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11 Sep 2020
For real peace, Afghanistan needs a Plan B
A US exit opens the way to complete takeover by the Taliban, precisely what they – and Pakistan – have long wished for. -
11 Sep 2020
Indonesia – a country of disappointments
Ben Bland shows even pessimists can be gulled by Joko Widodo’s charms. -
10 Sep 2020
Economic diplomacy: Borders, barriers and obstacles
Reshoring incentives gather steam, India’s RCEP regrets sink in, and Indonesia’s stimulus spending gets stuck. -
10 Sep 2020
Working one for the planet
After a lifetime employed, what if people spend one last year in the job and donate their salary to charity? I’m game. -
10 Sep 2020
Rising protests and a sinking economy spell trouble in Thailand
A wave of dissatisfaction with the ruling elite and a Covid-induced recession have shaken the country’s foundations. -
9 Sep 2020
America: Demographic shift to democratic redemption
Larger forces at play in the US make this an election more akin to the experience in 2012 than that of 2016. -
9 Sep 2020
Colourless green content: AI, disinformation and geopolitical risk
How will you know when a machine has written what you’re reading? -
9 Sep 2020
Debunking the myth of China’s “debt-trap diplomacy”
Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence. -
8 Sep 2020
No news is not good news
The hasty exit from China of two Australian journalists underscores how much the relationship has soured. -
8 Sep 2020
Islamic State’s new battleground – the courts
Two crucial cases at opposite ends of the earth will determine a government’s right to revoke citizenship of terrorists. -
8 Sep 2020
Australia, all is not lost despite China’s trade tantrums
Stopping trade means China loses too, and Beijing must know the world is watching. -
7 Sep 2020
Pandemic democracy
Voting is based on trust between citizens and their government. In an age of social distancing, such faith is tested. -
7 Sep 2020
How Russia benefited from Belarus’s turmoil
The “last European dictator” has turned back to the Kremlin after the West imposed sanctions for recent crackdowns. -
7 Sep 2020
Myanmar election: A fractured process
An ongoing pandemic, technical troubles, voter disenfranchisement and ruling party dominance bode poorly for change. -
4 Sep 2020
What is Turkey’s endgame in Libya?
Erdoğan’s strategy in Libya is about domestic legitimacy as much as regional projection – but past failures hang heavy. -
4 Sep 2020
Book Review: The seeds of authoritarianism
Anne Applebaum’s latest book is a forensic and humane study of a world where methods change, but lust for power doesn’t. -
3 Sep 2020
A Biden presidency and the US–South Korea alliance
Can Joe Biden, if elected, heal the rift between the two countries, or will he make it worse? -
3 Sep 2020
FITS and starts
Two years in, has Australia’s legislation to track foreign influence in politics done what it’s meant to do? -
3 Sep 2020
The shrinking of the Australian mind
Australian strategic decision-makers need lessons in our once-grand ambitions – and accomplishments – in world affairs. -
2 Sep 2020
Who’s watching the algorithms?
Facial recognition tech has supercharged surveillance in sometimes troubling ways – and spurred surprising opponents. -
2 Sep 2020
Indonesia’s UN Security Council drive for inclusive peace and security
Jakarta is seeking to boost its regional leadership taking up the issue of women’s roles in peacebuilding. -
2 Sep 2020
A China-Iran bilateral deal: Costs all around
Beijing sees an opportunity in Tehran’s international isolation – but may not realise the tangle it is entering. -
2 Sep 2020
The (un)making of Joko Widodo
Ben Bland examines the tension in Indonesia of a democratic transition with authoritarian spoilers still in place. -
1 Sep 2020
Where to for Sri Lanka’s foreign policy?
“India first” is the message, but economic reality will guide the direction Colombo charts. That points to China, too. -
1 Sep 2020
Covid economic recovery a long-term test for Australian leadership
Australia faces rising unemployment, increased debt and lower living standards, but the challenges are not insuperable. -
1 Sep 2020
China sours on Australia’s wine
Why might Beijing have chosen to use anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations as informal economic sanctions? -
1 Sep 2020
Why is the “Arab street” so silent on the Israel-UAE deal?
