Tim Dowse
@timdowse.bsky.social
Consultant, after 40 years with FCO, Cabinet Office, HM Treasury. Specialties: national security, defence, geopolitical analysis.
Reposted by Tim Dowse
Wonderful to see this news that the Kennan Institute will continue its vital work, now as an independent center.
Dismantled by DOGE, a Foreign Policy Center Finds New Life
www.nytimes.com
November 11, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Wonderful to see this news that the Kennan Institute will continue its vital work, now as an independent center.
Interesting less for the content, which feels largely like gossip, than for the sourcing which - as I’d expect - appears to be all American, not British. Some insider (or probably more than one) doesn’t like Director Patel.
Btw NYT: there’s no such place as “Windsor Palace”!
Btw NYT: there’s no such place as “Windsor Palace”!
F.B.I. Director Is Said to Have Made a Pledge to Head of MI5, Then Broken It
www.nytimes.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Interesting less for the content, which feels largely like gossip, than for the sourcing which - as I’d expect - appears to be all American, not British. Some insider (or probably more than one) doesn’t like Director Patel.
Btw NYT: there’s no such place as “Windsor Palace”!
Btw NYT: there’s no such place as “Windsor Palace”!
I wonder if there is enough abundance of excellent discourse among today's senior civil servants?
With Sir W. Batten and Sir J. Minnes, with whom we did abundance of most excellent discourse of former passages of sea commanders and officers of the navy.
November 9, 2025 at 10:46 PM
I wonder if there is enough abundance of excellent discourse among today's senior civil servants?
Reposted by Tim Dowse
La soif de liberté est plus forte que les dictatures:
il y a 36 ans, dans la soirée du 9 novembre 1989, le Mur de Berlin tombait.
N’oublions pas ce qu’il était.
There was once a Wall in Berlin #LestWeForget
il y a 36 ans, dans la soirée du 9 novembre 1989, le Mur de Berlin tombait.
N’oublions pas ce qu’il était.
There was once a Wall in Berlin #LestWeForget
November 9, 2025 at 9:51 PM
La soif de liberté est plus forte que les dictatures:
il y a 36 ans, dans la soirée du 9 novembre 1989, le Mur de Berlin tombait.
N’oublions pas ce qu’il était.
There was once a Wall in Berlin #LestWeForget
il y a 36 ans, dans la soirée du 9 novembre 1989, le Mur de Berlin tombait.
N’oublions pas ce qu’il était.
There was once a Wall in Berlin #LestWeForget
Poor old Lavrov. He's been trying to step down for many years, but Putin wouldn't let him go. If he'd left in, say, 2005 he could have had an honourable retirement. As it is, he'll be remembered alongside Tariq Aziz.
A top ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that media reports about Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov falling out of favor “are completely untrue.”
Kremlin denies growing rumors of Sergey Lavrov’s ouster
“Completely untrue,” insists Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, as chatter builds about the veteran foreign minister.
www.politico.eu
November 7, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Poor old Lavrov. He's been trying to step down for many years, but Putin wouldn't let him go. If he'd left in, say, 2005 he could have had an honourable retirement. As it is, he'll be remembered alongside Tariq Aziz.
Reposted by Tim Dowse
Prevent stats published today www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
Far-right cases referred to Prevent programme double those for Islamist extremism
A record 8,778 people were referred to the government’s anti-extremism scheme in the year to March 2025
www.independent.co.uk
November 6, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Prevent stats published today www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crim...
If agent Lairmore is able to give this evidence without giggling, he deserves a medal of some sort.
Border Patrol agent Lairmore testifies that he was not injured by the sandwich, but he felt the impact through his ballistic vest.
The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says.
"I could smell the onions and mustard."
The sandwich came apart and "kind of exploded" on his chest upon impact, he says.
"I could smell the onions and mustard."
November 4, 2025 at 7:31 PM
If agent Lairmore is able to give this evidence without giggling, he deserves a medal of some sort.
An informative thread.
Latest Trump comments on nuclear testing from CBS suggest he's latched onto the zero-yield controversy; State Department compliance reports in 2021 accused Russia of conducting "experiments" that generated "nuclear yield" (not so for China) www.cbsnews.com/news/read-fu...
November 3, 2025 at 6:43 AM
An informative thread.
Reposted by Tim Dowse
The nuclear testing ordered by President Trump will not involve nuclear explosions, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday, clarifying that the testing would involve “the other parts of a nuclear weapon” to ensure they are working properly.
