Halvard Leira

@halvardl.bsky.social

2.1K followers 560 following 640 posts

Research Director and Research Professor at NUPI, ass. ed. EJIR. Comment here primarily as a private citizen. I do research on conceptual history, privateers and diplomacy etc. I like mountains, skiing and my woodfired pizza oven. .. more

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Political science 67%

Psychology 9%

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Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · Nov 19

go.bsky.app/ER7d7PP

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 10h

In the play "Oslo", about the peace process of the same name (and do check the financing of at least one production of that play), the character Mona Juul states: "In Norway we take nepotism to an entirely new level". Oh, the irony!

Norway police investigate diplomat over Jeffrey Epstein links

Mona Juul and her husband Terje Rød-Larsen - who played a vital role in the Oslo Accords - are being investigated for "aggravated corruption".

www.bbc.com

Reposted by Halvard Leira

Frédéric Mérand @fredericmerand.bsky.social · 2d

L’excellent collègue @halvardl.bsky.social explique les ramifications, et les raisons sociologiques, de l’affaire Epstein en Norvège.

www.lemonde.fr/internationa...

Affaire Epstein : la Norvège secouée par l’onde de choc

Plusieurs personnalités, liées à de grandes institutions norvégiennes, apparaissent dans les documents publiés par l’administration Trump. Outre le choc provoqué par certains échanges avec le prédateu...

www.lemonde.fr

Reposted by Halvard Leira

Patricia Aas 🐢🏳️‍🌈 @patigallardo.bsky.social · 5d

I couldn’t agree: more Økokrim needs to investigate Rød Larsen and Juul.

DN mener: Økokrim må granske Juul og Rød-Larsen (+)

Frogner-leilighet på billigsalg, ferietur og hjelp til barn. Ekteparet Juul og Rød-Larsens relasjon til Epstein må frem i offentligheten.

www.dn.no

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 6d

Apropos Børge Brende:

Diplomatiminister Brende | Internasjonal Politikk

tidsskriftet-ip.no

Reposted by Lisa W. Fazio, Halvard Leira, Manisha Sinha , and 1 more Lisa W. Fazio, Halvard Leira, Manisha Sinha, Seth Frey

Cooper Lund @cooperlund.online · 6d

I'm worried that the broader public isn't really understanding the Epstein Files. The problem isn't that everyone in the files is a secret pedophile, it's that all the people are corresponding with him because they *don't care that he's a pedophile*. It's a story of elite impunity.

Paul Musgrave @professormusgrave.bsky.social · 6d

You can look at the Epstein files and conclude that only bad people have billions of dollars, but I think it’s also possible that having billions of dollars cauterizes your humanity

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 7d

"Tar De livsløgnen fra et gjennomsnittsmenneske, tar De lykken fra ham med det samme"

Børge Brende nekter for at han kjente til Epsteins kriminelle bakgrunn

Børge Brende holder fast ved at han ikke kjente til Jeffrey Epsteins forhistorie som dømt seksualforbryter da de møttes.

www.vg.no

Reposted by Halvard Leira

Cheryl Rofer @cherylrofer.bsky.social · 7d

I think that @seva.bsky.social has something here.

The Epstein Files and Russiagate are the Same Thing

For years the culture war has assigned these scandals to opposite teams.

hegemon.substack.com

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 8d

I want five bands you can't fucking stand:

4 Non Blondes
Blind Melon
Hanson
Spin Doctors
A-ha

(This was my very specific early 90's and Norwegian take).

Sara Mitchell @sbmitche.bsky.social · 8d

I want five bands you can't fucking stand:

Bob Dylan
Johnny Cash
Black Sabbath
Rolling Stones
U2

Andrew Blum @ablum.bsky.social · 8d

I want five bands you can't fucking stand:

The Cars
Pavement
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sufjan Stevens
Beach House

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 8d

Utnyttbar og lettlurt er andre adjektiver du kunne ha lagt til. Jeg er skuffet over den manglende refleksjonen og sjokkert over det manglende gangsynet. Har ikke disse menneskene (eller menneskene rundt dem) hørt om "VG-testen"? Tåler dette forsiden på avisene? Vi ser svaret nå. NEI!!!

Reposted by Halvard Leira

Sara Mitchell @sbmitche.bsky.social · 8d

I want five bands you can't fucking stand:

Bob Dylan
Johnny Cash
Black Sabbath
Rolling Stones
U2

Andrew Blum @ablum.bsky.social · 8d

I want five bands you can't fucking stand:

The Cars
Pavement
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Sufjan Stevens
Beach House

Malaclypse the Middle @malaclypse.bsky.social · 8d

I want five bands you can't fucking stand:

John Cougar Mennencamp
Journey
Post-Gabriel Genesis
REO Speedwagon
Yup, Billy Joel sucks

Reposted by Halvard Leira, Anna Grzymała-Busse

Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 8d

Trump's gratuitous smear of Danish soldiers who fell in service to America have the entire nation in a state of outrage, continuing now for many days. American media ignore this.

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 8d

Hvor lite overrasket er du over at Jagland og Brende er de to norske eks-politikerne som kommer dårligst ut av dette? Fair enough - de har hatt blant de mest synlige posisjonene ute, men likevel?

Reposted by Halvard Leira, Gerald Friedman

derek guy @dieworkwear.bsky.social · 8d

read online that someone set-up a premium rate phone number where callers get charged $3.99/ min. then they posted flyers in their neighborhood that said "call this number to report illegal aliens," but the number just puts them on hold with music. so far, they've made $17,000

Reposted by Steve Peers, Peter Holmes, Paul Goldstein , and 5 more Steve Peers, Peter Holmes, Paul Goldstein, Halvard Leira, Michael D. McDonald, Daniel Kuehn, Simon Lester, David Darmofal

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 8d

TRUMP TODAY: There was an election in Texas? What?

