APSNet bulletins for 2009

Austral Peace and Security Network (APSNet) Bulletin issues for 2009.

APSNet 14 December 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 13-Dec-2009 14:48

1. Nation given N-bomb warning 2. Heat on China to break impasse at Copenhagen 3. Poor nations threaten climate deal showdown at Copenhagen summit 4. Indonesia climate green paper: towards carbon pricing, geothermal power and regional incentives 5. Afghan promises to insurgents often empty 6. Pakistan ends S Waziristan campaign 7. Special Reports on nuclear non-proliferation

APSNet 10 December 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 09-Dec-2009 14:40

1. Anger at 'secret' climate change deal 2. Obama's Afghan gamble 3. Okada: Futenma talks near limit 4. Indonesia army 'killed Balibo Five' 5. Nuclear power, risk management and democratic accountability in Indonesia 6. SBY promises protesters 'jihad' on graft 7. String of bombings in Baghdad kills 127 people

APSNet 07 December 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 06-Dec-2009 13:48

1. Minimal progress on PM's Asian unity vision 2. AFP union attacks Afghanistan role for Australian police 3. Diggers may be charged over child deaths 4. Indonesian President lashes out at unnamed conspirators 5. US 'comfortable' with Pakistan's nuclear arsenal, says Robert Gates 6. Gates calls July 2011 the beginning, not end, of Afghan withdrawal 7. Japan: Save the Endangered Tomahawk! 8. Australia, Indonesia investigate climate change options 9. ‘Time is running out’ for Sumatra’s rainforest as demand for palm oil soars

APSNet 03 December 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 02-Dec-2009 13:07

1. Tough battle of the budget bottom line 2. Libs call for debate on nuclear power 3. Obama adds troops, but maps exit plan 4. UN head in Afghanistan condemns US move to bypass Hamid Karzai 5. Pakistan at odds with Obama's vision 6. ‘Balibo’ Ban Wins Rave Reviews From Indonesian Military 7. Indonesian police arrest Papuan activists, Amnesty calls for investigation 8. Pressure on Fiji fails as China lends hand 9. Indonesia: timber corruption’s high costs

APSNet 30 November 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 29-Nov-2009 14:32

1. Barack Obama to push Kevin Rudd for more troops 2. [Indonesia] National Energy Council to immediately assess nuclear power 3. Pakistan’s leader cedes nuclear office 4. Afghanistan summit to plan for withdrawal 5. Afghans offer jobs to Taliban rank and file if they defect 6. HIV/AIDS: the global outlook 7. Commonwealth urges Fiji to restore democracy

APSNet 26 November 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 25-Nov-2009 14:18

1. Kevin Rudd signs off on purchase of 14 F-35 joint strike fighters 2. Nato will send 5,000 more troops to Afghanistan, says Brown 3. From stability to chaos in Indonesia 4. East Timor threatens to quit gas project 5. Papua leaders reject military command project 6. Pakistan faces amnesty deal turmoil 7. Converging Peril: Climate Change and Conflict in the Southern Philippines

APSNet 23 November 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 22-Nov-2009 15:12

1. Australian troops using hard drugs in Afghanistan, Iraq 2. Island nations key to Security Council bid 3. Share asylum burden, Indonesians plead 4. [Sri Lanka] Tamil civilians to go free 5. Indonesia's gecko-gate 6. [Pakistan] Zardari in the Crosshairs 7. Afghan Militias Battle Taliban With Aid of U.S. 8. [Afghanistan] Karzai 'would fall in weeks' if Nato pulls out 9. [Japan] Document proves nuke pact negotiations

APSNet 19 November 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 18-Nov-2009 15:08

1. [Indonesia] Minister spurns PM's region idea 2. Australia expected to resettle asylum seekers 3. Nato chief promises Afghanistan will get 'substantially more forces' 4. British army tells soldiers to bribe Taliban 5. Concern mounts as US bears costs of Afghan war while China reaps the profits 6. Indian uranium sales a 'lost chance' for Australia 7. Pakistani Military Takes Taliban Strongholds; Maulana Fazlullah Surfaces in Afghanistan 8. Aust denies involvement in Iranian funding saga

APSNet 16 November 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 16-Nov-2009 05:23

1. G2 a new world order; 2. Summit set to fail on climate deal; 3. [Afghanistan] Combat support essential, Rudd tells Dutch; 4. Nato taskforce to form 'Afghan FBI' and root out high-level corruption; 5. Strong statement starts effort to mend Indian relationship; 6. Australian boat used in asylum seeker shooting; 7. CIA bankroll of Pakistan spies revealed.

