Kim Heriot-Darragh
@kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
89 followers 170 following 100 posts
Researcher, Australia India Institute. Non-Resident Fellow at Council for Strategic and Defense Research. Interested in defence, strategy and international law. https://substack.com/@kimheriotdarragh
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Reposted by Kim Heriot-Darragh
chowleen.bsky.social
The South Korean Ministry of Defense has awarded medals of merit to 11 officers for disobeying direct orders of superiors during the martial law fiasco, orders that they deemed to be contrary to the constitution and endangerment to democracy.
www.chosun.com/english/nati...
National Defense Ministry Honors 11 Soldiers for Refusing Illegal Orders
National Defense Ministry Honors 11 Soldiers for Refusing Illegal Orders Honored for rejecting illegal orders during martial law, Marine death probe
www.chosun.com
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
An important read. It seems like we’re forever warning that Indo-Pacific security is becoming more fraught - but when it comes to equipping Australians to navigate that complexity (by fostering language training among other things), we continually fall short.

www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...
Complacent nation: Australia and the Asian Century
Decades of ambition have left us with a nation still unable to speak the language of our neighbours.
www.lowyinstitute.org
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
I assumed Australia’s under 16s social media ban could have been poorly conceived - but as I get more familiar with twitter (a function of my work, not interest) the slop on it absolutely terrifies me. Division in the US is quickly emulated in Australia … were should be advancing not regressing.
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
Incredible (and scary) story.
Reposted by Kim Heriot-Darragh
nytpitchbot.bsky.social
Opinion | I’ve dedicated my career to promoting free speech on college campuses. Here’s why the murder of a red state college dropout by another red state college dropout means it’s time to fire liberal professors in blue states.
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
As an outsider, it’s really shocking to see how quickly influencers have rushed to imply that Charlie Kirk’s views were somehow moderate. The least dangerous interpretation of this is that they’re lying for convenience; the more worrying read is that radicalisation is taking root and spreading.
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
The alternative - that even the pretence of legality doesn’t matter anymore - is another thing …
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
Modi and Trump aren’t all that dissimilar in some ways, and political trends in both countries kind of echo each other. There’d be plenty of Indian officials who aren’t surprised, but also those who believed Modi, and their gov, had cracked the Trump code the first time around …
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
Cody Janko’s videos are great! And enjoyed the book. I’m glad to see him do well. Haven’t actually tried sandbags though.
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
I thought forceful territorial acquisition (as distinct from war generally) had in fact been rarer? But I don’t know how that’s measured?

Mixed feelings about the other thing, though I tend to think international law’s role in changing costs and benefits of certain behaviour gets short shrift.
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
You’re challenging the idea that territorial conquest is less common than it used to be?

Or that the prohibition on the use of force is the reason why?
Reposted by Kim Heriot-Darragh
drtom-historian.bsky.social
Historical pictures don't speak for themselves.

A few years ago, I unpacked a lithograph relating to Tasmania's "Black War" of the 1820s and 1830s. The Australian War Memorial now has it up on the website of the new mag, "WM":

wm.awm.gov.au/read/painted...
A Painted Proclamation | WM
WM | Inspiring stories - Expert insights
wm.awm.gov.au
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
This will be familiar to defence civilians too.
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
Just finished Dive! by @mikecarlton01.bsky.social - about Australian submariners and their contributions. It’s worth a read. And timely given the renewed interest in the RAN. For a long time our image of ‘defence’ was a soldier carrying a rifle. Perhaps that’s changing.
Reposted by Kim Heriot-Darragh
shashj.bsky.social
“The extensive hunt for the alleged mole [in MI6], called Operation Wedlock, was run by…MI5, which deployed a team of up to 35 surveillance, planning and desk officers [and] lasted in one form or another for up to 20 years” www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
UK launched huge operation to find suspected Russian double agent in MI6
Exclusive: Operation Wedlock lasted up to 20 years and took MI5 teams across world amid panic about ‘another Philby’
www.theguardian.com
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
Right around the time that Maria, a film by She Andes about people affected by the violence he oversaw, at ANU. Probably one of the best I’ve seen in a long time, though heavy.
kimheriotdarragh.bsky.social
Not sure if it’s just the sources I happen to have been following recently, but it surprised me that this hasn’t attracted as much attention as it should in Australia. Thanks!