Samuel Beal
@sambeal.bsky.social
International correspondent at the Economist
Cold War Bundeswehr is BACK
Germany is getting serious about military procurement: 1000 Leopard tanks and 2500 Boxers are on the shopping list. (The Bundeswehr has currently about 300 Leopards)
augengeradeaus.net/2025/07/auf-...
augengeradeaus.net/2025/07/auf-...
Auf der Bestellliste: 1.000 Leopard, 2.500 Boxer, 25 Mrd Euro Volumen – Augen geradeaus!
augengeradeaus.net
July 5, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Cold War Bundeswehr is BACK
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Germany is getting serious about military procurement: 1000 Leopard tanks and 2500 Boxers are on the shopping list. (The Bundeswehr has currently about 300 Leopards)
augengeradeaus.net/2025/07/auf-...
augengeradeaus.net/2025/07/auf-...
Auf der Bestellliste: 1.000 Leopard, 2.500 Boxer, 25 Mrd Euro Volumen – Augen geradeaus!
augengeradeaus.net
July 5, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Germany is getting serious about military procurement: 1000 Leopard tanks and 2500 Boxers are on the shopping list. (The Bundeswehr has currently about 300 Leopards)
augengeradeaus.net/2025/07/auf-...
augengeradeaus.net/2025/07/auf-...
INDOPACOM must be overjoyed knowing the AIM-7s are safe. Not like we burned through a bunch of TLAMs and JASSMs in the Middle East recently..
Per reporting by my colleague @olliecarroll.bsky.social, US has cancelled 8,000-ish 155mm shells for Ukraine. That is 20% of current MONTHLY production. How that would have materially affected US readiness is hard to see. That's before getting onto 25 Stingers & 92 AIM-7, which are being phased out
July 3, 2025 at 11:33 AM
INDOPACOM must be overjoyed knowing the AIM-7s are safe. Not like we burned through a bunch of TLAMs and JASSMs in the Middle East recently..
Reposted by Samuel Beal
“The government has blown its stock of political capital on measures that are often sensible, frequently unpopular, but invariably too small, shallow and slow to make a difference.”
This week’s cover leader on Labour’s unhappy first birthday
economist.com/leaders/2025...
This week’s cover leader on Labour’s unhappy first birthday
economist.com/leaders/2025...
Sir Keir Starmer is rapidly losing his authority
As well as his hope of achieving much in office
economist.com
July 3, 2025 at 9:22 AM
“The government has blown its stock of political capital on measures that are often sensible, frequently unpopular, but invariably too small, shallow and slow to make a difference.”
This week’s cover leader on Labour’s unhappy first birthday
economist.com/leaders/2025...
This week’s cover leader on Labour’s unhappy first birthday
economist.com/leaders/2025...
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Would you like to spend six months writing for The Economist’s business desk in London? Apply for the 2025 Marjorie Deane internship by July 31st
The Economist’s business internship
We invite applications for the 2025 Marjorie Deane internship
econ.trib.al
May 30, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Would you like to spend six months writing for The Economist’s business desk in London? Apply for the 2025 Marjorie Deane internship by July 31st
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Huge Reaper loses in Yemen: "at least 15 US MQ-9 Reaper drones have been shot down over Yemen since late 2023, a toll that spiked after the Trump administration’s renewed air campaign on 15 March 2025. Losses, according to the Houthis, could be as high as 22 airframes"
April 30, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Huge Reaper loses in Yemen: "at least 15 US MQ-9 Reaper drones have been shot down over Yemen since late 2023, a toll that spiked after the Trump administration’s renewed air campaign on 15 March 2025. Losses, according to the Houthis, could be as high as 22 airframes"
Reposted by Samuel Beal
An F/A-18E fighter jet and tow tractor fell overboard the USS Harry Truman today and has sunk in the Red Sea...per the Navy:
April 28, 2025 at 6:29 PM
An F/A-18E fighter jet and tow tractor fell overboard the USS Harry Truman today and has sunk in the Red Sea...per the Navy:
For as long as I've been alive, America has been fighting the war on terror. Trump promised he'd end the "forever wars". Yet since taking office, he's ramped-up air strikes across the Middle East and Somalia. In this week's Economist I look into why
www.economist.com/internationa...
www.economist.com/internationa...
