Charlie Thomas
@cthomasjamh.bsky.social
Professor, African Military Historian, Co-Editor of the Journal of African Military History. Opinions expressed are solely mine. My book, Ujamaa’s Army, is available now!! https://www.ohioswallow.com/9780821425596/ujamaas-army
Pinned
Charlie Thomas
@cthomasjamh.bsky.social
· Nov 12
"But Charlie!" you may say, "why should *I* care about the Tanzania People's Defence Force!?" Well let me tell you a few cool things about them!
1. Following independence most African states just inherited whatever colonial troops existed as their militaries. This often led to coups and mutinies.
1. Following independence most African states just inherited whatever colonial troops existed as their militaries. This often led to coups and mutinies.
Whooooo! Although I know other folks have already gotten it, my author copies finally arrived. It's been a long road and it still feels unreal to actually have the physical copies in hand!
For all my new followers, hello! I am a historian of African militaries and African military history- and I recently published a book on the Tanzania People's Defence Forces' fascinating history! Here's a thread about why you should read it! bsky.app/profile/ctho...
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
sometimes, though, a boat does get stuck
we as a society need more tales of doomed mariners, and yet shipping is safer than ever
November 11, 2025 at 3:48 AM
sometimes, though, a boat does get stuck
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
Prominent Afrikaners are pushing back after President Trump announced no U.S. officials will attend the G20 in Johannesburg, rejecting his claims of "white persecution" in South Africa as false and politically driven.
Prominent Afrikaners refuse to be 'pawns,' and hit back at Trump's claims about South Africa
Prominent Afrikaners are pushing back after President Trump announced no U.S. officials will attend the G20 in Johannesburg, rejecting his claims of "white persecution" in South Africa as false and politically driven.
n.pr
November 11, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Prominent Afrikaners are pushing back after President Trump announced no U.S. officials will attend the G20 in Johannesburg, rejecting his claims of "white persecution" in South Africa as false and politically driven.
So what I’m hearing is he wants to send money to people to say, subsidize their purchase of private insurance off of a centralized marketplace? Genius! Why didn’t we do that earlier?!?!?
Trump: "I want the money to go into an account for people where they buy their own health insurance. It's so good. The insurance will be better. It'll cost less. Everybody is gonna be happy. They're gonna feel like entrepreneurs. They're actually able to go out & negotiate their own insurance"
November 11, 2025 at 1:14 AM
So what I’m hearing is he wants to send money to people to say, subsidize their purchase of private insurance off of a centralized marketplace? Genius! Why didn’t we do that earlier?!?!?
This is actually my Dad D&D group (although right now we are playing Vaesen). I am 90% certain they agreed in the first place to just have socialization and that’s fine by me.
bar trivia is pretty good, bowling or pool or whatever would also be fine, this is mostly a well-solved problem
as the husband of a mahjong addict, dudes need to identify an activity that can be done relatively easily in groups with minimal financial commitment so they can get out of the house for 2-3 hours on a school night, have two beers, and shoot the shit with their buddies.
It won't be mahjong tho.
It won't be mahjong tho.
November 11, 2025 at 1:05 AM
This is actually my Dad D&D group (although right now we are playing Vaesen). I am 90% certain they agreed in the first place to just have socialization and that’s fine by me.
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
“The efforts of some of Trump’s allies to remake American identity as a matter of exclusionary heritage is fundamentally at odds with American history and American character. We are a diverse country, and we always have been.” Love this by AEI’s President www.aei.org/opportunity-...
www.aei.org
November 10, 2025 at 3:39 PM
“The efforts of some of Trump’s allies to remake American identity as a matter of exclusionary heritage is fundamentally at odds with American history and American character. We are a diverse country, and we always have been.” Love this by AEI’s President www.aei.org/opportunity-...
So this is about the fourth time I've seen a media outlet blare out that President Trump is doing Tariff Checks!!!!!!! before about 2-3 paragraphs in they finally mention "Oh yeah, by the way this would require congress and also they aren't collecting enough money to actually do this."
“.. The plan could cost the US government double what it's projected to take in for 2025 and undercut Trump's argument that tariff revenue will be used to help pay down federal debt.” 🤡
@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
November 10, 2025 at 10:57 PM
So this is about the fourth time I've seen a media outlet blare out that President Trump is doing Tariff Checks!!!!!!! before about 2-3 paragraphs in they finally mention "Oh yeah, by the way this would require congress and also they aren't collecting enough money to actually do this."
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
I own and have read all of these, and I highly recommend them! I am NOT a big horror fan, so if you really like gore and jump scares and being terrified, some these might too tame for you. Generally, Cherie takes me right to the edge of being entertained without freaking out. YMMV.
Who wants some CHEAP BOOK LOOT? Right on, I've got your back - behold: Here's what's newer, older, and super-cheap on promo from around the internet today...starting with IT WAS HER HOUSE FIRST but including GRAVE RESERVATIONS and MORE: www.cheriepriest.com/blog/novembe...
