Between the Lines

It was called Russia-gate and it’s now been found to have been a complete fabrication. It was based on the widespread claim that Donald Trump was a Kremlin agent, and his victory in the presidential election in 2016 was due to his campaign’s collusion with Russia.

If the west’s wealth is based on slavery, should reparations be paid? Or does Africa instead need moral accountability from its own leaders and honesty among its intellectuals about what the trans-Atlantic trade entailed.

A new book tells the stories of people who took part in the Cultural Revolution and what is has cost them. It also examines its importance and its connection to China today.

Kim Yo Jong is the sister of North Korean dictator, Kim Jong Un. She’s known as the most powerful woman in the hermit kingdom. Could she also be her brother’s successor?

We look at why pro-interventionist views dominate the front pages and media airwaves.

We look back at a year that many want to see the back of. From the war in Ukraine to conflict in the Middle East and a polarised and deeply divided America. 

China is addicted to Australian gas and coal – but it’s leading the world towards a greener future. How has China come to dominate the renewables market so dramatically?

One of America’s foremost foreign policy thinkers, Eliot Cohen defends Israel's offensive in Gaza and is critical of UN Secretary General Antonio Gutteres' statements about the conflict. Mr Cohen, a leading neo conservative, is no fan of Donald Trump and says he may not get the chance to run in next year's presidential election.

Will events in the Middle East continue to overshadow what’s happening in Ukraine? Kyiv says it's concerned that the conflict is now becoming a 'sideshow'.

Political analysts in Britain says it's the last roll of the dice for prime minister Rishi Sunak and the conservative government. The Tories have resurrected former PM, David Cameron is a desperate bid to inject stability into a government already running on empty.

Both China and Australia have hailed the thaw in diplomatic relations, following the PM’s visit to Beijing and Shanghai. So, does this reset the relationship with China? – and what is Beijing hoping to gain from a warming relationship with Australia?

A look at what lies behind the sad state of today’s Republicans — the party of Lincoln, Eisenhower and Reagan. 

A fascinating perspective from Professor John Mearsheimer on the situation in the Middle East, the Russia Ukraine war and America's pivot to Asia in a bid to to contain a rising China

Earlier this year the Voice campaign was ahead. It had the backing of corporates, philanthropists, unions - even sporting codes. So what happened that made it fail so spectacularly?

Hamas’s surprise attack, Israel’s response and what this war means for the broader Persian Gulf. 

The Canadian-born British businessman who built one of the world's largest newspaper groups in the 1990's ruminates on  his rivalry with Rupert Murdoch, Donald Trump's second run for presidency and the threat to free speech that is ‘cancel culture’.

Many Americans think Joe Biden is too old to run for president again in 2024. So, is he a dangerous choice for the Democrats? And could Donald Trump defeat him in next November's election?

Is our past being misrepresented in our schools, cultural institutions and broader society? Is it correct to present the history of the West as one only of shame, apology and reparations?

The Voice commands massive financial support from big business and the rich philanthropists, yet public support is declining. Why?

It was a presidential election Hubert Humphrey versus Richard Nixon and it was marked by bitterness arising from the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.

As the Northern Winter approaches, speculation is rife that Russia will now try to freeze Kyiv into submission by targeting gas and electricity supply.

In 2014 Islamic State, or ISIS, shocked the world by capturing the northern Iraqi city of Mosul and went on to seize large parts of western Iraq and eastern Syria. But in three short years it lost it all. So, why is ISIS much reduced from the all-conquering force it once was, and could it make a comeback?

How successful are Indonesian rehabilitation programs and how are authorities dealing with recidivists?

Biden’s greatest vulnerability is his age. Trump’s greatest vulnerability is, well, Trump. And, his legal troubles could get worse in the next year. What could possibly go wrong? 

One observer says Ukrainians remain determined to do whatever it takes to defeat Russia

Is the Uluru Statement from the Heart "militant"? and are the Commonwealth Games beyond saving ?

One historian says 1848 can’t be dismissed as a political dead end and was “the only truly European revolution that there has ever been.”