APSNet 12 November 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 11-Nov-2009 13:31

1. NZ snubs Rudd on asylum seekers 2. Obama warns Afghan commitment 'not open-ended' 3. Japan pledges $5 billion in new Afghan aid 4. Britain signals Afghan exit plan 5. Obama's journey tells Pacific region 'US is back' 6. Israel wants answers from Solomon Islands over UN vote

APSNet 9 November 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 08-Nov-2009 14:08

1. Election rhetoric comes home to roost 2. Australia's basing its $87m secret on sensitive absurdity 3. Smith heads to Sri Lanka for urgent talks on asylum seekers 4. Replacement of Indonesia's military chiefs a ‘routine’ affair 5. [Indonesia] Military against Australia’s push for joint naval patrols 6. No more troops, Faulkner tells US 7. Defending the Arsenal: In an unstable Pakistan, can nuclear warheads be kept safe? 8. Handle with care: private security companies in Timor-Leste

APSNet 5 November 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 04-Nov-2009 15:11

1. ASIO admits threat of internet spying 2. Australia to combine four Mideast bases 3. [Fiji] Tit-for-tat diplomacy no solution 4. Rudd urges Jakarta to honour deal to process Oceanic Viking asylum-seekers 5. How an alleged war criminal in East Timor escaped justice 6. Karzai vows 'inclusive' government 7. Meet Afghanistan's model police force: inexperience, drugs and double agents 8. Seoul to resend troops to Afghanistan

APSNet 2 November 2009 — by Mihiri Weerasinghe — last modified 01-Nov-2009 15:10

1. Next-generation subs to cost $36bn 2. [Iraq] More blood sure to spill 3. Indonesian President's reform credentials at risk 4. Deep inside Indonesia's kill zone 5. [Afghanistan] Hamid Karzai's rival, Abdullah Abdullah, pulls out of poll 6. [South Korea] Afghan plan under wraps until after fact-finding trip 7. [Afghanistan] NATO forces turn to warlords 8. Eliminating nuclear weapons: Australia's role

APSNet 29 October 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 28-Oct-2009 15:45

1. Trouble in the ASEAN talking-shop 2. Real China tensions need telling 3. PM push 'hurts' relationships 4. Clinton Arrival in Pakistan Met by Fatal Attacks 5. Asian powers urge Afghan commitment 6. Taliban take over Afghan province 7. Indonesian government says oil from Australian spill has polluted parts of Timor sea 8. Iraq flags desire to resume nuclear power

APSNet 26 October 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 25-Oct-2009 15:19

1. Kevin Rudd's vision for Asia-Pacific community evolves; 2. Indonesia immigration plan to cost Australia $50m; 3. Indonesian President Yudhoyono’s second term cabinet; 4. No ADF plans to lead Afghan operations: Smith; 5. [Afghanistan] Low-tech attacks taking high toll on troops; 6. When innocent Afghans die; 7. Crunch time for fighters.

APSNet 22 October 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 21-Oct-2009 16:07

1. Faulkner orders review into Collins class submarine fleet 2. [Afghanistan] Troops out in five years, says defence chief 3. Republic of Indonesia unwilling to be transit point for asylum seekers 4. Second United Indonesia Cabinet Announced 5. Karzai accepts run-off election 6. Gates slams door on push for Futenma renegotiation

APSNet 19 October 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 18-Oct-2009 17:23

1. Aid given to Sri Lanka to stem people smuggling 2. Unplugged Australian oil spill leaking into protected Indonesian waters 3. Australian and Chinese military chiefs admit to 'issues' 4. Gates seeking allies' help on Afghanistan war 5. Australia brings Israel, Iran together 6. Peter Beattie warms to nuclear energy

APSNet 15 October 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 14-Oct-2009 15:24

1. Rudd call stops refugee boat 2. Australians warm to nuclear power 3. Military erred on Afghan killing: Angus Houston 4. Britain to send more troops to Afghanistan 5. Civilian goals largely unmet in Afghanistan 6. Stephen Smith aims for India war game 7. Surprise talks cover climate change, Stern Hu 8. [Indonesia] Climate change threatens national security: Ministers 9. Xanana Gusmao survives protest

APSNet 12 October 2009 — by Richard Tanter — last modified 11-Oct-2009 15:29

1. Wars, Political Battles Complicate Obama Effort to Prevent Spread of Nuclear Weapons; 2. [Pakistan] Deadly side of aid dilemma; 3. Afghanistan blames Pakistan for embassy bombing; India holds fire; 4. British troops fight Taliban 'seven times a day'; 5. Many in DPJ want Japan to cut link to U.S. nukes; 6. Dozens of groups want peace talks with Jakarta; 7. SKorea researching longer-range missiles: official; 8. Envoys 'interfered' in Zimbabwe deaths probe.

