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Articles by Greg Barton
Failing to stop 9/11 was a catastrophe. But even bigger mistakes were made in its aftermath
The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were unlike anything the world had seen before. For America, and the watching world, September 11 (or 9/11) seemed most like a Pearl Harbour moment - a devastating surprise attack by a distant enemy that demanded a response. It's been a quarter of a century since that fateful day.
Terrorism, 9/11. counterterrorism | Homeland Security Newswire
9/11The Failure to Stop 9/11 Was a Catastrophe. But Even Bigger Mistakes Were Made in Its Aftermath Published 9 September 2026 One clear way the September 11 attacks changed the world was as a catalyst for a decades-long global “War on Terror”. This war never had a clear strategic plan or an agreed endpoint. Instead, it saw first Afghanistan, then Iraq, drawn into destructive conflict that amplified threats and gave new opportunities to terrorist groups.
September 11, 2001 – The day that everything changed
By Greg Barton The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were unlike anything the world had seen before. For America, and the watching world, September 11 (or 9/11) seemed most like a Pearl Harbour moment – a devastating surprise attack by a distant enemy that demanded a response. But here the distant enemy was not a nation state in the middle of war, it was a ragtag collection of rebels living in mountain hideouts, long underestimated and widely misunderstood.
The failure to stop 9/11 was a catastrophe. But even bigger mistakes were made in its aftermath
The September 11 2001 terrorist attacks were unlike anything the world had seen before. For America, and the watching world, September 11 (or 9/11) seemed most like a Pearl Harbour moment – a devastating surprise attack by distant enemy that demanded a response. But here the distant enemy was not a nation state in the middle of war, it was a ragtag collection of rebels living in mountain hideouts, long underestimated and widely misunderstood.
Backed into a corner by Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, Trump may resort to even more reckless escalation
In a moment of brazen hubris in the Oval Office last year, US President Donald Trump railed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. He accused Zelensky of not being thankful for US support in Ukraine’s existential struggle against invading Russian forces, and famously told him: “You don’t have the cards”. Now, more than a year later, it is Trump who doesn’t have a winning hand in his standoff with Iran.
The final IS‑linked woman is returning to Australia. It’s the safest outcome for everyone Original
An Australian woman linked to Islamic State (IS) will return home from Syria after the government granted her a permit. The last in the cohort of so-called “ISIS brides”, she will be allowed to re-enter Australia with her child. Of the group, she was previously the only one to be temporarily barred from coming home because she’d been subject to a government-issued “temporary exclusion order”.
Australia se está recuperando del peor ataque terrorista sufrido en su territorio: ¿se podría haber evitado?
Dado que se trataba claramente de un ataque antisemita, las autoridades lo declararon poco después como un acto de terrorismo, es decir, un acto de violencia por motivos políticos. Esta calificación también proporciona a las autoridades recursos adicionales para responder y llevar a los responsables ante la justicia.
Australia se está recuperando del peor ataque terrorista sufrido en su territorio: ¿se podría haber evitado? Original
Con 15 civiles y un hombre armado muertos hasta el momento, y otras 40 personas heridas, Australia se recupera del peor acto terrorista cometido en su territorio. Dos hombres armados abrieron fuego contra una comunidad judía que se había reunido para celebrar la primera noche de Hanukkah en Archer Park, en la famosa playa Bondi Beach de Sídney. La policía ha confirmado que los dos presuntos atacantes eran padre e hijo, de 50 y 24 años.
Australia is reeling from the worst terrorist attack on home soil. Could it have been prevented? Original
With 15 civilians and one gunman dead so far, and another 40 people injured, Australia is reeling from its worst act of terrorism on home soil. Two gunmen opened fire on a Jewish community gathering to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah at Archer Park on Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach. Police have confirmed the two alleged attackers were father and son, aged 50 and 24. The father, Sajid Akram, who was licensed to own six firearms, was shot dead by police.