Trump’s red-hot war on terror
The number of strikes against jihadists is rising. Is it 2001 all over again?
www.economist.com
April 24, 2025 at 4:09 PM
For as long as I've been alive, America has been fighting the war on terror. Trump promised he'd end the "forever wars". Yet since taking office, he's ramped-up air strikes across the Middle East and Somalia. In this week's Economist I look into why
www.economist.com/internationa...
www.economist.com/internationa...
INDOPACOM in shambles right now
ttps://apnews.com/article/b2-bombers-us-yemen-houthis-iran-israel-hamas-war-487247ed0d6c8743b21d18740b649d1c
ttps://apnews.com/article/b2-bombers-us-yemen-houthis-iran-israel-hamas-war-487247ed0d6c8743b21d18740b649d1c
By the numbers: US deployment of B-2 bombers as tensions ramp up with Houthis and Iran
Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press show the deployment of at least six nuclear-capable B-2 Spirit bombers to Camp Thunder Bay on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
apnews.com
April 4, 2025 at 10:59 AM
INDOPACOM in shambles right now
ttps://apnews.com/article/b2-bombers-us-yemen-houthis-iran-israel-hamas-war-487247ed0d6c8743b21d18740b649d1c
ttps://apnews.com/article/b2-bombers-us-yemen-houthis-iran-israel-hamas-war-487247ed0d6c8743b21d18740b649d1c
Reposted by Samuel Beal
GEORGE LUCAS IN 1999: it's going to start with military action to force open a blockade, and then end up with a complete collapse and rewriting of the entire galactic order
ME IN 2025: okay I see it now
ME IN 2025: okay I see it now
March 24, 2025 at 6:17 PM
GEORGE LUCAS IN 1999: it's going to start with military action to force open a blockade, and then end up with a complete collapse and rewriting of the entire galactic order
ME IN 2025: okay I see it now
ME IN 2025: okay I see it now
Reposted by Samuel Beal
An extensive air campaign in Yemen, air strikes in Iraq and Somalia, and U.S. troops still deployed to Syria despite an end to the civil war. Why has an administration that is made up of so many figures critical of “forever war” continuing “forever war” unabated? I have a theory.
The Triumph of the Operator
GWOT, Signalgate, and the Cult of the Operator making National Security Policy
secretaryrofdefenserock.substack.com
March 28, 2025 at 11:32 PM
An extensive air campaign in Yemen, air strikes in Iraq and Somalia, and U.S. troops still deployed to Syria despite an end to the civil war. Why has an administration that is made up of so many figures critical of “forever war” continuing “forever war” unabated? I have a theory.
Reposted by Samuel Beal
I'm still not clear who is going to take up this €150bn in EU SAFE money announced today. It seems like a lot of work for a scheme that I don't see getting a lot of take-up. I would NOT assume it will result in much higher defence spending in Europe. My sceptical thread - do point out if I'm wrong 🧵
March 19, 2025 at 8:13 PM
I'm still not clear who is going to take up this €150bn in EU SAFE money announced today. It seems like a lot of work for a scheme that I don't see getting a lot of take-up. I would NOT assume it will result in much higher defence spending in Europe. My sceptical thread - do point out if I'm wrong 🧵
Reposted by Samuel Beal
I think this book could probably be reduced to one sentence.
March 15, 2025 at 9:01 AM
I think this book could probably be reduced to one sentence.
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Will rearmament create a legion of manufacturing jobs in left-behind towns? The economics is uncertain; the politics essential.
How Labour learned to love rearmament
economist.com/britain/2025...
How Labour learned to love rearmament
economist.com/britain/2025...
How Labour learned to love rearmament
Come, friendly bombs
economist.com
March 13, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Will rearmament create a legion of manufacturing jobs in left-behind towns? The economics is uncertain; the politics essential.
