Prospective @libdems MP for Tunbridge Wells; Former Army Officer & Author; Senior Visiting Fellow @warstudies. Promoted by TWLD, 8A Chapel Place, TN1 1YQ.
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Mar 7 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Snuck into the budget is something that you won’t hear on the news … UK Defence Spending was cut.
We have a land war in Europe that is about the eastern boundary of Europe.
This is the first of several 🧵 on the strategic challenges facing the world ….
First up … the Middle East.
The most acute challenge is obviously Gaza-Palestine.
Jan 4 • 20 tweets • 3 min read
I wonder whether historians in 2100 will look at 2024 as a geopolitical inflection point…
A thread.
There are a number of different themes/areas/trends now starting to come together.
Sep 24, 2023 • 20 tweets • 3 min read
There’s been a fair bit of movement in Ukraine - here is a round up and summary of what it means for the strategic environment.
🖍️
In the last few week days, we have had three big reports:
- A Ukr breakthrough in the South by Verbove
- Further progress around Bahkmut in the East
- A large number of Ukr strikes in Crimea.
These add up to a sum that is more than the parts.
Aug 28, 2023 • 39 tweets • 6 min read
Ok. Now that Ukraine has taken the settlement of Robotyne, what does this mean for the wider strategic environment?
Short version: there better be some movement soon, or time will run out.
As we all know, Ukraine is launching a general offensive on Russian positions in four broad areas.
Aug 23, 2023 • 13 tweets • 2 min read
Prighozin dead.
Hmmm. That opens up a few pathways forward.
Firstly. This was always going to happen.
After the coup in June either Putin or Priggo had to die. It wasn’t just going to rumble on.
Aug 15, 2023 • 19 tweets • 4 min read
Time for another brief update as to what has happened in the last two weeks in Ukraine.
That image by the way is from a thread months ago - but the basic strategy hasn’t changed.
Jul 30, 2023 • 30 tweets • 5 min read
I’ve been having a bit of a deep dive into the Ukrainian offensive.
The main message is:
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON 💪
This offensive started in June and has had a couple of phases.
Jul 27, 2023 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
The coup in Niger is yet another canary in the Sahel that we will miss and/or ignore.
This is a region that’s population is on track to double by 2050, whilst also warning at double the global average.
This is the crisis that we will be grappling with come 2030
Russian flags all over Niamey.
Jun 25, 2023 • 13 tweets • 2 min read
Some thoughts on the last couple of days in Russia and Ukraine
Firstly, and most obviously, we do not know the deal that was cut to get Prigo to turn back from Moscow.
He seems to have acted against his own interests, and so it seems likely that this is not over.
Jun 23, 2023 • 14 tweets • 1 min read
Ok. Looks like we have a coup happening in Russia
Clearly the Ukrainians are going to take advantage of this. I’d watch for some big gains.
Jun 8, 2023 • 36 tweets • 5 min read
NEW Ukr counteroffensive thread.
Liberal Crayons
Old thread here. Covers extensive shaping operations.
🚨Major News 🚨
The Nova Kakhovka hydro-electric dam on the Dnipro River has lost a huge section emptying a massive reservoir.
Jun 4, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Why don’t people respond to letters?
I wrote to David Brazier @KentHighways two weeks ago asking him to urgently reconsider the 6 week closure of Pembury Road in Tunbridge Wells, and at the very least to give more information to local residents (who have received next to nothing by way of explanation).
May 11, 2023 • 57 tweets • 8 min read
Ukraine counteroffensive thread
This may be a long thread.
(Sorry the previous ones got disrupted by our stunning victory in the recent Tunbridge Wells local elections).
Apr 23, 2023 • 25 tweets • 4 min read
Ukrainians have established a small bridgehead over Dnipro. Diversion number 1.
Will update this as the situation develops.
Mar 29, 2023 • 11 tweets • 3 min read
🚨 Thu March 30th 🚨
How to Fight a War launches in the UK.
It sets out for a commander in chief How to Fight a War.
How to form strategy.
How to sort your logistics.
How to build morale.
How to train your troops.
And plenty more besides.
Feb 26, 2023 • 28 tweets • 3 min read
Is China gonna get involved in the Ukraine war?
A (short) thread.
The short answer is no.
Feb 22, 2023 • 22 tweets • 3 min read
There’s a lot of noise about the one year anniversary of the Russian ground invasion of Ukraine.
Let’s cut through some the chaff, and get to the heart of the matter.
What is going to happen?
There are lots of comments about big events on the anniversary.
Maybe - but I suspect these will mostly be symbolic.
Feb 19, 2023 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
One wonders if China thinking about backing Russia in the Ukraine War, at a time when the West has got its act together and is pouring supplies in, is a sign of
A) extreme Russian weakness
B) a way of China trying to force a peace deal by threatening to come in
C) Both
This Chinese move comes after ten days or so of a disastrous Russian offensive across a wide front in the east (they never learn) which has resulted in very little territory, and huge numbers of casualties and equipment destruction.