APSNet 8 October 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 07-Oct-2009 16:52

1. White House moves to adjust war aims to Qaeda focus 2. British call for more Aussie action 3. U.N. data show discrepancies in Afghan vote 4. Afghanistan: NATO's Graveyard? 5. Japan favours Australian inclusion in East Asia community 6. East Timor to hold first joint military exercise with US 7. UN calls for better deal for migrant workers 8. Indonesian navy on board with plan to shelve submarine purchases until 2011

APSNet 5 October 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 04-Oct-2009 16:48

1. 83 Diggers 83 injured in Afghanistan became invisible 2. Defence moves to block Chinese steelmaker 3. Afghan insurgency seen spilling into Central Asia 4. Assessing the case for war in Afghanistan 5. The public cost of private security in Afghanistan 6. Diverse sources fund insurgency in Afghanistan 7. US storms troops into the Philippines 8. Indonesia passes controversial graft court bill

APSNet 10 September 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 09-Sep-2009 17:09

1. China in power play for uranium 2. Afghanistan: Heron on the wing to guide Diggers 3. Reserve warned on arms broker 4. PNG: Carbon trading scandal linked to Government 5. Balibo probe puts ties at risk: Indonesia 6. Tokyo changes mean new opportunities for Australia 7. NZ agents join secret war in Afghanistan 8. Afghanistan by the numbers

APSNet 7 September 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 07-Sep-2009 10:36

1. ASIO has ear on Chinese whispers 2. Military exercises with Australia, US still on table 3. Australian firm linked to PNG's $100m carbon trading scandal 4. Disarmament: words don’t match actions 5. Are US taxpayers funding the Taliban? 6. NATO strike magnifies divide on Afghan war 7. [UK] Government gives up hope of more European NATO help in Afghanistan 8. TNI intensifies patrol on the Indonesian-Philippine border

APSNet 3 September 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 02-Sep-2009 17:08

1. Australia, US call on China for war games 2. Jakarta to stiffen laws on terror 3. PNG Cabinet considering State of Emergency in Morobe 4. Call for justice over journalists’ killings 5. NATO committed to Afghanistan regardless of poll worries 6. Contractors outnumber U.S. troops in Afghanistan 7. Urgent check for toxic chemical on navy subs 8. Australia pressed on climate aid

APSNet 31 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 30-Aug-2009 18:05

1. Legal check on ANL arms ship 2. Rift looms as Dili mourns dead 3. Still no clarity on Indonesian weapons seized by the Philippines on cargo ship 4. Oil slick creeping closer to coast, say observers 5. U.S. sets metrics to assess war success 6. Police axe probe into kickbacks by AWB 7. Australia looks for speedy new Japan links 8. Burma and North Korea: Smoke or fire? 9. Suharto son Tommy may get 'his' $61.7m

APSNet 27 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 26-Aug-2009 17:38

1. Diggers assassinate Taliban leader Mullah Karim 2. Minister farewells AFP members to Afghanistan 3. U.S. military says its force in Afghanistan is insufficient 4. East Timor's stability being undermined 5. East Timor seeks pipeline action 6. Region’s biggest maritime surveillance operation acts to stop illegal fishing 7. Defence Treaty back on track 8. Rudd's hostility forces nuclear group to bale out

APSNet 24 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 23-Aug-2009 14:42

1. US to urge bigger role for Diggers in Afghanistan 2. Mullen issues caution on Afghanistan 3. Coalition divided on nuclear power 4. Budget pressure delays landing of new fighter 5. China: Shock and ore 6. Indonesian will give East Timor military aid 7. Naval patrols swell to keep out arms used by terrorists 8. Overfishing spurs call to halve bigeye tuna catch

APSNet 20 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 19-Aug-2009 17:20

1. Friend or foe - reckoning with China 2. Schacht lobbied Rann for miner 3. Indonesian police follow money trail from Noordin to Middle East 4. Papua: All roads lead to the mine 5. UN to wind back mission in Timor 6. Key plan to bring Anzacs closer, 7. Australian spooks face FBI-style makeover 8. Former defense minister on Afghanistan: German mission is a 'disaster'

APSNet 17 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 16-Aug-2009 19:25

In defence of nuclear subs; Burma, Iran, Iraq - oil in hot waters; Diggers kicked out of Sudan; Diggers face 5 more years in Afghanistan; Gates: no troop request in Afghanistan review; It's not Christmas on this island home; Hardening Australia: Climate change and national disaster resilience

APSNet 13 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 12-Aug-2009 16:52

