June 2nd 2002
By Stephen Loosley
It's a little disconcerting to arrive at the Australian High Commission here and be confronted by armed Gurkha soldiers. But the discovery last December of active al-Quaeda cells, planning to destroy the British and Australian high commissions and the US embassy, sent more than a tremor through this disciplined, orderly city-state.
The terrorists' presence confronted the Singaporeans with some serious security issues.
Long used to working on the basis of worst-case scenarios, the Singapore Government faced an appalling reality that threatened the confidence on which its prosperity rests.
Activating the Gurkhas to reinforce the police and protect diplomatic missions and vital infrastructure is just the most evident response.
Not so obvious, perhaps, is the fact that Singapore is now a pivotal transit point for the US military, on active service in the war against terror.
Since Friday, Singapore has been host to a high-level conference on security, organised under the auspices of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
The London-based IISS is arguably among the most influential and best-informed "think-tanks" in the world.
Its analyses shape government perspectives internationall; its private gatherings move policy debates; and its publications, including The Military Balance and Survival, set benchmarks for understanding the realities of military capabilities and the balance of power and influence.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute, on whose council I serve, is developing links with the IISS, and the defence-policy debate in Australia will lift as a consequence.
The Singaporean conference is a clever initiative that brings major political and bureaucractic players from diverse Asia-Pacific defence organisations to the discussion table.
US Deputy Secretary of Defence Paul Wolfowitz, along with British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon, head an impressive grouping that includes officials from China, Japan and ASEAN. The substantial Australian delegation is led by Defence Minister Robert Hill.
Formal sessions of the conference, dubbed the Shangri-La Dialogue (after the venue), have covered topics as broad as Chinese military doctrine and the role of Europe in Asian security. But it's the threat of global terrorism that has overshadowed proceedings.
There are new realities for the region, including Australia, in the aftermath of 9/11. It's already apparent that the war on terror will last some time and will require great patience and perseverance.
Equally apparent are the emerging complexities in dealing with terrorism, as we have seen in the very recent tension between Pakistan and India, in Dr Mahathir's marginalisation of his political critics or in China's response to Muslim minorities in border regions.
Comprehensive solutions require time and thought, as well as determination.
The result, however, is more than worthwhile, especially if it means our diplomats no longer require the presence of the Gurkhas outside the front door of the High Commission.
