Tag Archive for: United States of America

Preserving the knowledge edge: Surveillance cooperation and the US–Australia alliance in Asia

The US–Australia alliance is the bedrock of Australia’s defence policy. Successive governments have looked to the alliance for access to military technology, intelligence and training, as well as a promise of support against direct threats to Australia.

However, Australia, the US and other regional allies today face a rapidly changing strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific. The American ‘rebalance’ to Asia represents recognition by the US that it needs to give greater priority to its management of the changing balance—an effort firmly endorsed by President Obama in his address at theUniversity of Queensland.

Acting alone, Australia couldn’t possibly achieve the level of awareness that the evolving strategic environment demands. In alliance, it has the resources to ‘fill the gaps’ that remain in the US’s coverage of the region. This is why the C4ISR relationship with the US in the Indo-Pacific provides such a critical benefit to both members in the alliance. US–Australian C4ISR cooperation will be essential to the success of the US rebalance, but also to Australia’s own immediate security in a strategic environment in which more and more countries operate high-technology platforms that once used to be the preserve of Australia and its allies.

Special Report Issue 43 – More than good deeds: Disaster risk management and Australian, Japanese and US Defence forces

This report, authored by Athol Yates and Anthony Bergin, suggests that Asia–Pacific states need to allocate greater resources to risk reduction activities and increase the speed and effectiveness of relief efforts.

Australia, Japan and the US are active in promoting disaster risk management as a key component of their Asia–Pacific relations and regional military engagement strategies.

This report argues that the three states’ militaries will continue to play an increasing role across the disaster risk management spectrum.

The primary justification for dispatching defence forces to help another country experiencing a disaster is usually humanitarian.

But for Australia, Japan and the US, there are several other drivers: reinforcing alliances and partnerships, advancing foreign policy agendas and providing knowledge of operational military capabilities.
To better match the three nations’ defence forces’ disaster assistance capabilities with government expectations, the report recommends:

Watch a video of Anthony Bergin discussing this paper on ASPI’s YouTube channel.

The QDR: a future of hybrid warfare?

The latest formal statement of US defence policy, the QDR (Quadrennial Defense Review), plays down sweeping ambition in order to remain focused on the tasks immediately at hand—Iraq and above all, Afghanistan.  And it sees a future of ‘hybrid’ warfare, likely to involve a diversity of actors and to blur the traditional distinction between inter-state conflict and protracted counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations.  It suggests the US will be looking for more from its allies, including Australia.

The Obama administration and US strategic policy

This Policy Analysis, authored by Rod Lyon and Kellie Kayser, assesses how much change we are seeing in US strategic policy under the new administration in Washington.

President Obama has already begun a campaign to ‘renew’ American global leadership after the Bush years. He has been explicit in marking out his strategic style from Bush’s, emphasising that his presidency will be characterised by partnerships, diplomacy and engagement. But actual US strategic priorities have changed little: the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan remain at the centre of US interest—alongside a rapidly-escalating global economic crisis.

Many of the issues of concern to Obama are also of concern to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, although Canberra probably places a higher priority on Asian security concerns. The forthcoming meeting between the two leaders in Washington provides an opportunity to explore just how much ‘resetting’ of the relationship will occur on Obama’s watch.

Transforming the US Military: Implications for the Asia-Pacific

Defence transformation has major implications for the future course of US military and security policy, particularly to the Asia-Pacific region.  Australia should continue to monitor developments closely whilst reacting cautiously.

This report was authored by Richard Bitzinger, an expert in defence transformation, with commentary provided by ASPI’s Mark Thomson.

Tag Archive for: United States of America

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