Diggers shoot Afghan cops at checkpoint; Hebei's stake in uranium; DPJ vows civilian Afghanistan aid; Afghanistan hires 10,000 tribesmen to secure polls; Terrorists 'have attacked Pakistan nuclear sites three times'; British nuclear tests in the Pacific and Pacific Islanders; Labor moves to toughen up anti-terror laws; Indonesian government considers Hercules planes purchase

APSNet 10 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 09-Aug-2009 17:20

Rio spied for six years: China; Australia, Indonesia in carbon trading plan; Call for licence to spy on citizens; A failure to deal with Fiji blots regional forum's copybook; Migration, security linked: MP; US court clears way for class action against big miner; Militants 'waiting out the coalition'; Military says it’s happy to assist police, but wants role spelled out

APSnet 6 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 02-Dec-2009 08:32

Olympic Dam economics must be for the greater good; Talisman Sabre military exercises, war and the environment; Fretilin criticises Dili arms deal with Jakarta; [East Timor] Campos’s crimes continued; Islanders’ choice: integrate or emigrate; Infection risk spurs Torres Strait review; A tighter net: strengthening the Proliferation Security Initiative; US faces huge bill for Afghan security.

APSNet 3 August 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 02-Aug-2009 16:28

Burma's nuclear bomb alive and ticking; John Faulkner won't meet arms dealers; Hu case would breach Australian law: China; Iraq experience helps stem the growth of evil flowers in Afghanistan; Afghan, Pakistani conflicts spilling into Central Asian states?; Flag lowered as last 12 Diggers leave Iraq; Mine killings put a vital treaty at risk

APSNet 30 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 29-Jul-2009 15:40

The company with the right contacts; Aiming higher; Afghanistan and Iraq: western wars, genocidal risks; More US troops may be needed in Afghanistan, says Pentagon advisor; Taliban issues code of conduct; US envoy: most Taliban funds come from overseas; Security checks at ports not up to scratch

APSNet 23 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 22-Jul-2009 17:13

PM Kevin Rudd told nuclear is best hope by Rio Tinto; Pullout could lead to civil war, defence force chief warns; Troops training plan to limit civilian deaths in Afghanistan; Rudd to toughen terror laws; Into the firing line; Clinton cites concerns of arms aid to Myanmar; New government in New Caledonia; [Indonesia] House approves Rp 5.5t for antiterror; Two shot in latest Freeport attack in Papua.

APSNet 20 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 22-Jul-2009 17:30

Terror act will justify clamp on hardliners; Defense Minister: budget boost mostly for upkeep; Who killed Drew Grant? Afghan link is ill-timed rhetoric; Police to be armed for Afghan job; Courted by Europe? Advancing Australia’s relations with the European Union in the new security environment; More talks not troops, says President Hamid Karzai; Chinese interest in Lynas raises strategic issues; Stop interfering, China tells Australians.

APSNet 16 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 19-Jul-2009 15:53

Secretive arms tycoon behind new uranium mine; RAAF's early-warning radar aircraft back on track; RI Navy cooperating with USPACOM; Police deny bullets removed from Australian's body; Jose Ramos Horta guards 'fled rebels'; Hu case poses reality check for Australia; Mounting casualties in Afghanistan spur concern.

APSNet 13 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 12-Jul-2009 17:33

1. President backed Rio spy probe, 2. Freeport rocked by Papua killings, 3. Government to raise defense budget by 20 percent, 4. U.S. general sees afghan army, police insufficient, 5. Dutch exit vexes ally, 6. Afghanistan’s twisting path, 7. New-breed RAAF fighter may see Afghanistan action

APSNet 9 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 08-Jul-2009 14:59

1. Afghan asylum-seekers 'rescued' off Indonesia after AFP tip-off, 2. Australian was spying, says China, 3. Indonesia: A runaway winner, 4. PNG bank closure cripples province, 5. Govt urged to front up on climate funds, 6. Fugitive former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra's secret Fiji talks, 7. No cap on troops for Afghanistan, 8. Crossing the Helmand

APSNet 27 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 26-Jul-2009 17:19

Death inquiry reveals Afghan troop failings; MoD sends 125 troops to Afghanistan after heavy losses; Wind and solar are not enough, says Resources Minister Martin Ferguson; Pacific Islanders cry for help; Corruption fighters rouse resistance in Indonesia; Indonesia: The hotel bombings; India launches its first nuclear sub

APSNet 6 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 08-Jul-2009 13:36

1. Afghanistan: A child, a battle and a place with no name, 2. Afghanistan: Voice of defiance, 3. U.S. faces resentment in Afghan region, 4. Law 'too harsh' on Indonesian people-smugglers, 5. PM Kevin Rudd too defensive on China: Paul Keating, 6. Japan envoy wins UN nuclear post, 7. France votes to pay nuclear-testing victims