‘Good neighbours are essential’: the history behind the landmark Indonesia-Australia defence treaty Original
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was expansive in his sentiments about the “watershed” bilateral security treaty announced with Indonesia this week: Australia’s relationship with Indonesia is based on friendship, trust, mutual respect and a shared commitment to peace and stability in our region. This treaty is a recognition from both our nations that the best way to secure that peace and stability is by acting together. From the outset, Australia has enjoyed warm relations with its giant neighbour.
When it comes to neo-Nazis, we can’t legislate our way to safety Original
What sort of legislation do we need to stop neo-Nazis marching through our streets and threatening our social cohesion? It certainly makes sense to consider incremental changes such as banning the Nazi swastika and the wearing of full-face masks when protesting. But really, the question is not what sort of legislation we need. The question is what sort of legislature - sort of parliament - will keep us safe?
Rates of youth radicalisation are climbing in Australia and abroad: Here’s what to look out for
“ As the Australian Federal Police point out, every single one of the counter-terrorism cases in Australia this year have involved minors or very young adults. When the police and intelligence agencies of the five nations of the Five Eyes intelligence community come together and release a report, it’s a significant event. The report, released on December 6, is the first of its kind.
The burning question - Openforum
Victoria Police has announced it’s treating the Melbourne synagogue fire as a terrorist attack. The blaze at the Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea soon appeared to many, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, to be motivated by terror, but it took authorities four days to declare it. To the casual onlooker, this might seem odd. On December 6, masked men were seen pouring liquid on the floor while people were inside, before the building burst into flames.
The Melbourne synagogue fire is being treated as a terror attack. Here’s why that matters
Victoria Police has announced it’s treating the Melbourne synagogue fire as a terrorist attack. The blaze at the Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea soon appeared to many, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, to be motivated by terror, but it took authorities four days to declare it. To the casual onlooker, this might seem odd. On December 6, masked men were seen pouring liquid on the floor while people were inside, before the building burst into flames.
Rates of youth radicalisation are climbing in Australia and abroad. Here’s what to look out for
When the police and intelligence agencies of the five nations of the Five Eyes intelligence community come together and release a report, it’s a significant event. The report, released on December 6, is the first of its kind. It’s remarkable that it focuses on youth radicalisation, giving case studies of young teenagers being radicalised through involvement in online platforms.
ISIS terror group showing signs of re-emergence
To the extent that we had been paying attention to the rise of ISIS was it not clear but this was a murderous, unimaginably cruel and barbaric terrorist group that was hypocritically acting in the name of God to destroy everyone that would not join them? Why would young Muslims, and many who had grown up in other traditions, be so drawn to such a violent movement that declared all but their own to be hypocrites and enemies of God deserving of death?
Commentary: Why is Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but not the Bondi attack?
MELBOURNE: Just days after the deadly Westfield Bondi attacks, a second knife attack in Sydney has generated widespread shock and grief. This time, a 16-year-old entered an Assyrian church and rushed forward to stab the popular bishop presiding over a service, together with a priest who rushed to his defence. The shocking events were captured on the church’s video stream, and the news quickly reached thousands of members of Sydney’s large Assyrian community.
Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t?
Just days after the deadly Westfield Bondi attacks, a second knife attack in Sydney has generated widespread shock and grief. This time, a 16-year-old entered an Assyrian church and rushed forward to stab the popular bishop presiding over a service, together with a priest who rushed to his defence. The shocking events were captured on the church’s video stream, and the news quickly reached thousands of members of Sydney’s large Assyrian community.
ISIS K: ¿Por qué el Estado Islámico habría atacado a Rusia y qué significa para la amenaza terrorista global?
A police officer stands in front of the Crocus City Hall concert venue following Friday's shooting attack and fire, in the Moscow Region, Russia March 24, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov Parece casi seguro que el brutal ataque a una multitud rusa que se disponía a ver un concierto de rock en Moscú el viernes por la noche fue un atentado terrorista islamista.
¿Por qué el Estado Islámico habría atacado a Rusia y qué significa para la amenaza terrorista global?
