Can Marles handle the heat at NATO?

In a new article for The Australian, Dr Ian Langford, Executive Director of Security & Defence PLuS, argues that Australia stands at a strategic crossroads as Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles prepares for a potential meeting with Donald Trump on the margins of the NATO summit. Amid intensifying global instability and a review of the AUKUS submarine transfer in Washington, Langford writes that Australia’s approach is marked by “drift, hedging and strategic ambiguity” when clear strategic choices are needed. Rather than retreating from its alliance with the US, he contends, Australia must re-engage with urgency and purpose.

Langford highlights growing threats in the Indo-Pacific and a lack of credible answers to regional crises, underscoring the urgency of investment in “fight tonight” capabilities. He warns that Australia’s strategic posture is undermined by a failure to secure public and political buy-in for the sacrifices required. He writes:

“Defence cannot succeed in a vacuum. It requires the support of an informed public, an engaged industry and a political leadership willing to confront hard truths.”

Read the full piece on The Australian: Can Marles handle the heat at NATO?