As the major combat operations of the war in Iraq appear to be drawing to a close, it is important to put in context the financial costs of Australia's military contribution. This Current Issues Brief gives some preliminary estimates of military costs up to now, and puts these in the context of past wars.

The war in Iraq raises again the issue of media coverage of conflict and the public's right to know. News that the United States military has 'embedded' 500 journalists in its fighting units suggests that the public will receive a more complete picture than it has in some recent conflicts. However, the coverage may be...

The military action to forcibly remove the regime of Saddam Hussein raises the question of whether to apply a similar solution to the Kim Jong-Il regime in North Korea. This paper outlines the difficulty of a military solution in the North Korean situation.

This paper examines the objectives and plan of the US in post-Saddam Iraq and the Middle East. These include the humanitarian and security problems and the regional and wider impact of a war on Iraq.

This e-Brief provides an overview of US-Iraq relations since the Gulf War and the US case for "regime change" against Saddam Hussein. US domestic and international reactions and related issues are highlighted with useful links to key documents and statements.