Mick Ryan
Mick Ryan is a strategist and retired Australian Army major general. He served in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan, and as a strategist on the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is also a non-resident fellow of the Lowy Institute and at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
Latest by Mick Ryan
Analysis
analysis:Ukraine's new mobilisation bill holds lessons in defence strategy for Australia
Ukraine relied on a huge influx of volunteers from Ukraine and abroad in the first year of the war but now it's facing an array of challenges, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:With four great power struggles, the world is trending towards greater instability in the coming months
Setting aside climate change, there is an array of human security threats present which are trending towards even greater instability in the coming months. 2024 will be far from normal, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Israel and Hamas are locked in a deathmatch that may continue for some time — at heavy cost
Israel's objectives of recovering all its hostages and destroying Hamas are only part of the story of why this war may be a long one, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Israel may have known about Hamas' plan to attack a year ago. But it's not the first time it has misjudged a threat
This is hardly the first time a military institution has dismissed the capacity of a potential adversary with catastrophic outcomes. And it is not the first time for Israel, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Ukraine's successful Dnipro crossing has three major implications for the war
Crossing the Dnipro river has been a major tactical win for Ukraine. But much remains at risk, especially on the eastern bank — and the Russians are well aware of the danger, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:To eliminate Hamas, Israel will need to address the reasons young men in Gaza are joining the group
IDF operations in Gaza will deal a lethal blow to Hamas, but destroying the group requires long-term political and social remedies that eliminate the reasons why young men in Gaza feel a need to join, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:If Israel's massive army crosses into Gaza soon, one thing is certain: Things will go wrong
History has shown us that once wars begin, military actions often take on a life of their own. Regardless of when, or if, Israel enters Gaza with its ground forces in the coming days, there will be many surprises ahead, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Ukraine's military has invested heavily in resilience training. The ADF should take note
To prepare their soldiers for the psychological challenges of combat, the Ukrainian military has developed a sophisticated resilience training program. Its insights may be very valuable to other militaries — including the ADF, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:The four dangerous perceptions emerging out of the war in Ukraine
Warfare has always been a blend of physical violence and psychological influence. In the war between Russia and Ukraine the battle of perceptions is shaping up as a fight between democracy and authoritarianism, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Napoleon and Hitler battled the Marshall Mud. Could it be Putin's undoing?
Harsh winter conditions will bring new challenges in the war in Ukraine. The fighting will not stop, but it will change its tempo — and both sides will face different tests, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:A 44-day conflict was a sign of what was to come in Ukraine. Now we know drones are changing warfare
There are five key observations which can be made about drones from their use in the war in Ukraine. And the Australian Defence Force needs to take notice, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:As Russia expands its minefields in Ukraine, has the West failed to keep up?
Russia has made an important strategic shift in Ukraine by employing hundreds of thousands of land mines. But new technology to remove them is not keeping up and this has slowed Ukraine's advance, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:What Russia's 'forgotten offensive' tells us about the trajectory of war in Ukraine
So far, the Ukrainians appear to have been able to minimise Russian gains in Luhansk. But what does this new Russian offensive tell us about Russia's strategy and the trajectory of the war, asks Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Ukraine's war campaign may seem 'slow', but its strategy is full of surprises — and Russia could be in trouble
While many fret about the "slowness" of the Ukrainian campaign, all military operations consist of pulses and pauses and there is much we do not see in this war. It is important to remain patient, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Physical, intellectual and moral: Three ways the Wagner mutiny will impact Russian fighting power
The Wagner mutiny will slowly, over time, corrode the fighting power of the Russian military. And the Ukrainians, who know the Russian military better than anyone on the planet, will be sure to exploit this, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Vladimir Putin's plan to win quickly in Ukraine failed. Russia is now implementing an even more brutal strategy
Vladimir Putin has a brutal new strategy to ensure Russia's invasion of Ukraine is "a long process". It means there are now strategic and humanitarian imperatives for the West to defeat Putin's latest theory of victory, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Three ADF failures built the culture that enabled Ben Roberts-Smith
The Ben Roberts-Smith verdict has reopened the wounds of a shameful period of Australian military history that demonstrates how the leadership of the ADF has failed, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Ukraine's secret ingredient in war with Russia isn't weapons
Western nations have stepped up the provision of weapons to Ukraine. While this will be key to helping Ukraine confront the Russians, there are two other aspects of combat power which are even more vital, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Why this Russian general may be Ukraine's greatest asset
In authoritarian regimes, competent soldiers are less important than loyal ones. And, as Russia's General Valery Gerasimov may find out in the future, they also make excellent scapegoats for tyrants wishing to save their own skin, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Crucial details MIA from Defence Strategic Review
The Defence Strategic Review's calls for change and speed are crucial. But some aspects will require closer attention if Australia is to build the lethal and deployable integrated force it needs in the coming years, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Xi and Macron met to discuss Ukraine, but the Chinese leader had another problem on his mind
As French President Emmanuel Macron met with his Chinese counterpart to discuss Ukraine, Xi Jinping had Taiwan on his mind, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Could Ukraine's new offensives be the beginning of the end of the war?
Ukraine's new offensive against Russia will be heartbreakingly bloody but, if the West holds its nerve, it may be the beginning of the end of this war, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Has the government got the nuclear submarine deal right?
The huge cost of nuclear submarines means the capabilities of our air force or army may be affected in the coming decades. In addition, how new detection technology will impact the effectiveness of these expensive subs in the years ahead is yet to be explained by the government, writes Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:Three reasons China wants to help Russia in Ukraine
While China has much to gain from the war between Ukraine and Russia absorbing Western attention and arms, it has far more to lose by intervening now, argues Mick Ryan.
Analysis
analysis:With the final puzzle piece in place, Putin is beginning new offensives – and he desperately needs a victory
As the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine approaches, the Russian army has commenced the preliminary phase of its 2023 offensives. There are three reasons why it's doing so now, writes Mick Ryan.