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Almost 20 years ago, the September 11 attacks left the United States and its allies reeling – and looking for answers and retribution.
In the days after the Twin Towers fell, Prime Minister John Howard invoked the ANZUS Treaty over the “heinous crimes”. By October 22 2001, Howard and Labor leader Kim Beazley were farewelling our special forces soldiers. No one thought Australia’s involvement would last for another six prime ministerships.
Australia withdrew its combat troops at the end of 2013, but about 80 military personnel are still there. On Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced they would come home, as US troops also leave, by September this year.
Today, Australian National University professor John Blaxland reflects on Australia’s longest war, and what was achieved and what was lost.
As he writes, “[our] lack of involvement in international strategy formulation left Australia vulnerable to incoherent policy-making and planning by US political and military leaders”.
Jared Mondschein of Sydney University’s US Studies Centre looks at the withdrawal from America’s perspective. He asks the questions on many people’s minds: “what was it all for?”
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Judith Ireland
Deputy Editor, Politics + Society
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Department of Defence/AAP
John Blaxland, Australian National University
Afghanistan sharpened Australia's fighting capacity and capability. But we were still part of a spectacular failure of political and military leadership.
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David Goldman/AP
Jared Mondschein, University of Sydney
As President Joe Biden said on announcing the US troop withdrawal by September, 'our reasons for remaining in Afghanistan have become increasingly unclear'.
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Mick Tsikas/AAP
Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Christine Holgate's evidence before a senate inquiry on Tuesday delivered some wounding blows to Scott Morrison
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AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
Nareen Young, University of Technology Sydney
Workplace bullying and harassment has many guises. Sometimes, it is gendered. Sometimes it is racist. For women of colour, it's often both.
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Shutterstock
Don Driscoll, Deakin University
Victoria's plan has flaws, but it's still likely to bring the feral horse problem under control, and will do a lot better than the very low benchmark set by NSW.
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KYDPL KYODO/AP
Craig Mark, Kyoritsu Women's University
How Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government handles the games may just determine its fate in elections this year.
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Business + Economy
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Richard Holden, UNSW
Christine Holgate's demise over luxury watches shows public-sector norms and private-sector competition don't mix well.
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Tom Barratt, Edith Cowan University; Alex Veen, University of Sydney; Caleb Goods, The University of Western Australia
Food-ordering platform Menulog has declared it will break with the standard contractor business model. But let's not get too excited yet.
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Health + Medicine
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Sandra Rojas, La Trobe University
A speech pathologist and lecturer in voice disorders explains why lemon and honey tea won't fix your lost voice. But here's what might help.
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Michael Musker, South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute
The COVID pandemic has increased the strain on an already troubled mental health system in South Australia. Now, the state's outgoing mental health boss is calling for accountability and change.
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Jodie Bailie, University of Sydney; Jo Longman, University of Sydney; Michelle Villeneuve, University of Sydney; Ross Bailie, University of Sydney; Veronica Matthews, University of Sydney
We surveyed people with disability and carers after a major flood in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales area. Some of the stories were shocking.
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Education
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Rebecca English, Queensland University of Technology; Karleen Gribble, Western Sydney University
In New South Wales and Victoria the number of students being home educated increased by 20% in 2020 (1,224 extra children) compared with 2019. But the rise has been evidenced for a decade.
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Science + Technology
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Sam Baron, Australian Catholic University
Bending space into warp bubbles to travel faster than light may never be a reality, but distorting the flow of time just might be possible.
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Joan Henderson, University of Sydney; Kerin Robinson, La Trobe University
Commercial company HealthEngine won a major contract to roll out Australia's COVID vaccine booking system. But it's worth examining the firm's past.
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Arts + Culture
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Philip C. Almond, The University of Queensland
Many Australians believe in the existence of the soul. Here is a brief guide to how the five major world religions imagine the soul's origin and journey.
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Marina Deller, Flinders University
Brittany Higgins' forthcoming memoir will allow her to tell her story in her own words. She'll join a group of strong women who've done just that.
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Politics + Society
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Michelle Grattan discusses the National party and Christine Holgate's evidence before a senate inquiry with Senator Matt Canavan
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Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra
Australia will pull out its remaining 80 troops from Afghanistan by September, marking the end of its longest involvement in a war.
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Featured jobs
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— Melbourne VIC, Australia
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Featured Events & Courses
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Parkes Place, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2600, Australia — National Library of Australia
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Level 21, 15 Broadway,, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia — University of Technology Sydney
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Level 21, 15 Broadway,, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia — Institute for Public Policy and Governance, University of Technology Sydney
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UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia — UNSW
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