Religiously motivated mass casualty terrorism conducted by shadowy networks on the fringes of international society is not the only threat to Australian security interests. But it is currently the most important. And for two main reasons it is likely to remain at the forefront of foreign and security policy considerations for a generation or more.

First, the shift in US grand strategy towards coalition military operations to defeat terrorist groups in central Asia and the Middle East is likely to continue regardless of future changes in political leadership in the White House.