Successive US governments have studiously avoided meaningful engagement in Syria. Under Donald Trump,that paralysis may be thrown to the wind.
After October 7,Israel is not interested in red lines,and tragically,Lebanon will probably come to know the horror of that.
Kevin Rudd may have called him “nuts”,but a re-elected Donald Trump would learn the former PM is a crafty diplomat,not easily intimidated.
Australia is in the thick of the United States’ global alignment,and as a key ally,we will rise or fall by its tide.
Australia’s support for the attacks,carried out by a coalition of allies,contributes to a number of government objectives. Foremost,it silences critics.
The Albanese government has rightly demanded answers about why cabinet papers on Iraq War deliberations went missing. But will this bring transparency to any future decision to take Australia to war?
Just back from meeting Joe Biden in Washington,the prime minister is about to be greeted by Xi Jinping. But can he really waltz with both?
Our reception for the Indonesian president this week deserved much greater fanfare. Australia is in danger of missing a precious opportunity to build its place in the region.
Submarines are useful in war because of their stealth. But soon,much cheaper technology will readily detect them. So why are we spending billions on them?
History tells us that we should exhaustively challenge claimed justifications for war.
To develop a meaningful defence strategy,key assumptions about Australia’s threat level must be challenged,and we must learn from failed military conflicts of the past.