Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

The United States spends more on defence than the next ten countries combined. The drive for military dominance started during the Cold War but what does it look like today?

International leaders are calling for a two-state solution – as the only long-term way to solve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the occupied territories. But just how viable is the creation of a Palestinian state and does the political will exist on either side to negotiate a final agreement?

The two-state solution — notion that in the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River there should be two states: one Israeli and the other Palestinian has been around since the 1930. And it’s an idea that is being pushed by world leaders, including the Australian government. We take a look at the history of the two-state solution.

The story of how the military helped develop Israel’s national identity and how compulsory service can shape the lives and values of Israelis.

Mexico has one of the highest murder rates on earth, and most of these murders are committed by guns that come into Mexico illegally from America. Can or should American gun manufacturers be held responsible for the damage caused by these guns. That’s the question being asked by Mexico in two court cases underway in the US states of Massachusetts and Arizona.

Australia is a nation built on migration, but the system has a sometimes-cruel history. How has our migration program evolved?And why the perception of being in control has been so central to its success.

It's almost two years since the US supreme court overturned Roe V WadeIn this episode from our archives, we revisit the story of the landmark 1973 ruling.

As TikTok's power and popularity has grown, concerns around its Chinese ownership have gotten louder.

The gang violence that is gripping the Caribbean nation of Haiti, is the most recent disaster in a long line of political, economic, and natural disasters. Today Haiti is one of the poorest and most unstable country on the planet, but this was not always the case, it was once France’s riches colony and the world’s first black-lead republic. So why has Haiti become such a political and economic mess?

Immigrants are showing up at the southern border in record numbers. We examine the history of US policy toward immigration and border security with Mexico.

It’s a truism of peace talks that we’re not negotiating with our friends but rather our enemies. And when most of our enemies have been designated as terrorist and murderers it’s not an easy task. How have we’ve ended violent conflicts in the past and are there lessons we can learn from previous peace negotiations.

The story of how this tiny country got so good at conflict mediation and why their pragmatism is also a liability.

Since the birth Pakistan in 1947 the military has been interfering either directly or indirectly in politics and their election last month was no different. So how and why has the military come to play such a critical role in Pakistan politics and what has this meant for Pakistan’s democracy.

Figuring out the best way to respond to young people who commit crimes is a vexed issue.Especially when there is a perception that not enough is being done to keep the community safe.We examine the evolution of juvenile justice and the use of institutions to reform and punish children.

The Axis of Resistance, is a coalition of state and non-state actors, led by Iran and committed to resisting the presence of the United States and Israel in the Middle East. Since Hamas’s attack on Israel and the subsequent invasion of Gaza, members of the Axis have targeted anything connected with Israel or the United States across the region. Yet Iran has remained reluctant to confront the US or Israel directly. Is this reluctance undermining Iran’s standing within the Axis of resistance?

Coles and Woolworths didn't start out in food retail but after making the switch in the 1950s they quickly started taking over the competition. So what do we lose when an industry is dominated by just two players?

American Presidents are not elected by a popular vote but rather by a select group – known as the Electoral College. It’s a system that was devised in 1787 to bring together a number of very disparate states – all with their own agendas. But is it appropriate for Presidential elections in the 21st century and can it said to be a truly democratic?

The Houthis, a militia group from Yemen, began targeting cargo vessels in the Red Sea last year.It's one of the world's busiest shipping lanes so disruptions can have a big impact on global trade.The United States and UK have responded with air strikes on targets in Yemen.We examine the Houthis origins and rising influence.

Since former intelligence official David Grusch made his explosive claims about the US government possessing ‘non-human’ crashed craft, the world has been gripped by another bout of UFO fever. In this Rear Vision, we track our modern obsession with this phenomenon, from the ‘flying saucers’ of the 1940’s to the ‘UAPs’ of today.

With the failure of the constitutional Voice to parliament referendum last year should we be looking to a Treaty as the way forward. Both New Zealand and Canada have treaties and a complex history of implementing them. What, if anything, can we learn from their story?