TRUMP YESTERDAY:

Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

Today is the day! To all Voters in Texas’ 9th State Senate District: GET OUT AND VOTE for a phenomenal Candidate, Leigh Wambsganss. She is a highly successful Entrepreneur, and an incredible supporter of our Movement to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. My very good friend, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, needs a strong conservative Republican in SD-9 to KEEP TEXAS RED! The Radical Left Democrats are spending a fortune to beat a true MAGA Warrior, Leigh Wambsganss. You can win this Election for Leigh, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement. POLLS CLOSE AT 7 P.M. GET OUT AND VOTE FOR LEIGH WAMBSGANSS! Find your closest Polling Location here. Leigh will NEVER let Texas, or the USA, down! President DJT

Reposted by David S. Cohen, Clyde W. Barrow, Halvard Leira , and 3 more David S. Cohen, Clyde W. Barrow, Halvard Leira, Gerald Friedman, Olivier Mannoni, Ernesto Castañeda

Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 14d

Wow! This read-along of the NYT moment-by-moment leading to the murder of Alex Pretti should shake everyone awake. He was a Good Samaritan.

Agents fired at least ten shots in roughly five seconds. DHS and Pam Bondi claim Pretti approached them armed and intent on a “massacre.”

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 14d

I blant MÅ man bare tenke tilbake til oppveksten når man skriver kronikker. M/ @bdecarvalho.bsky.social

klassekampen.no/artikkel/202...

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 15d

In the early 1930s, some Norwegians claimed Eastern Greenland for Norway. Norway lost resoundingly in the Hague. In the ensuing parliamentary debate, a Labour-representative, critical of the claim, referred to the claimants as “Greenlandnationalactivistfascists”. Just wanted to put this out there...

CHOAM Nomsky @samthielman.com · 18d

I just thought everyone should see this

Dr Kareem Carr
man: i wish to publish
@kareem_carr
Jan 21
reviewer 2: your paper is no good
man: i'll do anything to improve
reviewer 2: it's simple. you must read the work of the great scientist Pagliarini
man: *bursts into tears* but i am Pagliarini
Andre Pagliarini
@apagliar
Jan 21
a first: in rejecting an article I submitted to a journal, reviewer 2 noted I failed to engage the work of one Andre Pagliarini
Jan 21, 2026 • 3:47 PM UTC

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 19d

If this is the end result, Trump will have terminally weakened the closest US friendships in the world, for nothing. Nothing at all. The US already has this. Pathetic.

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 19d

“.. Denmark would give the United States sovereignty over small pockets of Greenlandic land where the United States could build military bases, according to three senior officials ..”

@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 19d

And, if fund managers in Europe draw the same conclusions, we might eventually catch up to the rest of the world. If TACO can be predicted, based on Wall St. movements, that does create opportunities.

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 19d

Occam's razor suggests that you are correct.

Reposted by Daniel W. Drezner, Halvard Leira, Bessma Momani , and 3 more Daniel W. Drezner, Halvard Leira, Bessma Momani, Henry Farrell, Michael D. McDonald, Tom Louwerse

Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 19d

Reposted by Halvard Leira

Starfire’s Deranged Neocon Foreign Policy Podcast @irhottakes.bsky.social · 19d

Tyrone: Hey, baby. Maybe you can help clean *my* pipe... *whips out his cock*

Tiffany: The United States reaffirms its commitment to collective security but maintains control over Greenland is a core national interest.

Tyrone: First of all, Tiffany, that's contrary to the spirit of collective sec

Reposted by Halvard Leira

Starfire’s Deranged Neocon Foreign Policy Podcast @irhottakes.bsky.social · 19d

"And so the King of Mexico calls me and she's like "Mister Trump, I need you to fix my plumbing and then I..."

Meanwhile in a LA porn studio, Tiffany is a little confused as to why she's supposed to talk about NATO and global trade before the gang bang, but it's interesting reading.

Reposted by Kori Schake, Elizabeth Saunders, Scott L. Greer , and 10 more Kori Schake, Elizabeth Saunders, Scott L. Greer, David Rothschild, Edgar Morgenroth, David R. Miller, Halvard Leira, Jacob T. Levy, Sarah Roberts, Mark Rice, Alexandra Cirone, Olivier Mannoni, Gwénola Ricordeau

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 19d

Trump on NATO: "Until the last few days when I told them about Iceland, they loved me. They called me daddy."

(He means Greenland.)

Reposted by Halvard Leira

Reposted by Halvard Leira, Markus W. Gehring

Duncan Bell @duncanbell.bsky.social · 20d

The script of that Carney speech is going to end up on a lot of IR readings lists...

Reposted by Halvard Leira

Isobel Hadley-Kamptz @isobelhk.bsky.social · 20d

Eh, Belgien premiärminister citerar Gramsci för att beskriva den situation som Trump skapat....

www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...

"And you know, as Gramsci said, ‘if the old is dying and the new is not yet born, you live in a time of monsters,’ and it’s up to him to decide if he wants to be a monster – yes or no.”

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 22d

Confirmed by Norwegian PM.

Halvard Leira @halvardl.bsky.social · 23d

In 1940, the USA accepted my grandparents, my father and his three siblings as political refugees from the Nazi occupation of Norway. Thankful for this since childhood, I never thought that my own government might in my lifetime honour that debt to US citizens facing their own government.

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