Turkey, Russia and Qatar are making a joint attempt to promote a political solution to Syria’s 10-year conflict. The foreign ministers of the three countries held talks in Doha on Thursday, 11 March 2021.
Read more
All posts
‘The science is screaming at us’: more hard climate science prepares the road to COP26
The latest UN reports again show clearly that the world is not on track to achieve the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Avoiding warming beyond 1.5°C may now be well beyond reach. Will there be social and political ramifications of the failure of political leadership in democratic states?
Read more
Russia, China sign memorandum on lunar research station
It’s reported that Russia and China signed an agreement on Tuesday [9 March 2021] to set up an international lunar research station. The project aims to promote international cooperation and offer equal access to any nation that wants to take part.
Read more
Biden joining summit with key Asia-Pacific ‘Quad’ leaders
US President Joe Biden will join with the leaders of Japan, India and Australia on Friday this week [12 March 2021] at a virtual gathering of the “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue”.
Read more
The climate crisis can’t be solved by carbon accounting tricks
Professor Simon Lewis draws attention to the need to make carbon accounting trustworthy, and eliminate ‘carbon deceptions’ from approaches to emissions reductions.
Read more
Is the global shortage of Covid-19 vaccines due to artificial scarcity?
The World Health Organisation has today called for urgent action to ramp up the supply of Covid-19 vaccines, echoing the growing concern of many commentators observing the divergence between what developed countries are doing, and what we know must be done, to avoid prolonging the pandemic and increasing the cost to the global economy. In the article below, in the context of Italy’s decision this week to refuse an export licence for vaccines destined for
Read more
First test flight of Australia’s ‘Loyal Wingman’ autonomous aircraft
The first test flight of a pilotless fighter-like jet, by a Boeing and Royal Australian Air Force team, has taken place at Woomera in South Australia. The Boeing ‘Loyal Wingman’ is the first military plane to be designed and manufactured in Australia in more than 50 years.
Read more
Did Trump gift Biden a more stable Middle East?
Commentators are divided on the nature of the Trump Administration’s legacy in the Middle East. Was it left in a parlous state, or was Trump’s parting gift to Biden a more stable region?
Read more
Refreshingly, Biden’s Middle East diplomacy looks strategic
President Trump left the Middle East in a parlous state. President Biden’s first steps in the region look more promising. The shift in America’s policy in the region, while subtle, is clear; and the messages it is sending will be received in Tel Aviv, Tehran, and Riyadh.
Read more
Diplomatic efforts intensify as protestors are killed in Myanmar
Diplomatic efforts and international pressure intensify as tensions appear to increase in the Myanmar crisis, with casualties reported as the military continue attempts to disperse protestors.
Read more
The persistence of American authoritarianism should worry Australia
Has an enduring predisposition to authoritarianism been activated in the US that will continue to destabilise its domestic politics? If so, the US could become an unreliable ally. Should Australia be imagining a post-alliance future?
Read more
First US military action under Biden targets militia in Syria
In the first military action authorised by US President Joe Biden, the United States carried out air strikes against facilities used by “Iranian-backed militia” in eastern Syria on Thursday, 25 February 2021 (early on Friday Middle Eastern time).
Read more
‘Bloat and warfare’: the Hunter class frigate and the trend toward ever-more complicated and expensive weapons
Why do weapons platforms keep getting bigger, more complicated, and more costly? In ‘Bloat and Warfare’ Jacob Parakilas makes some interesting observations about Canada’s new frigates, which are, like Australia’s proposed Hunter class frigates, based on the BAE Systems Type 26 frigate design.
Read more
ASEAN: central to whose vision for the Indo-Pacific?
Australia places ASEAN “at the heart of our vision for the Indo-Pacific”. But a powerful dynamic, unrelated to the Indo-Pacific concept, is drawing ASEAN countries closer to China. In future, Southeast Asia may at best be neutral, or may possibly be more closely aligned with China. ASEAN could then be central to China’s “vision”.
Read more
US to ask 17 biggest emitters, including Australia, for net zero emissions by 2050
The United States officially rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement on 19 February 2021. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, issued a Statement in which he called the rejoining “momentous”, but noted that “what we do in the coming weeks, months, and years is even more important”. You have seen and will continue to see us weaving climate change into our most important bilateral and multilateral conversations at all levels. In these conversations, we’re asking
Read more
How should the EU handle Russia’s Grand Strategy?
This Egmont Security Policy Brief notes that for many Western governments, there still is a lot of hesitation and bewilderment on how to deal with Russia. A first step in defining a coherent policy vis-a-vis Russia, is trying to understand the motivation and objectives of Russian foreign policy, as well as its weaknesses.
Read more
Biden at Munich Security Conference: America and NATO are back
A special edition of the annual Munich Security Conference took place on 19 February 2021, with presentations from US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron and other speakers.
Read more
India joins Iran-Russia Indian Ocean navy drill; China also to take part
It is reported that Iranian forces have launched a two-day navy exercise with Russia in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, with India also joining in and China expected to take part. Exercises include shooting at sea and air targets and liberating hijacked ships, as well as search and rescue and anti-piracy operations.
Read more
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala appointed WTO head on promise of reform
Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s anticipated appointment to head the World Trade Organization has been confirmed. Dr Okonjo-Iweala becomes the first woman and first African to take on the role. She is committed to pursuing reform of the troubled organisation.
Read more
Biden’s top foreign policy challenge: avoiding a cold war with China
The Biden administration faces a host of difficult problems, but in foreign policy its thorniest will be its relations with the People’s Republic of China. How the new administration handles issues of trade, security, and human rights will either allow both countries to hammer out a working relationship or pull the U.S. into an expensive — and unwinnable — cold war. But there are a number of moves both countries could make to avoid this.
Read more