Australia's commitment to the War on Terrorism exposes a conundrum that lies at the heart of Australian defence preparedness. In a world dominated by the United States as the global superpower, how can Australia use its defence forces to pursue national interests while gaining the strategic benefits that accrue from being a close partner of the United States? Events since 11 September 2001 have demonstrated that it is no longer possible to restrict Australia's strategic horizon to its immediate region. …

This paper reviews the prospect for the establishment of a robust multilateral security mechanism in the Asia-Pacific. It considers two types of security mechanisms: one broadly inclusive and one based on existing bilateral alliances with the United States. The paper makes the assessment that neither form of multilateral security mechanism in the Asia-Pacific is likely at this time. In the absence of a multilateral institution, the paper examines security interests that are shared by Australia and Japan, …

A Model Pacific Solution? A Study Of The Deployment Of The Regional Assistance Mission To Solomon Islands by James Watson The paper  A Model Pacific Solution? A Study of the Deployment of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands  examines the early stages of the multinational deployment of police, military and other personnel to Solomon Islands. The ongoing deployment is led by the police, with the military in close support. The paper addresses the legal and operational consequences of brining …

This paper is a study of the recent transformation in the employment and structure of Special Operations Forces. The author argues that these forces have moved from a marginal, albeit important, part of traditional conventional strategy towards being a central component of any government warfighting or national security response. Their transformation may be seen in the context of the missions they are called on to perform and the capabilities they must therefore possess. Recent changes to organisational …

During the Vietnam War (1959–75), the euphemistic term ‘friendly fire' was first used to describe the infliction of casualties by the military's own forces. This paper explores this phenomenon by focusing on the Australian Army's decade-long involvement in Vietnam (1962–72). When examined historically, evidence suggests that the problem of fratricide was more prevalent than is usually acknowledged. Part of the reason that fratricide lies hidden is obvious: no military organisation readily admits that it …

Fratricide is an ever-present problem, and its effects are devastating and widespread. Like a tsunami, fratricide's influence spreads from the epicentre to engulf the victim's family and friends, the military, the broader public and the Government. At each level, the damage takes on a different form, but as the effect widens it leaves a trail of grief, trauma and eroded confidence. The second in a series of three, this study draws on the Australian Army's experience of fratricide during the Vietnam War …

The paper addresses an emerging awareness of counterinsurgency in the Australian context. This work also is cautionary; arguing that the Army and the wider Australian Defence Force (ADF) needs more careful thought on doctrine, appropriate training and associated operational ability. Reflecting on the Australian Army's heritage in the realm of counterinsurgency, it looks at emerging trends in the public discourse on the ‘war on terror' and examines how Australia's traditional allies are developing doctrine …

Western militaries are moving too slowly to adapt to the needs of future warfighting. The reality of nuclear weapons and the United States hegemony have prescribed the options for current and potential adversaries, leaving them with few viable approaches. One such is ‘complex irregular warfare', a type of war that deliberately uses an asymmetrical approach in an attempt to dislocate Western strength. Countering this approach has significant implications for Western militaries. This paper concludes that: …

This paper examines two powerful motivators in US defence policy: the pursuit of network-centric warfare and the imperatives of counterinsurgency. It explores the often noted points of incompatibility between the two, before arguing that a more productive way of understanding their interaction is to examine the ways in which the two are being hybridised in practice in the testing ground of Operation  Iraqi Freedom . The paper draws on fieldwork with the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division that explores their …

Successfully conducting an offensive action remains as much the ‘gold standard' for military commanders today as it was in the days of Napoleon, Frederick or Caesar. However, how commanders actually do it has changed as dramatically as society and technology has. How to conduct offensive action successfully in today's unique technological and tactical circumstances is the focus of this working paper. The authors offer readers the benefit of their combined twenty years of study into this topic, arguing that …