How Labour learned to love rearmament
economist.com/britain/2025...
How Labour learned to love rearmament
economist.com/britain/2025...
Reposted by Samuel Beal
US cuts off intel to Kyiv, hindering its long-range strikes, to build "confidence" (see Walz below).
Meanwhile: "Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 181 strike drones and three missiles ... in the latest attack." abcnews.go.com/Internationa...
US pressure on Moscow? Zilch.
Meanwhile: "Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 181 strike drones and three missiles ... in the latest attack." abcnews.go.com/Internationa...
US pressure on Moscow? Zilch.
March 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM
US cuts off intel to Kyiv, hindering its long-range strikes, to build "confidence" (see Walz below).
Meanwhile: "Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 181 strike drones and three missiles ... in the latest attack." abcnews.go.com/Internationa...
US pressure on Moscow? Zilch.
Meanwhile: "Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 181 strike drones and three missiles ... in the latest attack." abcnews.go.com/Internationa...
US pressure on Moscow? Zilch.
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Terrible decision by SecDef.
March 4, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Terrible decision by SecDef.
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Our cover story this week: reforming the Pentagon. www.economist.com/briefing/202...
February 13, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Our cover story this week: reforming the Pentagon. www.economist.com/briefing/202...
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Learned a good bit from this interesting note by my colleague Corbin Duncan on translation issues in diplomacy between America and China: www.economist.com/china/2025/0....
February 1, 2025 at 7:39 AM
Learned a good bit from this interesting note by my colleague Corbin Duncan on translation issues in diplomacy between America and China: www.economist.com/china/2025/0....
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Allows some in mil to minimize their shortcomings in the GWOT via a stabbed in the back narrative of, “we would have won if we didn’t have this restrictive ROE….if the politicians would have turned us loose.” It shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the use of mil force to achieve pol objectives.
The obsession with lethality indicates either a dangerously simplistic understanding of warfare or an abdication of the military’s side of the difficult process of translating political aims into military tasks.
January 16, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Allows some in mil to minimize their shortcomings in the GWOT via a stabbed in the back narrative of, “we would have won if we didn’t have this restrictive ROE….if the politicians would have turned us loose.” It shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the use of mil force to achieve pol objectives.
We wrote about this in the summer. There's a view among some in the US military that it currently suffers from a COIN "hangover" with restrictive ROEs.
Could America fight its enemies without breaking the law?
www.economist.com/internationa...
From The Economist
Could America fight its enemies without breaking the law?
www.economist.com/internationa...
From The Economist
January 14, 2025 at 5:13 PM
We wrote about this in the summer. There's a view among some in the US military that it currently suffers from a COIN "hangover" with restrictive ROEs.
Could America fight its enemies without breaking the law?
www.economist.com/internationa...
From The Economist
Could America fight its enemies without breaking the law?
www.economist.com/internationa...
From The Economist
One of my Economist articles being roasted on r/neoliberal was truly my highlight of 2024
January 6, 2025 at 2:47 PM
One of my Economist articles being roasted on r/neoliberal was truly my highlight of 2024
Ready for jihadist neoliberalism
December 12, 2024 at 1:24 PM
Ready for jihadist neoliberalism
Exploring the new world in Santo Domingo
November 24, 2024 at 10:29 PM
Exploring the new world in Santo Domingo
Reposted by Samuel Beal
Some exciting news from @economist.com. All American service members—all 1.3m active duty, and those retired—now have free access to The Economist's website, thanks to a deal with DoD. If I'm not mistaken, you can access it through DoD's library pages: www.dodmwrlibraries.org. Happy reading.
DoD MWR Libraries
www.dodmwrlibraries.org
November 22, 2024 at 11:32 AM
Some exciting news from @economist.com. All American service members—all 1.3m active duty, and those retired—now have free access to The Economist's website, thanks to a deal with DoD. If I'm not mistaken, you can access it through DoD's library pages: www.dodmwrlibraries.org. Happy reading.