A US view on Australia’s role in the Indian Ocean

Canberra’s diplomatic, legal, and military approaches to management of the Indian Ocean will be vital for US interests. By Nilanthi Samaranayake Australia plays a critical role in maintaining strategic stability in the Indian Ocean and remains one of the United States’ closest allies on economic...

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Strategic Submarines and Strategic Stability: Looking Towards the 2030s

In his characteristically uncompromising fashion, Norman Friedman combines deep expertise with candid assessments. He poses a striking challenge to the notion that an era of transparent oceans is ahead, and makes a case for the continued role of SSBNs in contributing to strategic stability, while...

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It's time for a "Quad" of Coast Guards

The so-called Quad group of Indo-Pacific maritime democracies – Australia, India, Japan, and the United States – is a valuable grouping, although it is still underutilised in many ways. By David Brewster This modest proposal could help bring stability and security to the Indo-Pacific, without the...

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Indo-Pacific Visions: Giving Solidarity a Chance

Many countries have articulated Indo-Pacific frameworks for regional security. The Indo-Pacific is being posited as a counter to a China-centric view of regional order under the Belt and Road Initiative. Critics of the concept argue that it is new and artificial, unlike the established Asia-Pacific...

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The citizen as enemy combatant: dealing with foreign terrorist fighters

Key points Foreign terrorist fighters are a complex problem: traitor, invader, child soldier, war criminal, ‘jihad by family’. Some are both perpetrators and victims of terrorism. Prosecution is problematic because it’s hard to get evidence, and foreign fighters aren’t returning. If brought home...

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Trusted, ethical, fast-moving and effective future police

Key points: The ongoing developments in digital technologies and the fourth industrial revolution are opening up huge business opportunities - both legal and criminal. The attributes that give start-ups advantages over traditional businesses - agility, shrinking costs of entry, digital access to...

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Trusted, ethical, fast-moving and effective: the AFP investigative team of 2030

As technological, economic and social factors change the broader operating environment, police will have to change the way the operate to effectively combat crime and keep communities safe. This paper, based on a series of workshops run jointly between the AFP and the NSC Futures Hub, sets out a...

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From secrecy to dignity: trust and policy implications of shifting attitudes to privacy

Key points: The public typically trusts governments to protect personal data more than they trust the private sector. Social media companies are among the least trusted. In response to changes in technologies, attitudes towards privacy are changing. A traditional focus on secrecy is giving way to...

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China's Application of the 'Three Warfares' in the south China Sea and Xinjiang

This article explores the development and application of the People’s Republic of China’s information warfare (IW) strategy to two distinct security challenges: the South China Sea and the threat of Uyghur terrorism in Xinjiang. The application of China’s IW strategy in the South China Sea dispute...

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The Nixon Doctrine and United States Post-World War II Regional Cooperation Policy on Southeast Asia

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