Defining Strategic Risk to the State
What is a strategic ‘risk’ to the state, and what should a liberal-democratic state employ to address such a risk? Identify one major strategic risk in explaining your response.
Strategic risk to the state refers to the potential for the state’s surroundings to intimidate the Government’s ability to implement a strategy. They include; strategic military, political, economic, social, or cultural risks. However, when we talk about a liberal state like Australia, one of the most important strategic risks it faces is the state’s cyber security attack that occurred in June 2020, targeting government institutions in all their sectors (Australian Cyber Security Centre, 2020). The Australian Cyber-security Centre, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, and the Australian Federal Police worked with several government organizations to protect Australians from cyber security threats and cybercriminals. In addition, the Ministry of Home Affairs worked on the Ransomware Action Plan. This scheme identifies the capabilities that Australia uses to combat Ransomware.
Moreover, a cyber-security strategy was developed in August 2020 (3MB PDF) instead of a cyber-security strategy in 2016 (2MB PDF), and they have established an advisory group to support the status of Australian Internet security (Department of Home Affairs, 2021). Australian President Scott Morrison also stated that in support of improving cyber security, we would expand our efforts to raise awareness of cyber security threats and expand the 24/7 hotline offering cyber security advice to families and older persons. And improve the security of the vital infrastructure for protecting our economy and establishing a security framework to ensure that we can operate quickly in an emergency (Prime minister of Australia, 2020).
Conclusively, Australia is still strengthening its capabilities to combat cyber-attacks and enhance the security of its defenses to preserve information because it is in a phase of rapid digitization and because the digital economy is the future of Australia’s economy, which brings with it several weaknesses as organizations conform to the expanding risk profile.
References:
Australian Cyber Security Centre. “ACSC Annual Cyber Threat Report, July 2019 to June 2020.” ACSC Annual Cyber Threat Report, July 2019 to June 2020 | Cyber.gov.au, 3 September 2020, https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/view-all-content/reports-and-statistics/acsc-annual-cyber-threat-report-july-2019-june-2020.
Prime Ministry of Australia. “Australia’s 2020 Cyber Security Strategy.” Australian Government Crest, 6 August 2020, https://www.pm.gov.au/media/australias-2020-cyber-security-strategy.
Department of Home Affairs. “Cyber Security.” Australia’s Ransomware Action Plan, 13 October 2021, https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/about-us/our-portfolios/cyber-security/strategy/australias-ransomware-action-plan.
Clausewitz defined the nature of war as the ‘trinity’ represented by the people, the military, and the Government. These three aspects influence the behavior of a state and its ability to wage war. In regards to ‘the people, it is argued that one must examine a people’s motivation, dedication, and support of their Government.
Based on that, what is an example where Australia has deployed force overseas without majority popular support? Was ‘victory’ achieved in that conflict/war? If not, was it possible for victory, and how?
Australia deployed its forces abroad in several wars. Still, according to Clausewitz, we can say that Australia’s deployment of its forces alongside American forces during the Vietnam War from 1965-to 1972 and the associated conscription after World War II is the clearest example of what Prime Minister Robert Menzies decided at the time of Sending troops to Vietnam. This was to reinforce relations with the United States and stop the spread of socialism in Southeast Asia (National Museum Australia, 2022).
Identifying Australia’s Strategic Risk
During that time, the decision to send Australian troops to Vietnam increased the number of groups opposed to the war. The number of popular opponents increased further when another pamphlet was announced to be sent to Vietnam, where 46% of opponents were voters and 37% were supporters when opponents outstripped supporters (Department of Veterans Affairs, 2020). In the meantime, the largest protests in Australia’s history, known as The Vietnam moratorium protests4, emerged. Still, the defeat was not because of those protests and dissent, as stated by the Coalition Government in power:” unlikely that the Opposition would have mounted a major challenge to the Government’s policy” (Parliament of Australia 2013, Tab. 1, conflict. 6).
Protests and demonstrations played a small role in its defeat in the war, as Australia withdrew its forces after large protests in front of Parliament House in Canberra, where the reasons for the victory of North Vietnam over South Vietnam were. Firstly, the superweapons used by Americans and Australians are ineffective in a country that uses guerrilla tactics and dense forests as cover, and Vietcong had high experience in American tactics. Secondly, The Vietnamese are mainly loyal to their leaders, who have already undertaken reforms in the north. This shows that the people have a great role in the ability to wage war. Thirdly, the Vietcong know Vietnam’s terrain, winning the hearts of the Vietnamese people by helping them and living in their villages. It’s difficult to defeat mines and tunnels in these dense forests, which shows how difficult it is to defeat them (BBC NEWS, 2022).
References:
BBC bitesize. “North Vietnam – Why the USA Lost the War in Vietnam BBC Bitesize.” BBC News, BBC, 2022, https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z342mp3/revision/4.
