Between the Lines

If Trump is impeached, can American politics regain the trust of the voting public? Either way, there is no guarantee that the Democrats will win the 2020 election. Pat Buchanan, author and former adviser to presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Eleanor Clift, columnist with The Daily Beast and a contributor to MSNBC. Also, with the benefit of hindsight: Jacques Chirac had one of the longest...

The US wants Iran's 'exploratory violence' to be discussed at this week's UN General Assembly. Both American and Saudi officials blame Iran for an attack on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia. And despite Donald Trump's attempt to rally the support of other countries, he plays down chances of a military strike. Professor Amin Saikal, middle-east specialist at the ANU and author of Iran rising, the sur...

The PM is invited to a rare state dinner at the Whitehouse. And although the relationship between Morrison and Trump is warm, could it be over before the main course arrives if they clash over China's increased assertiveness? Paul Dibb, emeritus professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific. Also When it comes to philanthropy, Americans are...

Boris Johnson has one job: to make Brexit happen. But three years after the vote to depart the EU, the British parliament sits stagnant. No divorce deal. No general election. And with the prime minister describing the October 31 deadline as 'do or die', is there a chance it won't happen at all? Simon Heffer, British commentator, historian and author of Staring at God- Britain 1914-1919. Also Rober...

The Islamic world has a blind spot when it comes to China's treatment of the Muslim community. Beijing's brutality of the ethnic Uighurs in the north-west province of Xinjiang continues to anger countries around the world. Should Australia step-up its opposition to Xi Jinping's regime and risk losing our most important trade relationship? Daniel Pipes, president of the Middle East Forum in Philade...

We are running out of energy so why not consider the nuclear option? Whether it is an act of war, the result of a natural disaster, a side-effect of testing or a total accident, nuclear energy and waste have resulted in too many catastrophes. Now it is being considered in parliament as an alternative solution to dwindling energy. Is it possible to forget the past in order to embrace the future? Ad...

80 years after the genocide of 6 million Jews, anti-Semitism is alive and well in Australia and around the globe. For many, the legacy of the Holocaust is not enough to curb discriminating, victimising and in some cases, attacking Jewish people. Holocaust deniers say it didn't happen in the first place. Deborah Lipstadt says that the problems they face come from both sides of the political fence....

Does symbolism like constitutional recognition and changing Australia Day, distract us from addressing the disadvantage of being an indigenous Australian? Jacinta Price says it does. Her upcoming nationwide tour is called Minding the gap: bridging the indigenous divide Jacinta Price, Warlpiri-Celtic woman, director of indigenous research at the Centre for Independent Studies. Also Three years on f...

Australia enjoys the best of both worlds- free trade with China and a strong alliance with the US. How much longer can it last? US Secretary of State says Australia can either 'sell your soul for a pile of soybeans, or you can protect your people.' Could this kind of rhetoric widen the gap between two of the most powerful nations in the world, forcing Australia to 'choose a side'? Kevin Rudd, form...

Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un continue to make strange bedfellows despite ongoing disagreement about nuclear weaponry. Can the relationship between the mogul US President and the enigmatic leader of North Korea promise anything other than a good photo opportunity? Anna Fifield, Asia correspondent for the Washington Post and author of The Great Successor: the secret rise and rule of Kim Jong Un Anna...

Who is Britain’s new prime minister Boris Johnson? Is he competent and serious enough to be PM? Or is he just a gaffe-prone joker, who flies by the seat of pants? And is he likely to deliver Brexit?

Is nationalism an excuse for world domination? If you have an arsenal of weapons like the US does, you need a more nuanced catch-phrase than 'America first' if you don't want to start a war. Brendon O'Connor, Associate Professor in American Politics, United States Studies Centre , University of Sydney, co-author of Ideologies of American Foreign Policy Joseph Sternberg explains that the challenges...

Iran is working towards weapons-grade uranium power. Sanctions are not working to prevent them. Nor is global condemnation. Will warnings from the US contain the country's resolve or will Donald Trump lead a military crack-down on the rogue state? Clifford May, founder and president of the Foundation for Defence of Democracies. Amin Saikal, Director of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at th...

The disparity between rich and poor is rapidly growing. Could socialism be the answer to narrow the gap? The claim is that many do not understand the history of the political movement. But without other options on the table shouldn't we start to look forward towards a new socialism, rather than back on the mistakes of the past?

Israel Folau is no longer in the news for his talent as a rugby player. He is now the lightning rod for debate about freedom of speech, religious expression, discrimination and homophobia. Is he responsible for any of this or is he just a bit player in a large-scale community dilemma? And Animal Justice Party's Emma Hurst takes veganism to the NSW Upper House.

Commentators say that by withdrawing the US from international agreements, Trump has left a void in world leadership. But is he really to blame for the unravelling of the liberal international order? John Mearsheimer says that this is simply not true. Also, Malcolm Turnbull is said to have been responsible for the swing against the coalition in the 2016 election. He was the fourth prime minister i...

Gerard Henderson says despite the forecast by the academics, the polls and the pundits, there is no substitute for 'staying in touch' with the voting public. Also, 70 years after the establishment of NATO the threat that justified its creation has long gone. With the benefit of hindsight, wasn't the increased numbers of member states a dangerous idea?

Despite the Chinese warships entering Sydney Harbour this week, Australia's relationship with China is still mostly influenced by the US.

As the shock of the federal election begins to wear off we are hearing more and more about the so-called 'quiet Australians' and If Theresa May can't implement Brexit, who can? As the Conservatives scramble to replace their leader, the Brexit party is gaining momentum.

How did we miss the signs that Scott Morrison would win the election? Also, whatever your opinions, Donald Trump and Ronald Reagan appeal to the public.

Australia needs a Shorten government so we can experience 'buyer's regret'. So says conservative Janet Albrechtsen while on the other side of the Indian Ocean, despite the work of Nelson Mandela, many South Africans choose not to vote.

Are our major political parties offering a choice or an echo? Also, Australian honeybees are hot property overseas but for how long? As the only country to avoid the deadly varroa mite, others turn to Australia to share ideas on how to improve the health of bees globally.

Forty years after the 'Iron Lady' was elected into office, Britain looks like it may be lurching to the left. While in the US, the country has long-believed that democracy is exportable, all it requires is intervention. Ted Galen Carpenter disagrees. He says that many of the countries who benefit from American support are 'anything but proponents of democracy'.