The information war, or, editors as gatekeepers
Police reporting—a catalogue of the worst crime, murders and personal tragedies occupying our underworld—was big in the 1980s. So I knew I was being given a break when told I’d be spending a couple...
Author: DFNS
How Myanmar’s presidency will be won (part 2)
In my previous post, I discussed using the Presidential Electoral College (PEC; comprised of three groups of MPs: one from each house and one composed of military members) as a way of monitoring lobbying...
Australia on the UN Security Council: An end-of-term review
At the end of the year, Australia will complete its fifth term as an elected member of the UN Security Council, the world’s premier international peace and security body. It has been a difficult...
The New White House Fence Could Wind Up Being Really, Really Tall
An independent panel has a few recommendations for the Secret Service about how to fix the presidential perimeter. …read more Read more here:: Government Executive (Policy)
Air Force Cancels 2015 Layoffs: ‘Enough is Enough’
Voluntary separation programs will be made available. …read more Read more here:: Government Executive (Policy)
Arab Allies Now Want U.S. to Call ISIS, ‘Daeshi’
The debate over what to call the terror group trying to set up a state in Iraq and Syria just got more complicated. Army Lt. Gen. James Terry, commander of the newly-created task force...
Strengthening rules-based order in the Asia–Pacific
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague is currently examining China’s South China Sea claims in a case bought by the Philippines. While China isn’t expected to take part in the case—indeed,...
Russian Video Game Requires Players to Kill Ukrainian Soldiers and Civilians
Staunton, December 18 – Russian children are now playing a video game called “The Liberation War in Novorossiya” in which to win, they are required to kill “Ukrainians, soldiers, militiamen, and the civilian population,”...
‘Will Mongolia Have the Courage to Scrap the Russian Alphabet?
Staunton, December 18 – Mongols live in three states, Mongolia, Buryatia within the borders of the Russian Federation, and Inner Mongolia within the borders of the Peoples Republic of China. They share many things...
Drones are an Increasing Security Issue for the Nuclear Industry
18 December 2014 Caroline Baylon Research Associate, Science, Technology, and Cyber Security, International Security Department As the use of drone technology proliferates, the full range of implications for nuclear security is just beginning to...
Extreme Russian Nationalism Widespread in Soviet Security Organs, Archives Show
Staunton, December 18 – The Soviet security agencies from Lenin on were infected by an often vicious Russian nationalism which led their officers to attack non-Russians far more frequently than Russians, according to a...
A changing global environment
The last 20 years have brought huge reductions in global poverty, opening economic, political and personal opportunities for hundreds of millions of people and the countries where they live and work. This is changing...
The EU and the UN: together for peace
Over the past decade, the EU and the UN have become true partners in crisis management. Since the EU-UN Joint Declaration of September 2003, the two institutions have progressively developed and institutionalised their partnership...
Ukraine Live Day 304: EU Not To Relax Sanctions As Shelling Continues In Lugansk Region
Yesterday’s live coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here. An archive of our liveblogs can be found here. For an overview and analysis of this developing story see our latest podcast. Please...
Russia Update: Ruble Recovers from ‘Financial Maidan’ Before Putin’s Speech
Welcome to our column, Russia Update, where we will be closely following day-to-day developments in Russia, including the Russian government’s foreign and domestic policies. The previous issue is here, and see also our Russia...
Devolving the Excesses of Jointness
Should the US follow the UK’s lead by seeking smaller scale in defense? On Wednesday afternoon the Atlantic Council hosted a talk by Philip Dunne, the British Minister for Defence Equipment, Support, and Technology—the...
Five Things We Can Still Get Right
Talking to Afghanistan December 8, 2014 By Kamal Siddiqi The recent visit by army chief General Raheel Sharif to Afghanistan and the earlier visit by the incoming Afghan president Ashraf Ghani to Islamabad bodes...
CIA torture: What did Australia know?
As the fall-out from the US Senate Intelligence Committee report into the CIA’s torture program continues, what has been the reaction from America’s allies? The CIA torture report, long awaited and much debated, removes...
FYSA: For Your Situational Awareness l Issue 14
This month’s edition of the International Security Program’s electronic publication includes: Iran: Agree to Keep Talking By Sharon Squassoni Open Government Data Can Help Improve Performance and Provide Accountability By Gregory Sanders read more...
Capacity Building for Partner Nations: The 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
U.S. defense officials have long understood the value in ensuring that partner nations develop and maintain critical military capabilities—in large part because these nations often participate alongside U.S. forces in operations but also because...