Barely any outcry marked this latest shift, which probably reflects recognition of facts on the ground. -
31 Aug 2020
Australia has lost its “best friend” in Asia
Whale hunts and submarine deals gone awry caused prickles, but Abe Shinzo sought special relationship with Canberra. -
31 Aug 2020
The limits of Zoom diplomacy in Asia
A whirlwind of online diplomatic speed-dating doesn’t allow the impromptu conversations where real business is done. -
31 Aug 2020
The bleak reality of sectarian Lebanon
As the Lebanese people are left to pick up the pieces of the 4 August blast, few have faith in the state to help. -
31 Aug 2020
The demographic influence in New Caledonia’s next referendum
Ahead of the second independence ballot, shifting demographics and past voting patterns offer insight into the result. -
30 Aug 2020
Abe aimed to move mountains, setting Japan high goals for the future
A strategic thinker and global leader, Japan’s prime minister was bold in foreign policy and politically strong at home. -
28 Aug 2020
A diplomatic breakdown over “snapback” tests the UN
Dispute over a US call for pre-2015 Iran sanctions has pushed the Security Council to its limit. It’s been there before. -
28 Aug 2020
Jakarta should be wary of Beijing’s South China Sea proposals
“Joint development” is a misnomer when China has no legal stake in what is Indonesian territory. -
28 Aug 2020
Understanding the full spectrum of hate
Extreme violence garners most attention, but the problems arise much earlier – both online and in the real world. -
27 Aug 2020
Economic diplomacy: Spilled milk and foreign wages
The government blocks a sale to a Chinese dairy firm, overseas remittances stay afloat, and ministers talk frameworks. -
27 Aug 2020
Indo-Pacific strategy: Before justifying the means, identify the ends
Facing uncertainty of where “strategic competition” is headed, first look for the ideal outcome. -
27 Aug 2020
Australia needs the workers, the Pacific needs the jobs
Striking the right balance between backpackers and the seasonal workers is key to Canberra’s neighbourhood ambition. -
26 Aug 2020
America’s very unusual conventions
Following on the Democrats’ big show of unity last week, Republicans hit the screens this week to remake their leader. -
26 Aug 2020
Where next for MIKTA?
Tacking the problems created by Covid-19 appear to be beyond this particular example of middle-power activism. -
26 Aug 2020
A post-pandemic trade revival
The shadow trade minister sets out a four-point plan for Australia to turn an unparalleled crisis into an opportunity. -
25 Aug 2020
A measure of change in Myanmar election
With a slate of new parties and shifting alliances, a repeat of the NLD landslide of 2015 is unlikely. -
25 Aug 2020
The killings in the Philippines grow more brazen
The recent murder of a well-known activist signals a turning point in the campaign to eliminate dissent. -
25 Aug 2020
The delusion of India trying to throttle China’s maritime trade
Rowdy debates about going for China’s “jugular” in the Malacca Strait should not obscure the practical difficulties. -
24 Aug 2020
Why Navalny matters
Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny threatens the Kremlin because he stands for a peaceful, democratic Russia. -
24 Aug 2020
Kashmir, a year on from the change
Revoking special status hasn’t resolved militancy or improved the local economy – both supposed goals of the move. -
24 Aug 2020
Europe’s big bonds and the prospect of a boon for Australia
Hundreds of billions will be devoted to Covid-19 economic recovery, and with it comes a huge investment opportunity. -
24 Aug 2020
The Hariri verdict and the fate of Hezbollah
The ruling on the 2005 assassination of the Lebanese PM will be a lasting stain on the party, but not its end. -
21 Aug 2020
Hidden seams in the UAE-Israel deal
It’s all about Iran, right? Actually, the agreement has more to do with managing the US and China.