Policy Briefs | 03 August 2011

Enduring ties and enduring interests?

Largely as a consequence of military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Australia has developed strong defence ties with key GCC countries. But with these deployments coming to an end, the future is in question.

  • Rodger Shanahan

Largely as a consequence of military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Australia has developed strong defence ties with key GCC countries. But with these deployments coming to an end, the future is in question.

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Key Findings

  • The government should produce a whole of government, Australian Middle East strategy paper comprehensively outlining our interests and a policy framework for advancing those interests
  • More specifically, once Australia’s combat forces are withdrawn from Afghanistan, the government should retain a small military presence in the UAE in order to leverage the close relationships built up over the last decade and to signal our long-term strategic interest in the region

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Executive Summary

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