Welcome back to the Asia Pacific segment of Sea Control! In this episode Natalie Sambhi picks the brains of Dr Malcolm Cook of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (Singapore) and Dr Ben Schreer of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (Canberra) on Japan’s recent budget increases; Japan’s relations with the US, Australia and Southeast Asia; and what the taking of Japanese hostages by ISIS might mean for its foreign policy in future.
In one of the last Asia Pacific podcasts for 2014, Sea Control Asia Pacific turns to the Middle East: the first 100 days of airstrikes against ISIL, to be specific. Natalie Sambhi interviews the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Daniel Nichola and Patricia Dias on the data on airstrikes they collated as part of ASPI’s latest report. They explain what these airstrikes (which can be viewed on this interactive map) call tell us about the campaign thus far and its impact on the extremist organisation. Looking beyond Australia’s involvement in air operations against ISIL, in the second half of the podcast, Daniel and Patricia what will be Australia’s defence and security priorities in 2015, including cyber security, the future surface fleet, the Korean peninsula and Southwest Pacific stability.
This week, Sea Control Asia Pacific takes on land-based anti-ship missiles in Asia. Natalie Sambhi, of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, interviews US Pacific Command’s Lieutenant Colonel Jan Ken Gleiman (views expressed are his own) and ASPI’s Harry White on the development of Chinese land-based anti-ship missiles, and whether the US and its allies should follow suit. They also discuss the impact of this activity on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and whether Australian strategic culture is ready for this capability. Lastly, having been a visiting fellow embedded in ASPI for two months, Ken shares his first impressions of the Australian strategic culture and the differences between the ability for the Australian military to participate in public commentary when compared to their American counterparts.
The podcast covers Indonesia’s security priorities, strategic communications and defence diplomacy, Asia Pacific cooperation on the South China Sea, naval modernisation, and US–Indonesia relations.
For some background of the events of 1965 mentioned by the guests, see here.
Welcome back to the Asia Pacific segment of Sea Control! In this episode Natalie Sambhi picks the brains of Dr Malcolm Cook of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (Singapore) and Dr Ben Schreer of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (Canberra) on Japan’s recent budget increases; Japan’s relations with the US, Australia and Southeast Asia; and what the taking of Japanese hostages by ISIS might mean for its foreign policy in future.
