Dr Bob Breen is a retired Australian Army Colonel and Associate Professor in Strategic Studies with a PhD from the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, ANU. He has published fifteen books, mainly on post-Second World War Australian military history. He is the author of a volume of the Official History on Australia's peace support operations in the Pacific Islands. He has published books and monographs on the Australian Force Somalia and contributed to the Somalia section of the Africa volume of the Official History of Australian Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Post-Cold War Operations. His most recent books have focused on securing a respectful relationship with China through deterrent diplomacy, backed by a fourth armed service called the Response Force.