Twenty years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, terrorism expert Zachary Abuza reflects on the legacy of the war on terror in Southeast Asia.

Despite Thailand’s status as America’s “oldest ally” in Asia, a combination of external and internal forces has been drawing Bangkok closer to Beijing. Jittapat Poonkham argues that for Thailand to retain its autonomy, a new activist foreign policy model is necessary in which it exercises greater leadership through regional diplomatic innovation and advocacy.

“If you have a dream, please go and take it and grab it with joy”, says Vietnamese-Australian actor, comedian and writer, Diana Nguyen.

Just a year after Yoshihide Suga became Prime Minister of Japan, his sudden resignation has raised fears of a return to a “revolving door” leadership. But as Purnendra Jain writes it also offers hope for a change in politics as a young generation asserts itself.

Speculation of the possibility of Indonesian President Jokowi seeking a third term in office remains rife. However, as Syafiq Hasyim of the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute writes, there currently appears to be near-unanimous opposition to the idea.

Australia’s messy exit from Kabul is likely to be recorded in history as a moment of national ignominy. John McCarthy argues that in the manner of our leaving we lost both credibility of leadership and ‘capacity to argue from the high ground’.

Japan and Australia are the two most steadfast allies of the US in Asia. Hayley Channer writes that the mix of traditional and non-traditional security threats provides a compelling logic for continued collective action.