Fight to the last Ukrainian - sobering analysis from James Curran afr.com/policy/foreign…

In the⁦⁦⁦Financial Review⁩ today my column acknowledges that new US funding for Ukraine will no doubt help, but is it enough to reverse the tide of the war? No wonder some MAGA Republicans and US realists dismiss US/NATO policy as a ‘fight to the last Ukrainian’.

Some great quotes in this article 👇 by Bilahari Kausikan, former head of Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Kausikan lamented the US's tendency to see Asia “as a blank sheet on which you project your own hopes and fears”, where Americans apply a binary framework where “if…

In today’s Financial Review, 3 perspectives on U.S/Asia expressed in DC in recent weeks. Sober realism from Fumio Kishida and Bilahari Kausikan, but a Churchillian-cum-Reaganesque-cum-end of history-cum-Clark Kent style fantasy about US ‘victory’ over China in a ‘new Cold war

Our Hay sessions:
- Massacre on the Aus. Frontier: David Marr & Larissa Behrendt
- The Power of Words: Pip Williams & Louise Adler
- Australia and China: Maverick or Model? James Curran, Kevin Rudd AC & Yuan Yang
- Always Was, Always Will Be: Jazz Money & Ellen van Neerven

The comparison with Menzies is instructive - like in the early 1950s, Australia's economy seems to be running 'hot' (disregarding the stalling real wages for a moment), with supply bottlenecks and labour shortage in key sectors. The govt must reckon with these real constraints.

Also taken with the German word for connecting flight:
ANSCHLUSSFLUG

In today’s Financial Review, a comment on Defence Minister’s speech yesterday. The ‘call for focus” on Asia, big numbers forecast beyond the forward estimates (which makes them meaningless) and a claim to be the father of 21st C Aus defence policy. But will it all happen…

'As the tinder in the Middle East smoulders once more, much will depend on whether Netanyahu lights another match or follows Washington’s calls for restraint.' Read the latest from Academy Fellow James Curran 🔽 afr.com/policy/foreign… Financial Review

A MUST LISTEN. Swift tells Jane Perlez that China is not a ‘near peer competitor’ but a ‘peer’ competitor of the US. Perlez and Mitter agree this will send a shudder down Washington spines. As Mitter says, Swift is basically saying China is an equal.

NEW PODCAST EPISODE: 🎧 AN AUSTRALIAN WORLD. Episode (5) examines Australia and the coming of the Cold War: the story of how Canberra responded to the coming of the Cold War to Asia and the Asian and African peoples struggle for national independence. an-australian-world.transistor.fm/s1/5

This is a must-read by James Curran.

There's no overstating how insane Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell comments on AUKUS were: he 'directly countermanded statements by [the Australian government] that Australian sovereign control over the use of the submarines would be…

'As Ukraine’s future looks ever bleaker, NATO’s 75th birthday this week invites sober reflections and some hard truths,' writes Academy Fellow James Curran 🔽 afr.com/world/middle-e… Financial Review

James Curran has got a big #Aukus story #AFR .

afr.com/policy/foreign… #auspol 2/2

Ukraine in this view is both an “end of history” moment, a la Francis Fukuyama in 1989, as well as a moment to show America is “back”. But events in Israel make clear that such old certainties are now gone. James Curran Financial Review

Lastest episode of University of Sydney’s Prof James Curran's podcast on history of Australian foreign policy is great:

open.spotify.com/episode/5tvUhF…

Covers mid-1960s, Vietnam War and Konfrontasi.

In the Weekend AFR, my wrap up of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Australia, including exclusive quotes from Paul Keating’s private meeting with Wang, and in the room insights from the Roundtable discussion with the Australia-China Business Council ACBC

'Wang told Keating Dutton had turned up unannounced to his discussion with opposition spokesman Simon Birmingham, and that he made a number of positive comments about the relationship.' Interesting nugget in James Curran story: afr.com/policy/foreign…