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foreign affairs in strategic context
Browsing All Posts published on »May, 2011«
A brief word on the 2015 withdrawal
How much of a political liability is David Cameron’s decision to withdraw the United Kingdom from Afghanistan by 2015? Pete Hoskin of The Spectator believes that if the country is still plagued by war by the time of the next general election, then Labour will ‘make play’ with the ‘prematurity’ of his decision. If they […]
Afghanistan and the Great (Blame) Game
May 26, 2011
The former UK representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles, has written a new book about his time in the region. I’m usually sceptical of contemporary political memoirs, but I thought I’d take a chance with this one, and it arrived this morning. His views about the conflict have been trailed in The Guardian […]
Where is the Special Relationship going?
May 24, 2011
President Obama begins his state visit to the United Kingdom today, so, understandably, there has been a lot of focus on the Special Relationship; much of it typically pessimistic. I haven’t helped with my latest piece for Egremont criticising the new US-UK National Security Board (NSB). The board is supposed to keep officials on each […]
The onward march of T-BAGging
May 22, 2011
Last November, I wrote it was time for the ‘blogification’ of our academic giants, (T-BAG for short), as punditry was stifling foreign policy debate. We had to persuade the great and the good to come out of their academic obscurity and engage in new media, however ghastly it is, so that we may cast down […]
Afghanistan, David Cameron and British grand strategy
May 17, 2011
Yesterday, the Daily Telegraph reported that David Cameron has told the military to draw up plans for an early exit from Afghanistan. American commanders are alarmed by this and they are putting pressure on their British counterparts, as it might hasten an early US withdrawal. The story also ties into concerns the United States supposedly […]
Three books
May 11, 2011
Dan Drezner, the commentator realists go to now Stephen Walt is crazy, posed a tough challenge to foreign policy bloggers a couple of weeks ago. We had to choose three books which would help our politicians better understand international relations, but which wouldn’t require a graduate course to understand. Here are my picks: Alfred Duff […]
A minister departs
May 9, 2011
It was a surprise to read Pauline Neville-Jones, the security minister, quit the government today. She had informed the Prime Minister about her wish to leave months ago, according to her resignation letter, but, in all the chatter about a reshuffle, I don’t think her departure had ever been suggested. This is an opportunity for […]
May 31, 2011
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