November Deals from around the Internet — The Haunt*
Hello and welcome to Monday (such as it is). Spooky season may have passed, but book deals know no such limitations - so here’s what I found around the web, for your bargain-purchasing and leisure-rea...
www.cheriepriest.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:07 PM
I own and have read all of these, and I highly recommend them! I am NOT a big horror fan, so if you really like gore and jump scares and being terrified, some these might too tame for you. Generally, Cherie takes me right to the edge of being entertained without freaking out. YMMV.
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
November 10, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
books have no tech tree, no fog of war
November 10, 2025 at 8:13 PM
books have no tech tree, no fog of war
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
“We fought as fighters, not as women”: women’s participation in ethnonational armed groups in #Ethiopia
By Hilina Berhanu Degefa
www.xcept-research.org/publication/...
By Hilina Berhanu Degefa
www.xcept-research.org/publication/...
"We fought as fighters, not as women": women's participation in ethnonational armed groups in Ethiopia - XCEPT
Ethnonational mobilisations — characterised by a strong sense of national and political identification, whether organised along ethnic, religious, or regional political identifications — tend to…
www.xcept-research.org
November 10, 2025 at 7:15 PM
“We fought as fighters, not as women”: women’s participation in ethnonational armed groups in #Ethiopia
By Hilina Berhanu Degefa
www.xcept-research.org/publication/...
By Hilina Berhanu Degefa
www.xcept-research.org/publication/...
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
that's in part because costco feels so old fashioned. the approach generally seems to be, "will this provide additional value to our customers?"
November 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM
that's in part because costco feels so old fashioned. the approach generally seems to be, "will this provide additional value to our customers?"
Sharing this again because this is just so spot on. I had hoped that even regional orgs might be taking things seriously with ECOWAS intervention into the Gambia, but with South Africa being slow off the mark in Cabo Delgado and no one saying a word about Sudan it seems we are back at no coordiation
Trump threatening to attack Nigeria. Only accepting white "refugees" from South Africa. Warfare and insurgency in Sudan and the Sahel. foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/a...
Africa Needs a Continental Body With Teeth
The African Union has become a back-scratching club of heads of state.
foreignpolicy.com
November 10, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Sharing this again because this is just so spot on. I had hoped that even regional orgs might be taking things seriously with ECOWAS intervention into the Gambia, but with South Africa being slow off the mark in Cabo Delgado and no one saying a word about Sudan it seems we are back at no coordiation
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
Trump threatening to attack Nigeria. Only accepting white "refugees" from South Africa. Warfare and insurgency in Sudan and the Sahel. foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/a...
Africa Needs a Continental Body With Teeth
The African Union has become a back-scratching club of heads of state.
foreignpolicy.com
November 9, 2025 at 1:42 PM
Trump threatening to attack Nigeria. Only accepting white "refugees" from South Africa. Warfare and insurgency in Sudan and the Sahel. foreignpolicy.com/2025/11/07/a...
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
plenty of sitting reps and state officials who've shown fight that deserve a promotion to the Senate so we don't have to drool over every utterly unknown pipefitter with a slick ad in front of an F-18.
“primary every democrat” only becomes a serious threat if bsky doesn’t go goo goo babies over platner-esque candidates
November 10, 2025 at 4:32 PM
plenty of sitting reps and state officials who've shown fight that deserve a promotion to the Senate so we don't have to drool over every utterly unknown pipefitter with a slick ad in front of an F-18.
Ooooof this has been coming down the line since the new Commandant started implementing his vision for the place.
The U.S. Air Force Academy's academic accreditation is under review following a formal complaint that the institution no longer has sufficient Ph.D.-level faculty as the federal government reduces its civilian workforce // Story by @thenoellephillips.bsky.social
Air Force Academy’s accreditation under review after cuts to civilian faculty
Concerned alumni and former faculty told The Denver Post they believe the academy is losing too many civilian Ph.D.-level instructors without the ability to replace them with qualified military mem…
www.denverpost.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Ooooof this has been coming down the line since the new Commandant started implementing his vision for the place.
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
I think strategic wargames are hard to design because ultimately the goal of the player is to not have fun. Like, ideally, you want to set yourself up in such a way that makes things as unfair for your enemies as humanly possible. The goal of Total War is to never have to not press autoresolve.
A fault of orientation shared by nearly the entire wargaming industry output, it must be noted.
November 10, 2025 at 3:37 PM
I think strategic wargames are hard to design because ultimately the goal of the player is to not have fun. Like, ideally, you want to set yourself up in such a way that makes things as unfair for your enemies as humanly possible. The goal of Total War is to never have to not press autoresolve.
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
The "protest" at the opening of the Museum of West African Art in Benin, Edo state looks bad for Nigeria.
The museum was meant to host returned Benin Bronzes, but now won't due to rivalry between the ex & former Edo governors. As a Nigerian friend said, "Who wants to return the Bronzes to us now?"
The museum was meant to host returned Benin Bronzes, but now won't due to rivalry between the ex & former Edo governors. As a Nigerian friend said, "Who wants to return the Bronzes to us now?"
Protesters target major new Nigerian museum embroiled in looted artefacts row
Protest at Mowaa comes amid dispute over ownership of Benin bronzes looted by British colonial forces
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
The "protest" at the opening of the Museum of West African Art in Benin, Edo state looks bad for Nigeria.