Department of Veterans Affairs. (2020), Public opinion, DVA Anzac Portal, accessed 6 April 2022, https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/vietnam-war-1962-1975/events/public-opinion.
National Archives of Australia. “Protest against the Vietnam War outside Old Parliament House.”, National Archives of Australia, 11 August 2014, https://www.naa.gov.au/learn/learning-resources/learning-resource-themes/war/vietnam-war/protest-against-vietnam-war-outside-old-parliament-house.
National Museum of Australia; Lawson Crescent, Acton Peninsula. “Australian Troops Committed to Vietnam.” National Museum of Australia, National Museum of Australia, 6 April. 2022, https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/Australian-troops-committed-to-Vietnam.
Parliament of Australia, Parliament House, Canberra. “Parliamentary Involvement in Declaring War and Deploying Forces Overseas.” Home – Parliament of Australia, 18 February 2013, https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/0910/ParliamentaryInvolvement#_Toc257028836
What is a major strategic mistake Australia has committed since the end of the Second World War? With your chosen example, outline why its leaders/decision-makers thought it was a “good idea at the time”?
During the end of World War II, or specifically at the fall of Singapore in 1942, Singapore’s strategy, which was a turning point for Australia, failed to reconsider its alliance with Britain. However, what happened during the Coral Sea War was the reason for Australia’s decisive decision to deflect Britain because of its diminished military and security support.
Australia was forced to strengthen its relationship with the United States of America and seek support and protection from them, following which Prime Minister Curtin’s words:
“I state unequivocally that Australia looks to America, devoid of any qualms about our traditional ties or kinship with the United Kingdom… We will devote all of our efforts to developing a strategy, with the United States as its cornerstone that will offer our country some assurance that it will be strong enough to hold out until the tide of battle turns against the enemy” (National Museum Australia 2022, para. 30).
Addressing Australia’s Cybersecurity Threats
Moreover, during the Second World War, Australia was forced to allow women due to serve men in the war to take up men’s jobs temporarily until the end of the war and was expected women to give up those jobs to men who returned from the war. Still, their transition from those jobs was challenging as they were encouraged to return to their home (Australia Information, 2022).
In the meantime, the Australian Government has launched a massive immigration program because it believes it can increase its population and thus protect and develop its continent after what happened in the Pacific Ocean War.
As Arthur Calwell 1945, Australia’s first Minister of Immigration, said;
” We cannot retain and protect our continent for our grandchildren and us unless we increase its population, and our need to do so is urgent if we want to survive” (National Museum Australia 2022, para. 7)
References:
Australia Information. 2022. “Women In Wartime.” Info.Australia.Gov.Au. https://info.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/women-in-wartime
Nation Museum of Australia. 2022. “Postwar Immigration Drive | National Museum Of Australia”. Nma.Gov.Au. https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/postwar-immigration-drive#:~:text=Between%201945%20and%201965%2C%20two,of%20the%20
Nation Museum of Australia. 2022. “Fall Of Singapore.” Nma.Gov.Au. https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/fall-of-singapore.
To what extent are T. E. Lawrence (i.e. ‘Lawrence of Arabia’) and Mao Tse Tung’s ideas about irregular warfare applicable to conflict and war in the twenty-first Century?
Lawrence’s analysis elements and personal treaties are considered significant despite being created in desert situations and are merely valid in any other situation over the years. The element of algebra is referred to as the variables. The recognized variables of the conflict are calculated to reach definite conclusions, which include inorganic aspects such as railways, hills, weather, and other recognized features like men in the mass, space and time, and natural help considered in the description. Also, the critical idea in the element of psychological means the amendment of the strength of the crowd and person to be capable of using it in deeds towards a requited purpose. The biological element was seen as the connection between the organism and its surroundings. Hence, if this was measured as humanity in conflict, the material could not be expelled (Freedman, 2013). Lawrence’s investigation element remains valid in the existing world in the psychoanalysis of any conflict circumstances. He used the touchable assets and quantifiable operating field, the value of the magnitude in those above and the commander’s assessment thereof, and the psychologically-manipulating aspects in reviewing the Arab condition. However, if the elements are properly applied, the assessment leads to the best way and manner of action, concluding that an indirect approach is necessary. Mao Tse Tung’s thoughts are also applicable in the 21st Century, such as the state of stability between the activist and the adversary. The population continues to be instructed by political deeds and misinformation. The management of the increasing base places becomes more and more complicated, making mobilization of people and resources for armed purposes (Lovett, 2015). Also, Mao’s decisive ideas enabled the revolutionaries to take the unpleasant, seize the plan, and the campaign terminated with the eradication of the opposing forces in an open fight.
References
Freedman, Lawrence(2013)Strategy: A HistoryOxford: Oxford University Press
Lawrence, T. E.(2015)Seven Pillars of Wisdom New YorkOpen Road.
Lovett, Darin J.(2015)Space Power for Australia’s Security – Grand Strategy or Strategy of Grandeur Air Power Development Centre (RAAF)
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