Recent polling showing the majority of Australians have lost heart in the war in Iraq suggests the issue will be a prominent one during the 2007 Australian election campaign. The issue's prominence will be fuelled by the probable outcomes from President Bush’s decision to 'surge' US forces: an escalating level of violence and a rising...

China’s rapid economic growth rates are accompanied by military advances, a quest for markets, diplomatic assertiveness and increased national pride. Ross Terrill urges clear thinking by Australians about the strength of the US, the place of deterrence, the ways Beijing's mercantilism differs from free-market approaches and whether an authoritarian China can be an enduringly strong...

India matters to Australia, strategically, economically and diplomatically. At the fourth Australia–India Security Roundtable, held in Canberra in April 2005, fourteen strategic analysts from both countries met to discuss a range of important issues vital to each country's defence and security planning. This publication is a collection of the papers delivered. A summary is available...

How well prepared is Australia to meet the twin challenges of infectious disease and bioterrorism? This paper explores these issues and offers some advice about how Australia should incorporate these challenges into our thinking about security. The paper considers the spectrum of biological threats, both natural and deliberate. A summary is available online.

Recent violent radicalism in Indonesia is seen by many as a relatively recent phenomenon, but a closer look at modern Indonesian history shows the inaccuracy of this view. Terrorism might be a global issue but for Australia the threat is inextricably tied up with the problems of the future stability of our neighbours. This report...