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Ely Ratner

Dr. Ely Ratner is a principal at The Marathon Initiative and a senior adviser at Clarion Strategies. He most recently served as US assistant secretary of defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs from 2021–25.

Articles by Ely Ratner (6)

Ely Ratner 27 Feb 2026

Hard conversations on Australia’s defence

The three uncomfortable truths that Australia needs to confront about the gap between perception and reality.
Ely Ratner 21 Nov 2017

Trump's coming hard line on China

Three domestic factors are likely to drive the US toward a tougher China policy.
Ely Ratner 3 Aug 2017

Making sense of the known unknowns in the South China Sea

The US doesn’t have to be willing to blockade Scarborough Reef to stop China from building a military base there.
Ely Ratner 30 Jun 2017

The false choice of war or accommodation in the South China Sea

There's a viable plan on the shelf if and when US policymakers are willing to admit that US efforts on the South China Sea are faltering.
Ely Ratner 12 Sep 2014

Is Abbott spreading Australia too thin?
Ely Ratner 23 Jul 2014

Australia's new activism: The view from Washington

← Contributors

Ely Ratner

Articles by Ely Ratner (6)

Hard conversations on Australia’s defence

Trump's coming hard line on China

Making sense of the known unknowns in the South China Sea

The false choice of war or accommodation in the South China Sea

Is Abbott spreading Australia too thin?

Australia's new activism: The view from Washington