Writer
John McCarthy
John McCarthy AO is a senior advisor to Asialink and former Australian Ambassador to the United States, Indonesia and Japan, and High Commissioner to India.
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There is more to Sri Lanka than boats and the Rajapaksa family
In the past 15 years, Australians have become used to thinking of Sri Lanka mainly as an island from where boats filled with asylees – and other venturesome folk – seek illegally to reach our shores. Continue reading »
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The Pelosi provocation-“All Politics Is Local” – until it isn’t
Years ago, one of Nancy Pelosi’s most noteworthy predecessors as Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Tip O’Neill, uttered the famous phrase: “All politics is local”. These words may have been on Pelosi’s mind when she decided to go to Taiwan. Continue reading »
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The international prime minister
Anthony Albanese is right to be taking time to meet key international leaders in his early days. But he faces a bigger task at home to create awareness of the growing challenges Australia faces in its immediate region. Continue reading »
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Foreign policy needs priority and balance
In the 1972 film, The Candidate, Robert Redford played a United States Senate hopeful, who, having unexpectedly won, turned to his political strategist and asked, “Marvin, what do we do now?” Continue reading »
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Ukraine defeat would smash the West’s global reputation.
Putin won’t go home without concessions from NATO, but that would involve a climbdown by the alliance that would damage the West’s reputation. Continue reading »
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It’s time for Australia to be a ‘smart power’ country
Australia has paid scant attention to the exercise of ‘soft’ power in recent years, but its effective use is a matter of national interest. Continue reading »
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AUKUS: We are moving fast from being a country with the self-respect of true independence.
The main British objective under their appalling political leadership seems to be to find something meaningful to do after the Brexit debacle… Joe Biden could not even remember Scott Morrison’s name. Continue reading »
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The shame of Kabul
Australia’s messy exit from Kabul is likely to be recorded in history as a moment of national ignominy. Continue reading »
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Afghanistan visa issue shows what Australia really is
The current debate about visas for Afghans poses questions about the sort of people we are. Continue reading »
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G7: Australia on the world stage for the wrong reasons
In summits, those involved never get everything they want. The trick is to persuade your audience – particularly your domestic one – that you have got most of it. Continue reading »
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Australia needs to draw a line between policy and posturing on China
The past few weeks have confirmed that the strategic parameters of our regional policy are basically sound. However, the self-righteousness of some of our statements and actions demonstrate overreach inconsistent with the national interest. Continue reading »
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The Biden-Suga agreement shows the importance of the Western Pacific
The primary importance of the Biden-Suga summit is that Mr Suga was the first foreign leader to be received by President Biden in Washington. The second such visitor will be President Moon of South Korea – not Britain’s Boris Johnson or Germany’s Angela Merkel. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is nowhere in sight. Continue reading »
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Can soft power contain China?
The Quad had its origins in efforts to deal collectively with the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, an effective use of soft power. Since then the Quad has grown haphazardly into a regional vehicle for the United States, Japan, India and Australia to make common cause against China. Continue reading »
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Skilled operators: Europe is back in the Indo Pacific
The US might be coming back to the region, but so too is Europe, a nod to the fact that the central locus of global economic weight and geopolitical activity has moved. However, we need to beware the excessive zeal of Boris Johnson. Continue reading »
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Trump, the Capitol and the erosion of reputation
Can a country so bitterly divided be an effective global leader. Its system is seen to have failed. It is perceived as at war with itself . … America’s international reputation has tumbled mightily. Continue reading »
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Biden and South East Asia (Asialink Nov 24, 2020
Three weeks after the election, there is plenty of evidence that Biden and the emerging Democrat foreign policy team -in-waiting appreciate the strategic challenges facing President Elect Biden both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific. Continue reading »
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What will Australia and Japan want from Joe Biden? (AFR Nov 16, 2020)
Mr. Morrison’s foreign policy initiatives usually suggest determination rather than calibration. But today’s visit to Tokyo is notable for both. In the time of Corona, it is gutsy in domestic terms -and considered international policy. Continue reading »
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The dangers of excessive foreign policy zeal in dealing with China.
We have displayed excessive zeal in embarking on wholesale policing of university agreements with foreign institutions, in the highly publicised raids on a third-tier Labor politician in Sydney who has no access to issues relevant to our national security, in the questioning of Chinese journalists here and, above all, in the much publicised attempt to Continue reading »
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Thailand’s political fault lines grow
The Bangkok student demonstrations over the past few weeks represent another of the manifestations of discontent about Thai governance, which, over the past couple of generations, have burst through the fault lines of the Thai polity. Continue reading »
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Biden and Australia (Asia Link Sep 8, 2020)
With the polls pointing to a Joe Biden victory in the US presidential race, the stakes for Australia, and its interests in a stable Indo-Pacific, are high. Former ambassador to the United States and Asialink senior adviser John McCarthy breaks down some of the likely foreign policy trends under a Biden presidency and points to Continue reading »
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After AUSMIN: How to Ensure Strong Ties to the US and Asia
Following the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) on 28 July, former ambassador to Washington, John McCarthy, argues our strengthening alliance with the US does not preclude building closer relations with Asia, including a potential modus vivendi with China. Continue reading »
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Japan is handling relations with China better than Australia.
Scott Morrison is shortly to have a virtual meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Abe, to be followed by an official visit to Japan when COVID 19 permits. Morrison is taking Japan seriously. Good. Continue reading »
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Vietnam’s remarkable rise deserves more attention from Canberra
Vietnam’s response to COVID-19 has highlighted its competence as a country. It has unequivocally won the peace. It manages its relations with China with firmness and diplomacy. Continue reading »
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Covid-19, Trump, Xi and Canberra (AFR 22.4.2020)
Australia’s decision to spearhead an international enquiry into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic –read China’s lack of transparency and the WHO’s mistakes –is a nice hoary bellow from our domestic political ramparts, but it is a policy mistake. Continue reading »
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JOHN MCCARTHY. Beyond the Pandemic
Australia can no longer rely on the US for our security shield. Australia must secure longterm multilateral structures with our south-east Asian neighbours in order to better prepare ourselves for the world after the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading »
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JOHN MCCARTHY. Reflections on the Accidental Independence of East Timor.(The Strategist 18.1.2020)
Every country has its legends. They may be important to national self-esteem, but they’re not necessarily good history. Continue reading »
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JOHN MCCARTHY. The Morrison Doctrine.
Dear Prime Minister, I see you are developing a foreign policy doctrine of your own. Good. We haven’t had one for a while. Congratulations on taking this stuff seriously. The management of our external environment will be your toughest job as Prime minister. Our external challenges are of a scale not seen since the Pacific Continue reading »
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Forging a national consensus on Australia’s external security (The Strategist, 19 Aug 2019)
With the federal election out of the way, and some welcome stability in the leadership of the major political parties in prospect, Australia now faces the challenge of forging a national consensus on an external security policy that reflects our self-confidence and maturity as a nation. Continue reading »
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JOHN MCCARTHY. Enter, Boris.
Engaging in meetings and over dinner in London recently with British figures observing or involved in the Brexit process brought home that, while Australians follow the Brexit drama, we know little of its detail. We enjoy the sport, but try explaining the Irish Backstop in your local pub. Continue reading »
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JOHN McCARTHY. The Darroch Affair.
The comments from Sir Kim Darroch, British Ambassador to Washington, in a wad of his classified messages to London are a juicy read. President Trump “radiates insecurity” while his administration is “uniquely dysfunctional” and riven by “knife fights”. Trump could very well “crash and burn”. Leaked to the Mail on Sunday, they have cost him Continue reading »
