Australia’s recent closure of its embassy in Kabul, and the withdrawal of all US forces from Afghanistan by 11 September 2021, casts a deep shadow over Afghanistan’s future prospects. In this paper, leading expert on Afghanistan, William Maley, examines the implications for the Afghan nation and its people.

This report examines the common economic factors that continue to drive conflict in Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen. It also makes specific recommendations to Western policymakers addressing these types of sub-economies in detail.

This annual report finds that global peacefulness has improved for the first time in five years, but the world continues to be less peaceful than a decade ago.

This report documents how hundreds of civilians have been killed and injured since an offensive began in June (2017) to recapture Raqqa, the 'capital' and main stronghold of the armed group, Islamic State (IS).

Australia and other Western countries have to come to terms with their limited role in shaping the outcomes of the battle for hegemony in the Arab Middle East.