Abbott and the UNSC bid
It's another Abbott gaffe, say the newspapers, and clearly the staff-work in the Opposition Leader's office will get some scrutiny after Abbott told the media yesteChina wields trade weapon
Last week, Japan's finance minister expressed concerns over reported customs delays for Japanese companies in China. Some observers have describedIn conversation: Anatol Lieven and Hugh White on The China Choice (1)
In a year of mounting tensions between China and the US in the South China Sea, Lowy Institute Visiting Fellow Professor Hugh White's book, The China Choice, is a timely and important contribution to international policy debate.Another dam on the Mekong in China
While there are continuing uncertainties as to whether a dam is going to be built on the mainstream of the Mekong at Xayaburi in Laos, Chinese authorities have just announced that thMcKinsey on Indonesia
The Chinese economy attracts all the attention in the Asian Century, but Indonesia is right next to us, providing opportunities that are often more accessible and less crowded out by other foreigners.China linkage: Japan protests, 18th Party Congress, communist watchwords and more
Edward Kus is a Research Associate in the Lowy Institute's East Asia Program.Bob Carr has a foreign affair (5)
A continuing look at the work of Australia's Foreign Minister. If you missed the start of this series here are links to parts 1,Julia Gillard in New York
There is a lovely story from Prime Minister Billy McMahon's 1971 trip to America that, strangely enough, does not involve his wife Sonia's daring evening gown.Swan channels Howard but targets Greens
Wayne Swan has taken the bold step of weighing in to the US presidential election. Or has he?Reader ripostes: Our costly UNSC bid
Below, a comment from Nina Markovic. But first, Hugh Wyndham:In defence of a balanced force
Major Gen (Retd) Jim Molan is author of Running the War in Iraq.India linkage: FDI breakthrough, Pakistan, Egypt, China, Vikramaditya, Shashi Tharoor and more
Danielle Rajendram is a Research Associate in the Lowy Institute's International Security Program whose work focuses on India and China-India relations.Don't mention ANZUS: NZ Panetta test
Robert Ayson is Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies at Victoria University, Wellington.The demise of 'Factory Asia'?
As my colleague Linda Jakobson has written, the recent burst of anti-Japan protests in China tells us some interesting things about sovereign sensitivities, Chinese domestic politics anReader riposte: Storing solar energy
Sam Roggeveen's 18 September post about the rapidly declining cost of solar energy noted the continuing problem of storing solar power. Richard Broinowski responds:Thursday linkage: Submarines, Singapore, Japan, China and more
Hugh White's latest essay in The Monthly perhaps hasn't had the attention it deserves, since he makes the eyebrow-raising recommendation that Australia needs a minimumUnleashing Indonesia potential
Arief Budiman is a principal at McKinsey & Company and Raoul Oberman is a Director.Bob Carr has a foreign affair (4)
Part 1, part 2 andWhere are the Arab statesmen?
A little over three years ago, President Obama gave a much anticipated speech in the hall of Cairo University that was titled 'A New Beginning'. It was designed to signal a break frThe UNSC bid was a costly mistake
Thanks to Daniel Woker for schooling me on the importance of the UN Security Council. In some ways I am in agreement.Reader riposte: More on the ADF lost voice
Hugh Smith, a former lecturer at RMC Duntroon and ADFA, writes:Will solar save us before politicians do?
Back in July I alerted readers to one of the more encouraging charts I have seen in some time, showing the dramatic transformation of American power generation away from coal and toReader ripostes: Drone warfare and more
Gerard Hammond writes:The future of intelligence (part 3)
The final chapter of my video series with leading intelligence expert Dr Jennifer Sims, Visiting Professor at Georgetown University, discusses the role of women in the security/intelligence field.Tuesday linkage: Romney, Keynes vs Hayek, Afghanistan and more
Via the Nautilus Institute, a 1966 US State Department study of Australia's role in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. (Thanks Graeme.)Will QE fix the US economy?
As soon as Fed Chairman Bernanke announced a third round of 'quantitative easing' (QE3), economic commentators reported it asWords are bullets...
We know that things are crook between the Defence Department and the Gillard Government at present, as Graeme Dobell has explained in some detail.Labor loses Defence, and a secretary
Labor is being burnt by Defence as it burns through Defence secretaries.The ADF rules for public comment
To consider whether Josh Farquhar is right when he says it is difficult for serving military officers to enter into professional military debate, it is worth analysing theReader riposte: More on drones and morality
This response from Steve Weintz follows a post from Sam Roggeveen and a riposteBob Carr has a foreign affair (3)
Part 1 and part 2 of Graeme Dobell's seReader riposte: Drones and morality
Christian Enemark writes:Friday linkage: China, Philippines, Japan, Obama in Libya and more
The AFR has a neat infographic on China's leadership change, outside the paywall.As Australia changes, so must the ADF
Dr Ben Wadham is a former serving member of the Army. He is now a sociologist at Flinders University's School of Education, researching civil-military relations.Reader riposte: American exceptionalism
Hugh Wyndham writes:Movie trailer: Lincoln
Steven Spielberg's latest, based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's biography, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.Asian growth: Is big still beautiful?
Back in 2009 I wrote a post for The Interpreter suggesting that, in the aftermath of the GFC, big was beautiful when it came to Asia's growth prospects, citing in particular optimism about CReader ripostes: Strategic uncertainty
Below, Nic Stuart responds to Sam Roggeveen's post asking how defence planning can occur when our ability to forecast the future is so poor. But first, Lindsay Bignell:3 questions about China growth (2)
Part 1 of this post, which asked 'What's the story with China's growth?' and 'Why has growth slowed?', is here.India linkage: Rahul Gandhi, Midnight Children, public opinion, South China Sea and more
Danielle Rajendram is a Research Associate in the Lowy Institute's International Security Program whose work focuses on India and China-India relations.Bob Carr has a foreign affair (2)
Graeme Dobell's series on Bob Carr's first six months as foreign minister starts here.