APSNet 2 July 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 02-Jul-2009 10:52

1. $60bn defence hardware plan 2. SBY implicated in cover up of ambush murder of U.S. citizens 3. Warning on wave of boat people 4. East Timor president defends PM 5. PNG's climate change head 'suspended' 6. Rudd puts a bomb under diplomacy 7. Aust 'lacks manpower' to keep Pacific peace 8. Time for healing in Iraq: Gillard

APSNet 25 June 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 24-Jun-2009 16:36

1. Experts shoot holes in Kevin Rudd's defence white paper 2. Palestinian Authority wants Diggers in Gaza 3. Legal battle to halt polluting power plants 4. DMO defends secrecy on industry aid 5. Unfinished business: Police accountability in Indonesia 6. Military moves high-tech tools to Afghanistan 7. In reversal, Kyrgyzstan won’t close a U.S. base 8. Don't let torturers off the hook: UN 9. Australia urged to listen to poorer nations

APSNet 22 June 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 21-Jun-2009 16:34

1. Department of Defence moves to bring horizon closer; 2. AFP to launch full probe into banknote firm; 3. $415m bomb-proof Australian embassy for Jakarta; 4. Iraq, AfPak, beyond: the global cost of war; 5. U.S. agencies eye coordinated Afghan "civilian surge"; 6. NATO supply lines in Afghanistan: The search for alternative routes; 7. Chinese give PM Kevin Rudd lesson on neoliberalism.

APSNet 18 June 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 17-Jun-2009 17:32

1. RAN ships blockaded Chinese arms to Timor; 2. Russia deal hits weapon purge plan; 3. $1.4bn wasted on cancelled Seasprite; 4. Deciding to go to war should not be left to the PM; 5. Defence boss 'faces a culture of secrecy'; 6. New Afghanistan commander will review troop placements; 7. US drone attacks cloaked in secrecy.

APSNet 15 June 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 14-Jun-2009 16:39

Faulkner wants limited Afghan role; Mission possible: Abort shopping spree; Heat of Afghanistan battle bonds brothers in arms; General David Petraeus flags a change of strategy in Afghanistan; Pakistan calls for help to defeat Taliban; Indonesia: Deteriorating primary defense weapon system; Japanese give POW Joe Coombs a hearing; Mindanao: Poverty on the frontlines.

APSNet 11 June 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 10-Jun-2009 17:25

1. Vets lifted by call on atomic tests; 2. RI says Washington should take the lead; 3. PNG government defends mine crackdown; 4. More leeway for new U.S. commander in Afghanistan; 5. Hardheads set to whip defence into line; 6. Hypocrisy and people smuggling.

APSNet 4 June 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 03-Jun-2009 17:04

1. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono steps ups threat in Malaysia sea dispute; 2. Japan plans enhanced space-based missile alert system; 3. Uygur detainees: Canberra caught in diplomatic vice; 4. Pacific Island states win small victory at UN; 5. Civilian deaths jeopardize Afghan war effort: US general; 6. Indonesian smuggling route shut, say police.

APSNet 29 June 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 29-Jun-2009 11:46

 

APSNet 1 June 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 04-Jun-2009 16:17

1. Australia joins Somalian piracy fight; 2. Indonesian appeal for more help in stopping boatpeople; 3. Indonesia to buy more jets; 4. Indonesia, Malaysia face off at sea; 5. Australians kill Taliban bomber; 6. All clear, says defence head on war incidents; 7. Pakistan and the “AfPak” strategy; 8. Military jargon led to accidental mortar strike; 9. Japan: Most leaders not told of nuke pact with U.S.

APSNet 28 May 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 27-May-2009 16:31

1. PM puts N Korea on notice; 2. Beijing's missile stockpile growing; 3. Rudd's torture law raises Defence hackles; 4. Arms spending black hole; 5. Indonesia rejects Rudd's Asia plan; 6. UN wants 'flood of drugs' in Afghanistan to devalue opium; 7. Papua New Guineans attack Chinese immigrants.

APSNet 25 May 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 04-Jun-2009 16:57

1. Civilian deaths cast pall over Afghan war; 2. U.S. Pullout a condition in Afghan peace talks; 3. New Afghan force joins fight against Taliban; 4. North Korea claims to conduct 2nd nuclear test; 5. Defence plans 'unaffordable'; 6. Japan poised to ease its ban again on export of weapons; 7. Bikie gang links to defence security; 8. Revealed: the RBA's dodgy global deals.