Parece casi seguro que el brutal ataque a una multitud rusa que se disponía a ver un concierto de rock en Moscú el viernes por la noche fue un atentado terrorista islamista. Al menos 133 personas murieron y decenas más resultaron heridas después de que hombres armados con armas automáticas irrumpieran en el Crocus City Hall de Moscú y abrieran fuego, provocando una estampida.
Let's not kid ourselves: 'Trumpification' is becoming our problem, too
Sat Oct 14 Written by Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation; Scholar -In-Residence Asia Society Australia, Deakin University We have a problem with the state of politics and public discourse in Australia. The appalling neo-Nazi video threat made against Senator Lidia Thorpe is a disturbing reminder of the dark undercurrents that are swirling through political discourse in Australia.
'Trumpification' is becoming our problem, too Original
We have a problem with the state of politics and public discourse in Australia. The appalling neo-Nazi video threat made against Senator Lidia Thorpe is a disturbing reminder of the dark undercurrents that are swirling through political discourse in Australia. As the murder of British MP Jo Cox reminds us, threats against politicians and other public figures must not be dismissed lightly.
Let's not kid ourselves: 'Trumpification' is becoming our problem, too
We have a problem with the state of politics and public discourse in Australia. The appalling neo-Nazi video threat made against Senator Lidia Thorpe is a disturbing reminder of the dark undercurrents that are swirling through political discourse in Australia. As the murder of British MP Jo Cox reminds us, threats against politicians and other public figures must not be dismissed lightly.
State elections in Malaysia present the first test of Anwar government Original
Malaysians go to the polls again on August 12. Six of the 13 states in the Malaysian Federation are holding elections. The states have relatively little power in Malaysian politics, as state assemblies have limited authority and short sittings. But precisely because the past five years of federal politics in Malaysia have seen unprecedented instability and uncertainty, these state polls represent a test of faith in the new government of Anwar Ibrahim.
Why government action to thwart neo-Nazi groups is far more difficult than it appears
This statement by a Victoria Police spokeswoman could not have been clearer. Hate and prejudice are most certainly not welcome in one of the world’s most diverse and successful multicultural communities. She was referring to a small group of neo-Nazis who performed the Sieg Heil Nazi salute on the steps of the Victorian parliament last weekend. Just two months earlier, the same act was performed by a group attending a rally by visiting UK anti-transgender activist Posie Parker.
Why government action to thwart neo-Nazi groups is far more difficult than it appears
Thu May 18 Written by Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University This statement[1] by a Victoria Police spokeswoman could not have been clearer. Hate and prejudice are most certainly not welcome in one of the world’s most diverse and successful multicultural communities. She was referring to a small group of neo-Nazis who performed the Sieg Heil Nazi salute on the steps of the Victorian parliament last weekend.
COVID wasn't a 'bumper campaign' for right-wing extremists. But the threat from terror remains
Violent extremism remains a persistent and resilient threat, constantly adapting and evolving. It is an endlessly demanding problem and we can neither afford to ignore it nor allow it to disproportionately consume our finite resources. This is the hard reality of terrorism. But it is not hopelessly grim. While the threat can’t be eliminated, it can be contained and managed.
COVID wasn't a 'bumper campaign' for right-wing extremists. But the threat from terror remains
Violent extremism remains a persistent and resilient threat, constantly adapting and evolving. It is an endlessly demanding problem and we can neither afford to ignore it nor allow it to disproportionately consume our finite resources. This is the hard reality of terrorism. But it is not hopelessly grim. While the threat can’t be eliminated, it can be contained and managed.
Is the terrorism threat over?
Fri Jan 6 Written by Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Eight years after raising the national terrorism threat level, Australia recently lowered it again – from mid-range (probable) to low-range (possible). Does this mean the threat from terrorism is over? Few are better placed to answer this than Mike Burgess, Director-General of Security and head of ASIO, Australia’s domestic intelligence agency.