Has a 17-year-old Brisbane schoolboy got the answer to our energy woes?

Is Vladimir Putin out for the count? A new strain of Covid is on the way - but do we care? and the latest on the Voice

Could China's meddling in Canadian politics bring down Justin Trudeau? Tony Abbott on the Libs demise & The Voice and why Trump and Johnson lost high office for similar reasons

North Korea's nuclear ambitions and it's ring of steel, a look back at Gough Whitlam's foreign policy and is Ukraine's fight Australia's fight?

Is US support for Ukraine waning? The Russia-gate lie and how the media fell for it and what would a Trump comeback mean for Australia?

Why support is waning for The Voice, Syria's Assad coming in from the cold and the fight to free Hong Kong's billionaire pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai 

Albo's report card after 12 months as PM, a shock result in the Thai elections and the life and times of US statesman George Schultz.

Daniel Gordis reflects on Israel’s achievements over the past 75 years and discusses the challenges ahead. Ken Setiawan and Greg Earl consider how history should treat Suharto, Indonesian’s longest serving president. Simon Heffer responds to the critics of British colonialism and empire.

Two young Australians debate who should be Australia’s Head of State. Matthew Dallek’s new book: How the John Birch society radicalised the American right. Australia's pre-eminent foreign policy practitioner - the late Allan Gyngell.

Alexander Downer sees an unwanted trend in Australian political debate. Democrat Julian Epstein explains why he’s no fan of Biden’s 2024 run for President. Amy Nelson assesses the risks and dangers posed by Europe's largest nuclear power plant that's in the middle of a war zone in Ukraine.

Mary Dejevsky on France’s President Macron’s and his vision for a more independent Europe. Prominent right of centre commentator Chris Kenny explains why he supports the Voice. Eric Boehm examines the shifting politics behind the DeSantis - Disney feud.

Shireen Morris and Greg Sheridan discuss the case for and against The Voice. Gerard Henderson acknowledges that the Liberal party does face major problems but warns it's premature to, once again, write their obituary                                                                        .

Andrew Neil surveys the state of politics around the world and asks if could we see a replay of Biden vs Trump in 2024? Caroline Overington explains why children's books shouldn't be rewritten or sensitised.

Sophie Pedder on French politics and why President Macron is so unpopular. Rajiv Chandrasekaran explains why recovery took so long and what life is like in Iraq today. Jeffrey Wall and how sport can enhance Australia’s standing in the Pacific.

Peter Hartcher responds to Paul Keating’s concerns over AUKUS. David Frum on divisions over foreign policy and Ukraine in the |Republican Party. Su-Lin Ong and Jo Masters consider Australia’s economic outlook in turbulent times.

20 years after the 'coalition of the willing' confronted Iraq's Saddam Hussein –why did it happen and was it a big mistake?South Africa has deep connections to Soviet Union yet claims to be non aligned — so how does it navigate the tricky path between the great powers

Stephen Walt considers America's place in a world where it no longer enjoys unchallenged primacy. How South-East Asia views Australia's new security and defence pacts. Isabel Oakeshott on the UK's pandemic response.

Barclay Bram and why the reluctance to have children in China. Mahir Momand compares life in Afghanistan before and after the withdrawal of US troops. Parnell McGuiness asks is it a public debate or a culture war.

Mary Dejevsky examines the political aftershocks in Turkey, Syria and beyond. Bjorn Lomborg and why we’re not on track to meet UN 2030 sustainable development goals. James Mann reflects on President Jimmy Carter's foreign policy legacy.

Walter Russell Mead considers what an Arab – Israeli alliance might mean for the Palestinians. Neil Brown, a former coalition frontbencher, explains why he’s dissatisfied with the modern-day Liberal party. Hazel Edwards discusses the writer and cultural appropriation.

Ted Galen Carpenter discusses his new book Unreliable Watchdog: The News Media and U.S. Foreign Policy. Amanda Hodge reports on resistance and a protracted insurgency in Myanmar. Charlie Cooper explains why Europe is in better shape than expected after round 1 of its energy war with Russia.