New Weapons Testing Won’t Include Nuclear Explosions, Energy Secretary Says
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the testing ordered up in a surprise announcement by President Trump last week would focus on “the other parts” of nuclear weaponry.
nyti.ms
November 2, 2025 at 9:47 PM
The nuclear testing ordered by President Trump will not involve nuclear explosions, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on Sunday, clarifying that the testing would involve “the other parts of a nuclear weapon” to ensure they are working properly.
It is remarkable that, approaching four years since Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine is still successfully flying fast jets. Either Ukraine has superb runway repair teams or Russia's counter-air operations have been completely incompetent. (Too busy targeting civilian infrastructure perhaps?)
Ukrainian Su-27 pilots supported ground troops with a GBU-62 strike on a Russian troop concentration in the city of Kupyansk.
October 31, 2025 at 3:24 PM
It is remarkable that, approaching four years since Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine is still successfully flying fast jets. Either Ukraine has superb runway repair teams or Russia's counter-air operations have been completely incompetent. (Too busy targeting civilian infrastructure perhaps?)
South Sudan, the poorest country in the world, hosts over 600,000 refugees. Another among the poorest, Chad, hosts almost *1.5 million*. Meanwhile, the richest country in the world…
What does it say on the Statue of Liberty? “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses…”
What does it say on the Statue of Liberty? “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses…”
Trump caps refugee admissions at 7,500 - mostly white South Africans
Trump caps refugee admissions at 7,500 - mostly white South Africans
The move, which will apply for the next fiscal year, marks a dramatic cut from the previous limit of 125,000.
www.bbc.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:45 PM
South Sudan, the poorest country in the world, hosts over 600,000 refugees. Another among the poorest, Chad, hosts almost *1.5 million*. Meanwhile, the richest country in the world…
What does it say on the Statue of Liberty? “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses…”
What does it say on the Statue of Liberty? “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses…”
Reposted by Tim Dowse
There is no coherent model of European politics that can explain the most recent election results in the Netherlands, Czechia and Poland. Anyone who says they can tease out pan-continental political trends is trying to sell you an op-ed.
October 29, 2025 at 9:43 PM
There is no coherent model of European politics that can explain the most recent election results in the Netherlands, Czechia and Poland. Anyone who says they can tease out pan-continental political trends is trying to sell you an op-ed.
Leaving aside his motivation, he's seriously trying to build an AI that brings about the end of the world?
I thought that was supposed to be an AI risk, not an objective.
I thought that was supposed to be an AI risk, not an objective.
At a fundamental level, we have to accept much of silicon valley has gone insane.
An ex-Intel CEO’s mission to build a Christian AI: ‘hasten the coming of Christ’s return’
Patrick Gelsinger, executive chairman of Gloo, has made it his mission to advance Christian principles in Silicon Valley
www.theguardian.com
October 28, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Leaving aside his motivation, he's seriously trying to build an AI that brings about the end of the world?
I thought that was supposed to be an AI risk, not an objective.
I thought that was supposed to be an AI risk, not an objective.
If you want a pithy summary of the difficulties (or not!) of managing a sensible policy towards China that addresses both security threats and economic necessities, listen to ex-'C' Sir Alex Younger on Radio 4 Today. Excellent as usual. About 0840 GMT.
October 28, 2025 at 9:02 AM
If you want a pithy summary of the difficulties (or not!) of managing a sensible policy towards China that addresses both security threats and economic necessities, listen to ex-'C' Sir Alex Younger on Radio 4 Today. Excellent as usual. About 0840 GMT.
I've now seen several reports from reputable sources about this test flight. Some, lije this one, suggest where it may have been launched from. But none I have seen say where the flying *nuclear reactor* came down. That seems to be more than a detail. Presumably someone (outside Russia) must know?
Russia Claims Burevestnik Nuclear-Powered Missile Flew 14,000 Km in 15 Hours
Its existence was made official in early 2018 as part of six new strategic weapons, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles, and a nuclear-capable torpedo.
Story: theaviationist.com/2025/10/27/r...
Its existence was made official in early 2018 as part of six new strategic weapons, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles, and a nuclear-capable torpedo.
Story: theaviationist.com/2025/10/27/r...