Is the terrorism threat over? Original
Eight years after raising the national terrorism threat level, Australia recently lowered it again – from mid-range (probable) to low-range (possible). Does this mean the threat from terrorism is over? Few are better placed to answer this than Mike Burgess, Director-General of Security and head of ASIO, Australia’s domestic intelligence agency. Burgess is one of the handful of people who can talk openly about his agency’s work.
Australia is well-placed to make the long-overdue repatriation of Islamic State women and children work
National security is not a zero-sum game. If the past two decades have taught us anything about breaking the cycle of terrorist violence, it is that in the longer-run, treating people well – upholding justice and acting with compassion and humanity – keeps everyone safer.
Australia is well-placed to make the long-overdue repatriation of Islamic State women and children work
National security is not a zero-sum game. If the past two decades have taught us anything about breaking the cycle of terrorist violence, it is that in the longer-run, treating people well – upholding justice and acting with compassion and humanity – keeps everyone safer.
One year into Taliban control, Afghans face poverty and repression. Australia cannot turn a blind eye
Fri Aug 19 Written by Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University One year after the fall of Kabul, life is difficult and precarious for almost everyone in Afghanistan.
One year into Taliban control, Afghans face poverty and repression and Australia cannot turn a blind eye Original
One year after the fall of Kabul, life is difficult and precarious for almost everyone in Afghanistan. More than half of the 40 million people of this troubled country are facing severe malnutrition and grinding poverty, and 90% struggle with food insecurity. In a land of widows and orphans, disaster has struck the many households where women were the breadwinners. Now most women are blocked from returning to their places of employment and business, with only 15% of women able to work.
As Albanese heads to the Quad, what are the security challenges facing Australia's new government?
Wed May 25 Written by Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University Extreme weather events are the new normal. The use of nuclear weapons by Vladimir Putin’s Russian military is now an unthinkable possibility. And Xi Jinping’s China, our largest trading partner and rising superpower, is pulling down the shutters.
As Albanese heads to the Quad, what are the security challenges facing Australia's new government?
Extreme weather events are the new normal. The use of nuclear weapons by Vladimir Putin's Russian military is now a once unthinkable possibility. And Xi Jinping's China, our largest trading partner and rising superpower, is pulling down the shutters. So no pressure then, for our freshly-minted 31st prime minister as he flies into the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue in Tokyo this week.
Australia is fated, whether we like it or not, to live in interesting times, having entered, as one prominent observer puts it, a “decade of living dangerously.” He is speaking of the very high probability of entering into some form of open military conflict with China, most likely precipitated by a sharp escalation in Beijing’s efforts to reunify Taiwan with the mainland. Even without this particular acute threat, Australia faces enormous dangers on multiple fronts.
Peter Dutton says Australia should prepare for war. So how likely is a military conflict with China?
We are fated, whether we like it or not, to live in interesting times, having entered, as one prominent observer puts it a “decade of living dangerously”. He is speaking of the very high probability of entering into some form of open military conflict with China, most likely precipitated by a sharp escalation in Beijing’s efforts to reunify Taiwan with the mainland. Even without this particular acute threat, we face enormous dangers on multiple fronts.
The Language of Diplomats in Times of Climate Change and Populism - AIIA
The power of language has long been recognised — while populists often employ radical and emotionally driven language, diplomats must be thoughtful and cautious in their communication. Is this compatible in times of climate change?
what the Taliban's return will mean for jihadi terrorism
Spoiler alert: we are not winning the global war on terror. If the past 20 years of fighting terrorism by military means have shown us anything, it is that going to war makes things worse. The direct costs in terms of human suffering – lives lost, societies destroyed and trillions of dollars spent – are multiplied by unintended consequences and cascading problems.
5 claves para entender el conflicto en Afganistán
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El pánico y la agitación se apoderan de Afganistán después de que los insurgentes talibanes capturaron la ciudad capital de Kabul y al aparecer, el estado. La caída de Afganistán se produjo apenas tres meses después de que Estados Unidos comenzara a retirar sus tropas del país luego de una guerra de 20 años que mató a 2.448 miembros del servicio estadounidense, 3.846 contratistas militares estadounidenses y unos 66.000 militares y policías afganos.