APSNet 21 May 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 21-May-2009 15:21

1. RAN warships to the rescue as Somali pirates flee; 2. Donald Rumsfeld 'kept ADF in dark'; 3. Flying colours for Wedgetail in flight tests; 4. Hillary Clinton firmly commits the US to Asia-Pacific security; 5. Arms sent by U.S. may be falling into Taliban hands; 6. Zardari's gifts come with nuclear glow; 7. Pakistan is rapidly adding nuclear arms, U.S. says; 8. China ups the pressure.

APSNet 18 May 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 17-May-2009 16:50

1. Special forces plead for more armour; 2. Two more Afghan 'incidents' in probe; 3. Countering the military's latest fad; 4. Sitting alone on our hands; 5. Minister takes blame for releasing sensitive treaty document; 6. Defence Chief sticks to his guns; 7. Hard graft for Indonesia; 8. Turning Roxby Downs into the world's largest uranium mine.

APSNet 14 May 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 13-May-2009 16:48

No Defence for Secrecy; Defence reopens death case of Michael Fussell; Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono running mate Boediono has Aussie links; Voters reject terror of Timor; Mission in Iraq winding up; Switch signals new path for Afghan war; Climate change dire for Coral Triangle.

APSNet 11 May 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 21-May-2009 16:43

Military in Afghan cover-up; Fretilin blamed for East Timor corruption; China, India 'may stir up regional war': army report; Balochistan is the ultimate prize; Pakistan launches assault on Taliban; Germany begins to flex military muscle in Afghanistan; U.S. adviser holds firm on airstrikes in Afghanistan; Turning Indonesia into 'fortress' of 'new world'.

APSNet 7 May 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 08-May-2009 06:02

1. SAS 'assassinate' Taliban leader Mullah Noorullah; 2. East Timor says it won’t approve Woodside LNG plan; 3. Obama stresses joint action against Taliban push in South Asia; 4. U.S. asks S. Korea to decide on deployment of troops in Afghanistan; 5. China a 'peaceful force' in Beijing's response to defence paper; 6. Defence white paper gives US a rocket; 7. $400m to hit human trafficking networks; 8. Papuan villagers block road after police kill local.

APSNet 4 May 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 03-May-2009 20:11

1. Defence white paper: Ambitious, cautious … and risky; 2. Australian opposition wants China deal blocked; 3. Indonesia: Kalla-Wiranto to run in July polls; 4. Beijing gives Frank Bainimarama cold comfort; 5. Dili tycoon deal triggers alarm; 6. Conditions towards Zero - 11 Benchmarks for Global Nuclear Disarmament; 7. Why Pakistan is the main game.

APSNet 30 April 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 29-Apr-2009 19:00

1. We should co-operate, not compete, with China's military rise; 2. $167m satellite link for defence forces; 3. Afghanistan: Plan shies away from sharp end; 4. ADF plays down warlord's role on crucial supply chain; 5. Poppies a target in fight against Taliban; 6. Angry soldiers run riot in Papua; 7. China uses global crisis to assert its influence; 8. Warning on East Timor instability by World Bank.

APSNet 27 April 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 26-Apr-2009 19:01

1. Australian troops in major battles with Taliban insurgents; 2. Britain 'cannot afford to send more troops to Afghanistan' because of the recession; 3. We took a lot and now have to give; 4. Japan aims for nuke-free world; 5. WHO cites potential for swine flu pandemic; 6. Japan's PM Taro Aso must apologise: POWs; 7. East Timorese go begging as foreign advisers rake it in.

APSNet 23 April 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 22-Apr-2009 19:53

1. China's 'chequebook diplomacy' undermining pressure on Fiji; 2. More Diggers to train Afghan soldiers; 3. U.S. may fill Afghan civilian posts with military personnel; 4. Taliban seize vital Pakistan area closer to the capital; 5. Computer spies breach fighter-jet project; 6. Refugees 'reacted to law change': Indonesia; 7. A nuclear Japan: The least bad option? 8. Billions in uranium bound for China.

APSNet 20 April 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 19-Apr-2009 19:56

1. Indonesia offers cooperation on asylum seekers; 2. Defence: Taking on the monolith; 3. Rudd targets ‘vital’ military industries; 4. Security radars in Papua a priority, Air Force says; 5. UN told by Rudd Government to stop hiring Fijian soldiers; 6. Taliban exploit class rifts in Pakistan.

APSNet 16 April 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 15-Apr-2009 23:57

1. Watchdog probes hawks' Defence Intelligence Organisation push on China; 2. Those with loud voices must speak up to restore democracy in Fiji; 3. West warned on nuclear terrorist threat from Pakistan; 4. Protection rackets on the rise in East Timor; 5. Basking in a bilateral bubble as the reality of Indonesia gets airbrushed; 6. Climate change 'tops Australians' security fears'; 7. Indonesia: Japan to grant aid for nine economic cooperation projects; 8. PNG’s Baki says no locals were hurt in Indonesia-PNG border fighting; 9. Briefing note: Fiji political developments.