The museum was meant to host returned Benin Bronzes, but now won't due to rivalry between the ex & former Edo governors. As a Nigerian friend said, "Who wants to return the Bronzes to us now?"
The museum was meant to host returned Benin Bronzes, but now won't due to rivalry between the ex & former Edo governors. As a Nigerian friend said, "Who wants to return the Bronzes to us now?"
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
They very explicitly proved that voting this summer
I had no issue with pushing for a shutdown despite it harming me very directly personally, I'm even still for considering a "should've held out for (x) weeks" argument
But you need a theory of victory beyond "the GOP undoes their vote in June"
I had no issue with pushing for a shutdown despite it harming me very directly personally, I'm even still for considering a "should've held out for (x) weeks" argument
But you need a theory of victory beyond "the GOP undoes their vote in June"
November 10, 2025 at 5:33 AM
They very explicitly proved that voting this summer
I had no issue with pushing for a shutdown despite it harming me very directly personally, I'm even still for considering a "should've held out for (x) weeks" argument
But you need a theory of victory beyond "the GOP undoes their vote in June"
I had no issue with pushing for a shutdown despite it harming me very directly personally, I'm even still for considering a "should've held out for (x) weeks" argument
But you need a theory of victory beyond "the GOP undoes their vote in June"
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
I learned a lot tonight, namely that a critical mass of people on my side had no clear idea what they actually wanted out of this beyond hopes that if the shutdown broke enough stuff, they'd get whatever was on their wishlist, and their preferred time horizon was "indefinite."
November 10, 2025 at 5:01 AM
I learned a lot tonight, namely that a critical mass of people on my side had no clear idea what they actually wanted out of this beyond hopes that if the shutdown broke enough stuff, they'd get whatever was on their wishlist, and their preferred time horizon was "indefinite."
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
My one exception for my future jihad against GS's doing illegal shit is the ones who emailed their supervisor in advance to ask "hey boss I think this violates x USC ###, please advise before I take any further action," and then made sure to archive the response
being a whistleblower: difficult; risky; may ruin your life; should be reserved for only exceptional circumstances
innocently producing a document which must be produced in court should someone notice the thing: if legal thinks this document is a problem for the company, the thing is illegal
innocently producing a document which must be produced in court should someone notice the thing: if legal thinks this document is a problem for the company, the thing is illegal
i have never more clearly seen someone describe a job that they are probably the ideal person for
November 10, 2025 at 7:42 AM
My one exception for my future jihad against GS's doing illegal shit is the ones who emailed their supervisor in advance to ask "hey boss I think this violates x USC ###, please advise before I take any further action," and then made sure to archive the response
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
Happy birthday USMC.
November 10, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Happy birthday USMC.
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
Auction update!
245 registered bidders!
30 items needing bids!
6 more days ta bid!
593 items ta pick from!!!
Thank you for helping us rescue ♥️!
Love,
Lola
givebutter.com/c/RescueCoop...
245 registered bidders!
30 items needing bids!
6 more days ta bid!
593 items ta pick from!!!
Thank you for helping us rescue ♥️!
Love,
Lola
givebutter.com/c/RescueCoop...
November 10, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Auction update!
245 registered bidders!
30 items needing bids!
6 more days ta bid!
593 items ta pick from!!!
Thank you for helping us rescue ♥️!
Love,
Lola
givebutter.com/c/RescueCoop...
245 registered bidders!
30 items needing bids!
6 more days ta bid!
593 items ta pick from!!!
Thank you for helping us rescue ♥️!
Love,
Lola
givebutter.com/c/RescueCoop...
Reposted by Charlie Thomas
Good.
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Kim Davis' call to overturn its 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
www.mississippifreepress.org/us-supreme-c...
www.mississippifreepress.org/us-supreme-c...
US Supreme Court Rejects Kim Davis' Call to Overturn Same-Sex Marriage Rights
The Supreme Court has rejected a call to overturn its landmark decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
www.mississippifreepress.org
November 10, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Good.
I largely stepped away last night but I have to say this is exactly how my feed had me feeling this morning.
Not that there's a bunch of us, but I think a contingent of feds on here have been incentivized to just block 50% of the users here tonight, because man "you should eat shit indefinitely for undetermined reasons so I can poast about The Revolution" is a taek I guess, but not one I want to see
I, a 15-year career federal employee, am responsible for ACA subsidies being taken away.
Not the tens of millions of people who voted to give Donald Trump's Republican Party control of the American government, no, they're blameless victims. It's my fault and I should suffer for it.
fuck this shit.
Not the tens of millions of people who voted to give Donald Trump's Republican Party control of the American government, no, they're blameless victims. It's my fault and I should suffer for it.
fuck this shit.
November 10, 2025 at 2:51 PM
I largely stepped away last night but I have to say this is exactly how my feed had me feeling this morning.
Succinct and correct.
You cannot undo the votes of 77 million Americans by making two million federal families suffer indefinite financial pain.
November 10, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Succinct and correct.