Publication

This paper discusses the potential national security threats posed by Australian citizens who return home after acting as foreign fighters in the Middle East, especially in Syria. Second, it looks at the growing ‘Egyptian maelstrom’, which is attributable to 1) an authoritarian regime that is not as strong as it was in the 1990s, 2) an ever-worsening domestic economy, 3) porous (and security-threatening) borders with Libya and Sudan, 4) disaffected youths and much more. Finally, the paper considers what Australia needs to do to minimize its potential status as a ‘far enemy’. One such step, for example, could be to appoint a special envoy or special coordinator for the Middle East who might perform several counterterrorism functions.