Is delivered to Glenn Reynolds by Michael Yon, who knows a thing or two about military work at the sharp-end: What I can say is that it sounds like the US Marines are waging death and destruction on the Taliban in a way the Taliban are not used to. Average […]
This isn’t first century BC Egypt, when having an attractive leader might theoretically provide some kind of geo-political advantage vis a vis our standing with the Romans. I don’t want to see a drawing of the former Governor of Alaska in what appears to be a leather bustier and garters… […]
Unsated by Steampunk Palin, you want more buxom feisty American women transforming the world against evil men? Swing by this Guardian analysis by Madeleine Bunting of Hillary Clinton’s feminist foreign policy: On countless occasions since arriving at the state department, Clinton has asserted that the rights of women and girls are now […]
Sorry, I was distracted from packing to spot this strange headline on the BBC web-page: US ‘revokes Venezuela envoy visa’ Why have they put most of that in inverted commas, as if it’s not true or somehow qualified or in doubt? The BBC’s own article on the subject reports a State […]
Nasty public mood growing in Russia? Who cares? It’s the FT’s strange editing which catches the eye: Russian ultra-nationalism, however, is a phenomenon created not without the Kremlin’s help, and observers argue that Mr Putin’s Kremlin has used nationalism as a force for political consolidation during his decade in power. […]
This is astonishing. President Obama has a Christmas Party with his wife to attend, so leaves a White House press conference to former president Bill Clinton who turns on the impromptu policy charm. With video. Imagine Gordon Brown: Look folks, I have to go to a Christmas Party with my […]
Disclosure note: John Sawers and I have known each other since we worked together in South Africa in the twlight years of apartheid. * * * * * Here on the SIS website is the full (and presumably authorised) text of Sir John Sawers’ speech this morning. The very fact […]
Is hosted by Mr Eugenides who through no fault of his own links to some depressing material. He leads us to Philobiblon reporting on A Female Future discussion. Baroness Kate Parminter (LibDem) noted that in looking at secondary schools for her daughter, she found that one she had otherwise liked offered cheerleading […]
I was back stalking in the long corridors of the Foreign Office today, to give a talk on behalf of ADRg Ambassadors. I put in a word for Mediation as an example of the hard-edged soft power tool the UK now needed to be ffective at a time of growing global uncertainty […]
According to the Total Politics list I have shot up from a scrawny 196th place (2009) in the UK Top 300 Political Blogs to a not-so-scrawny 93rd place (2010). Yay. To add to my frabjous joy, I have overtaken Craig Murray whose appeal has definitely waned – down from 95th […]
