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This paper examines Salafi-jihadism as a strategic issue driving the threat of Sunni Islamic terrorism globally. By tracing the genealogy of Salafism from the early centuries of Islam to the rise of Salafi-jihadism in the 1980s, it debunks the rejection of Salafi-jihadists' claims to legitimacy as…

This paper by Air Commodore Philip Tammen assesses if the energy policy options currently being considered in Japan are likely to deliver energy security in the period to 2030. It examines the resource geography of Japan, contrasting it with the economic activity on which the nation relies. It…

This paper examines the various policy options that Australia could pursue to reduce tensions and work towards stabilisation and ultimate resolution of the ongoing disputes in the South China Sea. It argues that the South China Sea is a region of considerable importance to Australia's national…

This paper argues that the lack of reconciliation between Japan and its neighbours, particularly China and South Korea, is an issue of increasing significance in today's changing geostrategic environment. It asserts that Japan's recent decision to adopt collective self defence in specific…

This paper presents a policy approach designed to mitigate the threat from Salafi-jihadi ideology in Australia. Instead of the traditional policy approach of targeting adults who may be vulnerable, or seeking to correct Salafi ideology at a late stage, it argues that policy-makers should complement…

This paper examines the evolution of jihadist-Salafism, an extreme and violent variant of militant Sunni Islamism, in Indonesia, Malaysia and The Philippines. The paper contends that while these three countries have made great strides against jihadi-Salafists since the September 2001 attacks in the…

In the past 30 to 40 years, several Western militaries have undergone substantial joint reforms. Joint operations and permanent joint organisations have become the norm. Joint professional military education courses are now common and joint doctrine has proliferated. Yet underlying these and other…

This paper by Linda McCann addresses the future of Australia's Pacific Patrol Boat Program, which has been successful in providing Pacific island nations with a means of patrolling their own exclusive economic zones. It asserts that the program has provided an effective means of countering illegal…

This paper addresses the future of the security relationship between Singapore and Australia. It notes that while there are obvious differences in physical geography, as well as identity and culture, the strategic partnership between the two countries—based on a shared history, common interests in…

The fifth issue of The Listening Post, reviews the world's response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and provides a comprehensive list of resources and experts to follow for news and analysis. Authors also look at consider the implications of recent ballistic missile testing by the Democratic…

This paper by Group Captain Stephen Meredith analyses Iran's nuclear program. It contends that while the Iranian regime has the ability to develop a nuclear weapons capability, the international community's strategy to contain its nuclear program is not working and is unlikely to produce a stable…

This paper examines the foreign policies of the US and China from the perspective of their respective militaries and economies. It addresses the options for future Sino-US relations in the Asia-Pacific region, in the context of preventing their rivalry from escalating into conflict, with a…

This paper examines the challenge that the rise of China presents for Australian defence planning, especially in the context of the Australia‐US alliance. It argues that the changing Asia‐Pacific security environment, represented by the rise of China, its rapid military modernisation and its…

This paper examines the likely impact of any constitutional change by Japan on its relations with China, particularly in the context of the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands dispute. It notes that while several policy options have been canvassed as potential solutions to the dispute, none is seemingly…

This paper examines the ongoing dispute in the South China Sea with a view to identifying opportunities for ASEAN to enhance its policies in order to achieve resolution. It notes that China's longstanding dispute with a number of coastal states has resulted in an environment that is far from…

This paper analyses and compares elements of the political, economic and socio-cultural environments of Scotland and Bougainville as they relate to their respective self-determination movements. While the geographic and socio-economic environments of the two are literally a world apart, the paper…

This paper examines how Australia might build trust and cooperation with China while strengthening its ties with Japan. It identifies the particular challenge for Australia, as a middle power, of preserving its significant economic interests with Northeast Asia, as well as its strategic interests…

This paper addresses the detection, intervention and prevention of so-called 'lone wolf' and 'fixated person' violent attacks in Australia. It argues that while the threat of terrorism may vary over time, the increase in lone wolf terrorism over the past decade requires a more focused approach to…

This paper examines the policy options for Australia in dealing with a nuclear-armed North Korea. It notes that over the past two decades, North Korea has become an ever-increasing threat to regional security, and that it continues to develop and test nuclear weapons and ballistic-missile systems.…

This paper examines why Australia's future submarine project has not progressed as expected since its announcement as a major capability priority in the 2009 Defence White Paper. It contends that six years later, key questions remain unanswered, such as why Australia needs submarines, how many we…

This paper addresses the question of whether Islamic extremism in Indonesia will affect Australia's security in the next ten years. It notes that in the world's most populous Islamic country, there are numerous Islamic extremist groups mutating and splintering at a frenetic rate, with the January…

This paper addresses the question of whether the 'Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro' will provide a peaceful and lasting solution to the insurgency and security situation in the Southern Philippines. It briefly outlines the background to the conflict, and analyses three dynamic factors that…

This brief – the first in the new monthly series The Looking Glass – tackles the need to ask tough questions about what Australia wants, how it might seek to obtain it, and what choices will be necessary to realise its objectives. The authors, Matthew Sussex and Michael Clarke, argue that…

This edition of The Looking Glass looks at the drivers of Sino-Russian cooperation and explore how China's response to the implications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine may play out. The authors suggest that China's response to date demonstrates that it is attempting to balance its desire to…

This final issue of the Looking Glass for 2022 casts a critical eye over the Biden administration's National Security Strategy (NSS). Much of its general thrust had already been hinted at by the administration's statements and actions. However, coming as it does at the midpoint of President Biden's…

This paper examines the ongoing strategic competition and rivalry between India and China, suggesting it can be seen as a 'New Great Game', with parallels to the original 'Great Game' played out between Britain and Russia for control of South and Central Asia in the 19th century. It argues that…

On 13 June 2022, Xinhua reported that Xi Jinping had approved an order to issue the 'Military Non-War Military Action Plan (for Trial Implementation)' for the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Although light on detail, the report noted that the 'action plan' contained 6 chapters and 59 articles and…

This paper examines China's expansion in the South Pacific to determine whether it constitutes a destabilising effect to the existing regional order over the next 10 years, both in terms of rivalling the traditional dominance of New Zealand and Australia, and in the context that Pacific Island…

Much ink has been spilled over the past month assessing the current state of Sino-US relations, and what it means for regional and Australian security. In this December issue of the Looking Glass, the authors seek to fill the gap between what the protagonists themselves think about the current…

This paper examines China's increased influence in the Indian Ocean, and India's strategy to counter that influence and re-establish its profile in the region. It notes that India and China are both dependent on sea lines of communication (SLOCs) through the Indian Ocean for secure energy routes…