Russia Claims Burevestnik Nuclear-Powered Missile Flew 14,000 Km in 15 Hours
The existence of the 9M730 Burevestnik was first made official in early 2018 as a part of six new strategic weapons, including hypersonic and ballistic
theaviationist.com
October 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM
I've now seen several reports from reputable sources about this test flight. Some, lije this one, suggest where it may have been launched from. But none I have seen say where the flying *nuclear reactor* came down. That seems to be more than a detail. Presumably someone (outside Russia) must know?
Extraordinary - and unsettling - indeed.
I have just published an article in The Bookseller - it is about a really strange, and somewhat unsettling, story about an AI-generated fake biography about me. Have a read! www.thebookseller.com/comment/the-...
The woman who knew too much
One author's extraordinary tale of AI appropriation.
www.thebookseller.com
October 25, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Extraordinary - and unsettling - indeed.
October 25, 2025 at 1:49 PM
The usual good sense from someone who knows what he is talking about. Two comments from my experience: the hardest trap to avoid is groupthink (almost by definition); and a real challenge in setting collection priorities is saving some capacity for when the “unknown unknowns” become known unknowns.
engelsbergideas.us10.list-manage.com
October 25, 2025 at 1:42 PM
The usual good sense from someone who knows what he is talking about. Two comments from my experience: the hardest trap to avoid is groupthink (almost by definition); and a real challenge in setting collection priorities is saving some capacity for when the “unknown unknowns” become known unknowns.
"Then we got woke".
Harry Truman, that notoriously woke President.
Harry Truman, that notoriously woke President.
Trump: “Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, sounds so much better than Secretary of Defense... we won the First World War, the Second World War, I would say everything before and everything in-between, and then we got woke and said: 'well, let's call it Defense."
October 23, 2025 at 9:31 PM
"Then we got woke".
Harry Truman, that notoriously woke President.
Harry Truman, that notoriously woke President.
No doubt @shashj.bsky.social can explain it.
Good news if correct, though I'm slightly puzzled why Ukraine needs US permission to strike targets with non-US weapons, supplied by other partners.
October 23, 2025 at 4:32 PM
No doubt @shashj.bsky.social can explain it.
A lot of good sense from David Blunkett on BBCR4 Today this morning at approx 0840 BST. (Including his call to ban use of the expression “working at pace”!) Worth a listen.
October 23, 2025 at 7:55 AM
A lot of good sense from David Blunkett on BBCR4 Today this morning at approx 0840 BST. (Including his call to ban use of the expression “working at pace”!) Worth a listen.
Reposted by Tim Dowse
Here's a sample piece of "journalism" from one of the "news" outlets that signed the DoD rules. Welcome to the new press corps.
October 23, 2025 at 6:19 AM
Here's a sample piece of "journalism" from one of the "news" outlets that signed the DoD rules. Welcome to the new press corps.
Reposted by Tim Dowse
Nelson's Victory crew included a Brazilian and a Russian, 2 Indians, 2 Swiss, 2 Portuguese, 3 Danes and 3 Norwegian sailors. There were 3 Germans, 4 Italians, 6 Swedes, 7 Dutchmen, 9 West Indians and an African, as well as 21 Americans, 63 Irish, 64 Scots, 441 English.... oh, and 3 French men, too.
October 22, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Nelson's Victory crew included a Brazilian and a Russian, 2 Indians, 2 Swiss, 2 Portuguese, 3 Danes and 3 Norwegian sailors. There were 3 Germans, 4 Italians, 6 Swedes, 7 Dutchmen, 9 West Indians and an African, as well as 21 Americans, 63 Irish, 64 Scots, 441 English.... oh, and 3 French men, too.
Reposted by Tim Dowse
Three days after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, a cargo ship previously used for Russian weapons deliveries set out from the north Russian port of Arkhangelsk towards Tartus, Syria
Sanctioned carrier is on the way from Arkhangelsk to Syria
Three days after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, a cargo ship that frequently has carried weapons for the Russian armed forces set out from the north Russian port o...
www.thebarentsobserver.com
October 21, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Three days after Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, a cargo ship previously used for Russian weapons deliveries set out from the north Russian port of Arkhangelsk towards Tartus, Syria
Reposted by Tim Dowse
However it is dressed up, a project to remove thousands of people who came to this country according to rules set by our government should be repudiated for what it is; faintly disguised racism; a poor attempt to apply a genteel face to it, but it is racism and ingratitude all the same.
October 21, 2025 at 8:05 AM
However it is dressed up, a project to remove thousands of people who came to this country according to rules set by our government should be repudiated for what it is; faintly disguised racism; a poor attempt to apply a genteel face to it, but it is racism and ingratitude all the same.