APSNet 9 April 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 08-Apr-2009 19:13

1. Minister tangled in Liu's financial ties to Beijing; 2. Third asylum seeker boat arrives; 3. Brits' nuclear sub accident surfaces; 4. Calls for probe after shootings at Papuan demo; 5. Clinton to back defence treaty; 6. The Bush Six; 7. Imagine there's no bomb.

APSNet 6 April 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 05-Apr-2009 20:01

1. Rudd calls missile launch 'reckless'; 2. Yudhoyono backs down on nuclear power plans; 3. Japan to extend US14.5 billion in financial aid to Indonesia; 4. East Timor hit over 'dirty' power plants; 5. Time is short as U.S. presses Pakistan, a reluctant ally; 6. Sea change: Advancing Australia's ocean interests.

APSNet 2 April 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 02-Apr-2009 11:44

1. Closer military co-operation in Afghanistan under security agreement; 2. Aussie special forces kill senior Taliban field commander; 3. Obama's domino theory; 4. U.S. reconciliation offer "lunatic"-Taliban spokesman; 5. Block on Chinese mining bid 'linked to Pine Gap'; 6. Mission creep becomes a national sport; 7. How do you solve a problem like North Korea? Not with force; 8. France to pay $19m for sins of its nuclear blasts.

APSNet 12 March 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 02-Apr-2009 14:13

1. AFP team to help train Afghans; 2. As U.S. weighs Taliban negotiations, Afghans are already talking; 3. Afghanistan: Damning report on intelligence co-operation; 4. Afghanistan: The risk of terror attack is exaggerated; 5. Afghanistan: The imperial unconscious; 6. Rudd’s $35bn folly should be torpedoed; 7. Korea, Australia forge security pact.

APSNet 26 February 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 25-Feb-2009 16:03

1. No Western-Style Democracy in Afghanistan: Angus Houston; 2. China Breaks Its Silence On Afghanistan; 3. Global Crunch Could Scuttle Sale of Submarine Builder ASC; 4. David Irvine Appointed Head of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO); 5. Worst Drought in Half-Century Shrivels the Wheat Belt of China.

APSNet 5 March 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 04-Mar-2009 16:12

1. Global Financial Crisis Stalls Billions in Defence Spending; 2. 28 Charged Over East Timor Attacks; 3. Pakistan's Militants Ready For More; 4. Taliban Rivals Unite to Fight US Troop Surge; 5. Going Green Must Involve Going Nuclear; 6. Russia to Deliver 18 Infantry Fighting Vehicles to Indonesia.

APSNet 2 March 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 01-Mar-2009 17:27

1. Japan's Nuclear Sector Takes Uranium Stake; 2. Secret Talks With Taliban Under Way; 3. Diggers of Chora Defying the Danger; 4. Afghanistan Insurgency Will Never be Defeated: Canadian PM; 5. Aceh on a Knife’s Edge, Sidney Jones; 6. Half of Super Hornets Shipment to be Made Electronic Warfare Ready; 7. Economic Lifeline Cast to Indonesia; 8. PNG Govt Wants to Boost Australian Police Numbers in Hotspots.

APSNet 23 February 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 22-Feb-2009 16:12

1. Jobs Boost From New $15b Submarine Fleet; 2. ADF Prioritises Anti-Rocket Radar System; 3. NATO Allies Reluctant to Increase Afghan Presence; 4. Obama Upholds Detainee Policy in Afghanistan; 5. Pyongyang Needs a Good Neighbour; 6. Gareth Evans: The State Of Nuclear Non-Proliferation; 7. A Strange Tale of Two Diplomats; 8. Defending the Home Front is Top Priority.

APSNet 19 February 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 18-Feb-2009 17:05

1. Australia Offers More Help, Military Training To Pakistan; 2. Is the U.S. Repeating Soviet Mistakes in Afghanistan? 3. Secrecy and Denial as Pakistan Lets CIA Use Airbase to Strike Militants; 4. Afghan Militia Gears Up to Fight the Taliban; 5. The UN's Lame Security Review for Timor-Leste; 6. Australia, Indonesia Discuss Free Trade,

APSNet 16 February 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 15-Feb-2009 16:34

1. Children killed in Taliban Battle; 2. Be Sure of Strategy before Committing to Afghan Surge; 3. Biden to Take up Rudd's Nuclear Arms Push; 4. Serious Failures in $3.8bn Early Warning System; 5. Bougainville Works to Relocate 'Climate Refugees'; 6. Obama's Bush-Like Foreign Policy; 7. The Curious Case of the Fake Policemen; 8. Why Canberra Must Not Meddle in the Rio-Chinalco Deal.

