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James Curran

James Curran

Brisbane Times

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The fundamental problem at the heart of defence policy

The fundamental problem at the heart of defence policy
26.03.2025 5

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

Trump is unlikely to turn on Australia. But what if he does?

If Trump turns on us, it might force Canberra to think about what there is to Australian foreign policy other than the US alliance, writes James...

26.03.2025 10

Financial Review

James Curran

Australia’s defence dithering exposes a national security vacuum

The noise over meeting US demands on military spending underlines the fundamental problem at the heart of Australian defence policy: there is no...

23.03.2025 8

Financial Review

James Curran

Richard Marles’ mindless talking points ignore Trumpian change

Elsewhere, Donald Trump’s return is being noticed, and acted upon with decisive swiftness. But it is not happening in Australia yet.

09.03.2025 10

Financial Review

James Curran

Albanese is as misinformed on the US alliance as live-fire drills

04.03.2025 8

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

Albanese is as misinformed on the US alliance as live-fire drills

The petulant demand of tribute to the Trump empire and his transactional ethos surely now challenges the agreed balance sheet between Australia and...

02.03.2025 10

Financial Review

James Curran

What if there is no way of Australia placating Trump?

19.02.2025 6

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

What if there is no way of Australia placating Trump?

The only certain thing is that the US president challenges all the assumptions Canberra has ever made about American security guarantees.

16.02.2025 8

Financial Review

James Curran

Paul Keating says Trump may avoid a major war

03.02.2025 5

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

Paul Keating: Trump 2.0 could stop World War Three

Trump’s “snatch-and-grab” foreign policy rejects the belief in US primacy and exception that was sliding towards a military confrontation with China.

02.02.2025 10

Financial Review

James Curran

Will Trump’s hard line on Beijing ‘blow up’ Canberra’s China policy?

20.01.2025 5

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

Who can best manage Trump – Albanese or Dutton?

13.01.2025 9

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

Who can best manage Trump – Albanese or Dutton?

Instead of caution from Canberra, the prime minister and opposition leader are posturing over who can best influence the mad king.

12.01.2025 20

Financial Review

James Curran

Marching blindfolded into the new Cold War

Just before Christmas, the Albanese Government released the findings of a report into how much funding the federal government contributes to those...

07.01.2025 8

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

Marching blindfolded into the new Cold War

A new report into the funding of Australian strategic think tanks raises consequential issues for Australia’s global engagement

05.01.2025 6

Financial Review

James Curran

Right’s cancel culture distorts diplomacy

The government is under fierce attack for its UN voting patterns on Gaza, but it is voting in keeping with global norms.

15.12.2024 3

Financial Review

James Curran

A crazy six hours in Seoul and the fragility of democracy

A presidential brain snap in South Korea has revived dark memories of the country’s past, with potentially damaging geopolitical ripples across...

08.12.2024 5

Financial Review

James Curran

Trump’s foreign policy hand is stronger than you might think

Fears of American isolationism ignore that the president-elect’s international relations capabilities might be better than many think once he takes...

24.11.2024 2

Financial Review

James Curran

Did you miss the Indonesian president’s November surprise?

While Australians were absorbed by the US election, the new leader of their large neighbour was busy strengthening ties with Russia and China.

17.11.2024 2

Financial Review

James Curran

Trump 2.0 is the reckoning for Australia’s alliance with the US

For years Australia has looked the other way when talk of the end of US primacy has been raised. Now we can’t avert our eyes.

10.11.2024 20

Financial Review

James Curran

America’s search for a new role continues

Despite the mediocrity of the candidates, America is not down for the count. But it is wasting precious time to redefine its world role

03.11.2024 3

Financial Review

James Curran

America’s new Asian alliance network will survive beyond Trump

No matter who is in the White House after November 5, the US’ carefully structured latticework of alliances that underpins its regional primacy...

20.10.2024 9

Financial Review

James Curran

Australia clings to UK embrace with King Charles’ royal visit

A particular type of rhetorical syrup that “oozes over cracks” in the Australia-Britain relationship will be on full display.

19.10.2024 2

Financial Review

James Curran

Anthony Albanese has yet to grow into the prime minister’s job

The prime minister is a political operator rather than a visionary. His inability to persuade and sustain arguments is beginning to show. Anthony...

14.10.2024 2

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

How the new Japanese PM’s ambition for an Asian NATO was scuttled

Shigeru Ishiba set diplomatic pulses racing with his proposal, but the idea has been just as quickly shelved.

07.10.2024 2

Financial Review

James Curran

Why Netanyahu is Harris’ election nightmare

The Israeli prime minister continues to thumb his nose at Washington, and a wider war might well be the very October surprise Kamala Harris fears.

27.09.2024 2

Financial Review

James Curran

America’s first post-election task is rebuilding its credibility

The election remains Trump’s to lose. But the chaos that might follow if he doesn’t win is now concentrating minds among US regional allies.

22.09.2024 1

Financial Review

James Curran

Australian rugby revival isn’t happening any time soon

Irrespective of the result in the Bledisloe Cup, the local game’s structural problems only look to be getting worse.

20.09.2024 10

Financial Review

James Curran

Would Trump or Harris keep the US out of new wars?

Donald Trump wants to end the conflict in Ukraine, but would have fewer guardrails in office. However, Kamala Harris might take a harder line on...

17.09.2024 1

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

Would Trump or Harris keep the US out of new wars?

Trump wants to end the conflict in Ukraine but would have fewer guardrails in office. However, Harris might take a harder line on China than we think.

15.09.2024 10

Financial Review

James Curran

Harris, Trump present contrasting versions of America’s destiny

The vice president laced her rhetoric on foreign policy with the triumphalism that Democrats have now adopted with more gusto than their Republican...

12.09.2024 2

Financial Review

James Curran

Forked tongue foreign policy

Asia posturing. At least the Americans discern no contradiction in Australian strategic policy, but the government continues to contort its...

10.09.2024 2

Pearls and Irritations

James Curran

Australia’s forked tongue foreign policy

At least the Americans discern no contradiction in Australian strategic policy, but the government continues to contort its messaging.

08.09.2024 2

Financial Review

James Curran

Why has a long-term understanding with Asia eluded us?

Even as Australia has become more multicultural, the best we can manage is a pragmatic relationship punctuated with fits of enthusiasm.

02.09.2024 3

Financial Review

James Curran

Government hasn’t matched Keating’s Indonesia pact

The new defence agreement with Jakarta is a welcome development, but the government claims too much too soon about its place in history.

25.08.2024 1

Financial Review

James Curran

Democrats now the American dreamers

Democrats have become the true believers in the American mission. Republicans will be more prudential in assessing foreign policy capacities.

18.08.2024 6

Financial Review

James Curran

Albanese is losing the AUKUS debate

The government is prioritising platitudes over substance as critics question the $368 billion nuclear submarine project.

11.08.2024 3

Financial Review

James Curran

Multicultural report buries Australia’s British past

The institutions that Britain brought – parliamentary democracy, the rule of law, an independent judiciary and a free press – are the very...

28.07.2024 2

Financial Review

James Curran