's announcement last week of new measures to fight terrorism at home.
A…
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…
Home-grown jihadists: An innovative solution
Over the past three years, large numbers of Australians have chosen to leave the freedom, opportunity and safety of our community to enter the abyss of sectarian war and violence…