Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Submission To The 2015 Defence White Paper, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

This submission establishes why a capable Defence Force is needed by outlining enduring features of the nature of international politics: * It remains an arena of competition and conflict, and even is war prone * Bad things happen, including surprises and the genuinely shocking * Uncertainty abounds It also explains why the character of the current strategic environment is not permissive of assumptions of peace and prosperity, due to both global and regional challenges: * Great power competition is growing * Russia and China, in particular, are dissatisfied powers * The United States remains global strategically preponderant but the international …

Submission To The Strategic Policy Division, Department Of Defence, On The Development Of The 2013 Defence White Paper, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

This submission on the development of the 2013 Defence White Paper addresses briefly four aspects: 1. The structure and content of the White Paper itself 2. Australia’s strategic environment 3. Australia’s military strategy 4. Force structure

Book Review: The Iraq Wars And America's Military Revolution, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

The Iraq Wars and America’s Military Revolution traces changes in the methods of applying force and the means with which the US military has applied that force since the end of the ColdWar.The book traces this progression through the conceptual lens of the so-called Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), and contemporary RMA debates

Protecting Australia's Maritime Borders: The Mv Tampa And Beyond, Ben M. Tsamenyi, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

The protection of Australia's maritime borders and sovereign interests at sea has, in recent times, increasingly become a leading national security issue. The arrangements for surveillance and enforcement in Australia's maritime zones have seemingly been in almost constant review in what has become a highly politicised issue. Furthermore, the increased incidence of seaborne illegal migration attempts in late 2001, together with the events of 11 September of that year has focused public, as well as official, attention upon all aspects of what has come to be known as "homeland security." Homeland security is a complex issue, and the problems associated …

Singapore: Forward Operating Site, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

Historically, Singapore functioned as a major naval hub supporting the British Empire's position in the Far East. The island was viewed by Admiral Sir John "Jackie" Fisher as one of the world's five key locations enabling Britain's global naval superiority. The fortification of the British strategic position on Singapore reached both its zenith and its nadir with the development in the interwar years of the "Singapore Strategy," which was designed to buttress the empire's Far Eastern defenses agajnst possible Japanese aggression. That controversial plan failed miserably in the breach. However, the island continued to host a significant British military presence …

'The Geopolitical Context', Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

The seas and oceans of the Indo-Pacific region present a number of maritime security challenges including piracy, terrorism, territorial claims, jurisdictional disputes, illegal fishing, criminal trafficking, and arguments over the Law of the Sea Convention. The differences among coastal and maritime user nations involving navigation and military operations represent some of the pressing issues affecting the region. Some challenges are localized and others are widespread. For example, in the former case, a number of incidents of maritime terrorism have occurred in the Philippines over the last decade and a half. Yet most attacks against ferries and related infrastructure have been …

Conclusion: Maritime Border Protection After The Tampa And 9/11, Anthony Bergin, Ben M. Tsamenyi, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

The objective of these proceedings has been to review current arrangements for national maritime border protection and to canvass some fresh approaches. The book (and preceding conference) have been designed to avoid getting bogged down in any great detail on sectoral issues, instead taking a more holistic view of the overall maritime border protection regime. The issue is timely in view of the public and political interest in developments regarding maritime security and border protection following the controversy surrounding the MV Tampa incident of August 2001 and the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

On …

The U.S. Strategic Relationship With Australia, Jack Mccaffrie, Christopher Rahman

Chris Rahman

Australia has hosted U.S. bases or troops for most of rhe last seventy years, beginning in the early part of the Second World War in the Pacific. Ironically, the arrival of American troops in Australia was at least partly the result of the failure of the "Singapore strategy," whereby the Royal Navy's Singapore naval base was to support any British fleet sent to the Far East in the event of a war with Japan. Seventy years on, Australia still hosts U.S. defense facilities and U.S. forces continue to visit-primarily now for exercises. Map 4 depicts major facilities utilized at present.