The Ukrainian General Staff have set an amazing example for military planners in Europe. Their activities are methodical, professional and disciplined. Their understanding of operational design on the battlefield, and operational security, has never been matched by the Russians. So we can safely conclude that, with the right weapons, Ukraine can prevent a major Russian … Read more
To judge by Moscow’s hysterical reaction to the West’s decision to supply Ukraine with battle tanks, the move could ultimately prove to be a game changer for the eventual outcome of the conflict. One of the less convincing aspects of Russia’s campaign has been the constant stream of threats emanating from the Kremlin, whether it … Read more
Disease X. It’s an ominous concept. A mysterious and dangerous pathogen that we don’t know, but we do know is out there – waiting to make a deadly jump from an animal or bird into an unsuspecting person, and take off on a viral killing spree. To have written a book about disease X and … Read more
Truss tried that game, in the hope that tax cuts would pay for themselves, and she very nearly bankrupted the country. It turns out that we are nowhere near that point on the Laffer curve where tax cutting is self financing – not that this was exactly hard to figure out in the first place. … Read more
There is a military axiom that only armies can take and hold ground. It is also true that armies don’t take or hold ground for long without air support. With the breaking news that allies are sending modern tanks to Ukraine, there is now even more urgency to send the aircraft that Kyiv has been … Read more
In 2007 President Putin gave a thumper of a speech to the Munich Security Conference that effectively said: “Watch out – Russia is coming back.” His threat to rekindle Moscow’s influence across Slavic Europe was ignored, and a year later he proved true to his word and invaded Georgia. Here we are 16 years later … Read more
It is easy to be so consumed by day-to-day international events that you miss a major development. Some days ago, one such development occurred. A treaty, signed at the Tower of London, allowing British forces to be stationed in Japan, and vice-versa, marks a new phase in the re-emergence of Global Britain. This complements the … Read more
Among the overused words I’d ban are “amazing”, “iconic” and “empathetic” – the latter deployed like a talisman by St Jacinda Ardern, outgoing PM of New Zealand. Compassion is a real word. It means to suffer with; it is active. When people say they are empathetic, they mostly mean that they passively listen, and they … Read more
The new year has started with the same pressing economic and political challenges for our countries. There is no indication that Russia is reconsidering its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. And yet there is some reason for a more confident view on the months ahead of us. The cooperation between allies, including Germany, France … Read more
One could make off-colour remarks about the Germans and tanks – they never used to hesitate about sending them to other countries, such as to Ukraine in 1941 – and indeed about Teutonic regard for the sensibilities of the Russians, which used to seem not to exist at all. Now the regime of Olaf Scholz … Read more