APSNet 12 February 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 11-Feb-2009 16:53

1. Rio, Chinalco Ink $US20b Deal; 2. RI to Purchase Russian Submarine; 3. US, NATO Forces in Advanced Plans to Create Citizen Militias in Afghanistan: Reveals Leaked Email; 4. Taliban Attacks in Kabul Kill 20; 5. Pakistan Isn’t a Sideshow, It’s the Main Event; 6. Rudd Must Not Retreat From Our War Criminals.

APSNet 9 February 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 11-Feb-2009 16:43

1. Diggers Urged to Double Offensive in Afghanistan; 2. Canadian Soldiers to Target Afghan Drug Trade Linked to Taliban; 3. Japan: Defense Chief Likely to Order Antipiracy Mission in March; 4. UK: Letters Prove US Warning; 5. Pakistan Frees Nuclear Dealer in Snub to U.S.; 6. Philippines' Power Dilemma; 7. It's Still a Mad MAD World, But For How Much Longer?

APSNet 5 February 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 04-Feb-2009 16:57

1. Russia says it wants to Help US in Afghanistan; 2. Required Reading on the Pakistani Taliban: Syed Saleem Shahzad; 3. RI Gets Three New Sukhoi, Vows to Strengthen Capacity; 4. Alleged Kingpin Held as Boat Stopped; 5. Jakarta Needs Overhaul in Key Locations; 6. Pledge to Safeguard Military Spending; 7. France's Areva, India Sign Nuclear Reactor Deal.

APSNet 2 February 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 04-Feb-2009 14:51

1. China's $12bn Asset Swoop on Miner Rio Tinto 2. Russia-NATO Agree on Afghan Routes 3. More Troops Not the Answer in Afghanistan 4. Indonesia: The Bakrie Business 5. East Timor: Freedom (Of Speech) Fighter 6. Indonesia: Illegal Fishing by Foreigners ‘Unmanageable’ 7. Indonesia: Muhammadiyah Ready to Help Rohingyas

APSNet 29 January 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 28-Jan-2009 16:11

1. Rudd Kept Silent on Our Nuclear Pact Role; 2. Aides Say Obama’s Afghan Aims Elevate War; 3. Russia Stops US on Road to Afghanistan; 4. Obama's Vietnam? 5. PM's Line in the Sand as Pacific Forum Sets Poll Deadline; 6. Australia to Attend Key African Union Meeting; 7. Policy Forum 09-2A: Ending Somalian Piracy: Pitfalls and Possibilities of Australian Naval Intervention and Long-Term Human Security Policy Initiatives - Carolin Liss.

APSNet 22 January 2009 — by Arabella Imhoff — last modified 22-Jan-2009 18:50

1. Afghanistan Seeks Control over NATO Deployments; 2. Brits 'Misled' Diggers on Atomic Tests; 3. Join Statement between the Indonesian National Defence Force and the Australian Defence Force on Indonesian-Australian Defence Cooperation; 4. Legitimacy of the Court’s Decision in the Case relating to the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF); 5. US Set To Link Aid to Progress on Terrorism; 6. U.S. Secures New Supply Routes to Afghanistan

APSNet 19 January 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 20-Jan-2009 12:20

1. Troops to Train with Jakarta Force Once Linked to Terrorists; 2. Confusion Clouds Afghanistan Talks; 3. Timor Officials 'Took' $13.3 Million; 4. Secure Afghanistan; 5. Canberra Hikes Fiji Aid Relief to $3m; Policy Forum 09-1A: The Muria Peninsula Nuclear Power Proposal: State of Play - Richard Tanter with Arabella Imhoff

APSNet 15 January 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 18-Jan-2009 15:33

1. Australia and Indonesia Sign Agreement to Improve Security Cooperation; 2. The Afghan Scam: The Untold Story of Why the U.S. Is Bound to Fail in Afghanistan; 3. About-face Likely on Gulf illness; 4. Detainee Tortured, Says U.S. Official; 5. India and the US Talk Missile Defense; 6. Dengue Spreads in Northern Australia; Worst Outbreak Since 2004.

APSNet 12 January 2009 — by Jonathan O'Donnell — last modified 18-Jan-2009 15:32

1. Nautilus Awarded Australia-Japan Foundation Grant for Nuclear Disarmament Study; 2. Australian Forces Kill Taliban Leader: Defence; 3. Aim to Withdraw Diggers from Afghanistan by 2012; 4. Navy Plans Pirate Fight; 5. Defence Warns of Climate Conflict; 6. Navy Puts Focus on Security in Straits of Malacca; 7. Failure of Justice in Indonesia.