Testing Middle Power Theory: Brazil and Australia’s China Relationships in the Emerging Geopolitical Order

02/11/2026 By Robbin Laird February 7, 2026, The Wall Street Journal published an interesting article entitled, Squeezed by U.S. and China, the World's Middle Powers are Teaming Up. Upon reading this article, I wanted to take that assessment and compare it to the findings in my forthcoming book with Ken Maxwell on the relationships of Brazil and Australia with China, a… Read more »

Redefining Fighter Pilot Training for the Age of Chaos Management

02/10/2026 By Robbin Laird For generations, military aviation followed a familiar rhythm. Crises escalated in predictable sequences. Training focused on perfecting physical flying skills. Pilots mastered their aircraft through countless hours of stick-and-rudder practice, building muscle memory that would serve them throughout their careers. That era, according to defense experts examining the future of air combat, is definitively over. We have… Read more »

Clearing Strategic Space: But the Venezuela Intervention Needs a Comprehensive Follow-on Strategy

02/03/2026 By Robbin Laird The Trump Administration decision to intervene in Venzuela was certainly a decisive act. But acts are not strategies. My own sense is that the intervention opened up new strategic possibilities. To explore this idea, I had the chance on January 21, 2026 to talk with one of the most articulate analysts of the issue, Gilbert Guerra. Gil… Read more »

Rear Admiral Ed Gilbert and the Coast Guard’s Strategic Voice: Shaping the National Security Narrative

02/02/2026 During the first Obama Administration, as American defense policy pivoted toward Asia and grappled with budget pressures following the financial crisis, a critical question emerged: Where did the United States Coast Guard fit in the nation's strategic framework? For decades, the Coast Guard had operated somewhat in the shadows of national security discussions, its contributions often underappreciated or misunderstood by… Read more »

The Dangerous Divide: Australia’s Two Voices on the China Challenge

01/29/2026 By Robbin Laird November 2025 articles published in The Australian reveal a troubling disconnect at the heart of Australian policy toward China, one that raises fundamental questions about how democracies should respond to authoritarian pressure while maintaining essential economic relationships. The contrast between Foreign Minister Penny Wong's carefully calibrated diplomatic messaging and the stark, unvarnished warnings from Australia's intelligence chiefs… Read more »

Beyond Professional Forces: The Imperative of Whole-of-Society Defence

01/28/2026 By Robbin Laird My latest book on Australian defence has focused on the significant challenge facing liberal democracies to develop credible defense in depth capabilities that extend far beyond traditional force structures to encompass whole-of-society considerations. The contemporary security environment demands a fundamental reimagining of how nations prepare for, deter, and respond to existential threats. The lessons learned from ongoing… Read more »