Lawrence Freedman
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Lawrence Freedman
@ldfreedman.bsky.social
52K followers 110 following 490 posts

Emeritus Professor of War Studies King's College London. Latest Book Command: The Politics of Military Operations from Korea to Ukraine. Substack Comment is Freed https://samf.substack.com/

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Sir Lawrence David Freedman, is a British academic, historian and author specialising in foreign policy, international relations and strategy. He has been described as the "dean of British strategic studies" and was a member of the Iraq Inquiry. He is an Emeritus Professor of War Studies at King's College London. .. more

Political science 82%
Sociology 6%
Posts Replies Media Videos

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman

cassiarowland.bsky.social
Cassia Rowland @cassiarowland.bsky.social · 2d
Great summary from Sam of just how dire a state the criminal justice system is in — and the massive political and human risks that creates. We go through all the facts and figures in our Public Services Performance Tracker:

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 2d
Sam illuminates the dire state of the criminal justice system and why it has to be a priority for reform. (£/free trial) samf.substack.com/p/flashing-red?
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
samf.substack.com

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman, Steve Peers, Tim Bale , and 2 more

samfr.bsky.social
Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 2d
New post just out:

Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list".

No part of the public sector is more broken or brings with it greater political risk. As we saw these past two weeks.

It desperately needs a new approach.

(£/free trial)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman

michaelkofman.bsky.social
Michael Kofman @michaelkofman.bsky.social · 3d
As the situation in Pokrovsk becomes critical, and AFU reinforces the pocket to stabilize the flanks, there's considerable attention now to how this battle is unfolding. A few thoughts on the situation. 1/ (DeepStateMap)

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman

msgundemblog.bsky.social
msgundemblog.bsky.social @msgundemblog.bsky.social · 3d
Viral video of crying Ukrainian soldier sent to front lines is fake

Videos of a crying Ukrainian "conscript" have flooded European social media networks, particularly in Germany and Hungary, this week. The clip, however, appears to be created with help from Sora, OpenAI's new tool.
Viral video of crying Ukrainian soldier sent to front lines is fake
Videos of a crying Ukrainian "conscript" have flooded European social media networks, particularly in Germany and Hungary, this week. The clip, however, appears to be created with help from Sora, OpenAI's new tool.
www.xn--mustafaeker-xgc.com.tr

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman

samfr.bsky.social
Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 4d
Just sent out our regular "ask us anything" post so subscribers can submit questions.

Also some of the highlights from the substack over the last few months.

(Free to read)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/a...
Ask us anything
Every few months we offer paying subscribers the chance to ask us questions on any topic you like.
open.substack.com

Substack
Ask us anything

Every few months we offer paying subscribers the chance to ask us questions on any topic you like. Just stick your questions in the comments section of this post.

Reposts 0 4d

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman, Anna Vignoles

samfr.bsky.social
Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 5d
New post just out:

"How to make government work"

We have a guest post from one of the people who built the AI Security Institute on a rare UK success story. With important lessons for the rest of government.

(£/free trial)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/h...
How to make government work
Lessons from a rare British success story
open.substack.com

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman, Patrick Dunleavy, Steve Peers , and 3 more

samfr.bsky.social
Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 8d
New post just out:

"Who might replace Starmer?"

With pressure growing on the PM, there are a lot of conversations going on in Westminster about who could take over.

Who are the contenders? Who's best placed to win? Would it make any difference?

(£/free trial)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/w...
Who might replace Starmer?
As predicted at the start of the summer, the idea that the Prime Minister might not make it through another year is gaining traction.
open.substack.com

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 9d
Haven’t watch it yet. Will do soon

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 9d
In which I explain how Trump’s announcement on nuclear testing was based on a misunderstanding of what Russia is up to, and why the US would be unable to start testing immediately even if it made any sense to do so. (£/free trial), open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...?
Trump and the Test Ban
A nuclear test in the Nevada desert, 1955.
open.substack.com

Substack
Trump and the Test Ban

A nuclear test in the Nevada desert, 1955.

Reposts 0 9d

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman, Ariadne Vromen

ruthpatrick0.bsky.social
Prof Ruth Patrick @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social · 11d
This was very cathartic to write, and I'm grateful to @samfr.bsky.social for giving me the space to try and set out just why the two-child limit must go, and go in its entirety

[mini 🧵]
samfr.bsky.social Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 11d
New post out:

"The worst social policy ever"

Today we have a guest post from @ruthpatrick0.bsky.social on the abomination that is the two-child limit and why Labour need to scrap it ASAP.

Lots of data but also powerful testimony.

(Free to read)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
"The worst social policy ever"
We have a couple of bonus guest posts over the next week.
open.substack.com

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman, David D. Buck

samfr.bsky.social
Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 11d
Cutting child poverty is obviously important as per this polling yesterday from @steveakehurst.bsky.social

Child poverty increasing leads to the biggest loss of govt approval by an election in hyopthetical polling.

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 12d
She has a few more subscribers and this was part of a deal to become head of CBS news. Of course nor would we wish to compromise our independence and integrity. However…

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 12d
So I’m not going to be allowed to sell up and retire properly because there is nothing to sell.

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 12d
Sounds painful

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman, Kori Schake, Elizabeth Saunders , and 2 more

peterlucier.bsky.social
🥧🍁 Peter Peter Pumpkin Pie Eater 🥧🍁Lucier @peterlucier.bsky.social · 13d
Happy Publication Day and congratulations to Dr. @kschake.bsky.social !

A brilliant scholar of civ-mil relations, her prose is joyful and well crafted, and her narrative, compelling.

This is a foundational, urgently needed text. I cannot recommend more strongly.

www.amazon.com/State-Soldie...
The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relations in the United States
Amazon.com: The State and the Soldier: A History of Civil-Military Relations in the United States eBook : Schake, Kori: Kindle Store
www.amazon.com

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 13d
Perhaps ‘theory’ has become a less demanding concept. A theory of victory is simply a way of explaining why you are continuing to fight and reasons for thinking it’ll work out in the end. It may be no more than we are bigger and stronger.

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 13d
Gray was making a different point, challenging the idea that there could never be a victor in a nuclear (and he always said he did not write the headline).

Reposted by Brigid Laffan

ldfreedman.bsky.social
Lawrence Freedman @ldfreedman.bsky.social · 13d
Is the Russian economy sufficiently in trouble to lead Putin to reappraise his war strategy? I look at the evidence in my latest post (£/free trial), open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/u...?
Ukraine's Theory of Victory
A stalling Russian offensive and a stalling Russian economy
open.substack.com

Substack
Ukraine's Theory of Victory

A stalling Russian offensive and a stalling Russian economy Oil tanks burning after a reported drone attack on a facility in Klintsy, Russia, earlier this year.

Reposts 0 13d

Reposted by Lawrence Freedman

bfpg.bsky.social
British Foreign Policy Group @bfpg.bsky.social · 14d
Tomorrow, 28th October at 12:00, tune in to the Mile End Institute's webinar to hear BFPG Director, Evie Aspinall, and fellow panellists discussing Britain's role in Ukraine, and the implications for UK foreign and domestic policy.

Sign up here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Reposted by Brigid Laffan