By Catesby Holmes Verified, Greg Barton, Homa Hoodfar, Michael Blake, Mona Tajali, Sher Jan Ahmadzai, Thomas Schwartz
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The Conversation
Verified
Authoritarianism, Democracy, Islamic Movements and Contestations of Islamic Religious Ideas in Indonesia
All articles published by MDPI are made immediately available worldwide under an open access license. No special permission is required to reuse all or part of the article published by MDPI, including figures and tables. For articles published under an open access Creative Common CC BY license, any part of the article may be reused without permission provided that the original article is clearly cited.
Afghan government collapses and Taliban on verge of controlling country: 5 essential reads
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The president of Afghanistan has fled and the government apparently fallen, after Taliban insurgents captured the capital city of Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021. The Taliban also seized the presidential palace. There would be “no transitional government in Afghanistan,” Taliban officials told Reuters news service.
By Catesby Holmes Verified, Greg Barton, Homa Hoodfar, Michael Blake, Mona Tajali, Sher Jan Ahmadzai, Thomas Schwartz
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The Conversation
Verified
As the Taliban surges across Afghanistan, al-Qaeda is poised for a swift return
Posted Jul 19, 2021, 10:56 am Greg Barton The Conversation The imminent fall of Afghanistan is more than a national disaster. It is not just that the gains made in the past two decades, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars, look certain to be reversed as the Taliban advances. The Taliban’s victory is also al-Qaeda’s victory, and it has global implications. Even before the US military completes the final steps of its troop withdrawal, the Taliban is surging.
As the Taliban surges across Afghanistan, al-Qaeda is poised for a swift return
Afghan military | Representational image | Commons Text Size: The imminent fall of Afghanistan is more than a national disaster. It is not just that the gains made in the past two decades, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars, look certain to be reversed as the Taliban advances. The Taliban’s victory is also al-Qaeda’s victory, and it has global implications. Even before the US military completes the final steps of its troop withdrawal, the Taliban is surging.
As Taliban surge, al-Qaeda poised for swift return
The imminent fall of Afghanistan is more than a national disaster. It is not just that the gains made in the past two decades, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars, look certain to be reversed as the Taliban advances. The Taliban’s victory is also al-Qaeda’s victory, and it has global implications. Even before the US military completes the final steps of its troop withdrawal, the Taliban are surging.
As the Taliban surges across Afghanistan, al-Qaeda is poised for a swift return
The imminent fall of Afghanistan is more than a national disaster. It is not just that the gains made in the past two decades, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars, look certain to be reversed as the Taliban advances. The Taliban’s victory is also al-Qaeda’s victory, and it has global implications. Even before the US military completes the final steps of its troop withdrawal, the Taliban is surging.
As the Taliban surges across Afghanistan, al-Qaeda is poised for a swift return
The imminent fall of Afghanistan is more than a national disaster. It is not just that the gains made in the past two decades, at the cost of tens of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars, look certain to be reversed as the Taliban advances. The Taliban’s victory is also al-Qaeda’s victory, and it has global implications. Even before the US military completes the final steps of its troop withdrawal, the Taliban is surging.
ASIO's language shift on terrorism is a welcome acknowledgment of the power of words
Words matter. And when you are the director-general of ASIO, and one of the few people in the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that can talk to the public about what you do at work without being in breach of the law, then your words really matter. To his credit, Mike Burgess has made it his mission to “to make ASIO more open and transparent”. His second annual threat assessment, for all its droll, candid delivery, was provocative and revealing in its carefully chosen words.
ASIO's language shift on terrorism is a welcome acknowledgment of the power of words
Words matter. And when you are the director-general of ASIO, and one of the few people in the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that can talk to the public about what you do at work without being in breach of the law, then your words really matter. To his credit, Mike Burgess has made it his mission to “to make ASIO more open and transparent”. His second annual threat assessment, for all its droll, candid delivery, was provocative and revealing in its carefully chosen words.
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