Michael Shurkin
@michaelshurkin.bsky.social
Ex-CIA, Ex-RAND, NOT a political scientist. I post on things related to defense, national security, Africa (esp. the Sahel), and all things French military. Sometimes troll antisemites.
Have you watched this yet? GEN Pierre on the lessons of Suez, through the lens of Beaufre.
youtu.be/tagAtQ6cMCU
youtu.be/tagAtQ6cMCU
Part 2/2: Interview with General Hervé Pierre: Beaufre and Suez
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
November 10, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Have you watched this yet? GEN Pierre on the lessons of Suez, through the lens of Beaufre.
youtu.be/tagAtQ6cMCU
youtu.be/tagAtQ6cMCU
It was my honor to interview General Hervé Pierre about his biography of André Beaufre. Here's part 1, on some of the philosophical aspects of military strategy.
youtu.be/WMt9GxGph4s
youtu.be/WMt9GxGph4s
Part 1/2: Interview with General Hervé Pierre on Beaufre and Philosophy
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
November 3, 2025 at 12:28 PM
It was my honor to interview General Hervé Pierre about his biography of André Beaufre. Here's part 1, on some of the philosophical aspects of military strategy.
youtu.be/WMt9GxGph4s
youtu.be/WMt9GxGph4s
Got some serious Beaufre content dropping tomorrow on YouTube. Stay tuned!
November 3, 2025 at 1:49 AM
Got some serious Beaufre content dropping tomorrow on YouTube. Stay tuned!
Have Drones Replaced Artillery as the 'King of the Battlefield'?
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
October 21, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Ryan dropping some wisdom. He doesn't like to be right, he says, but he often is. :)
Ok.
Let's talk about #SoW (what an apt acronym) #Hegseth's last pronunciamento. As much as I feel nothing but Schadenfreude seeing generals being at the receiving end of a bullshit briefing in a reverse Uno karmic proverbial return of the boomerang, I have a few things to says.
Let's talk about #SoW (what an apt acronym) #Hegseth's last pronunciamento. As much as I feel nothing but Schadenfreude seeing generals being at the receiving end of a bullshit briefing in a reverse Uno karmic proverbial return of the boomerang, I have a few things to says.
October 6, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Ryan dropping some wisdom. He doesn't like to be right, he says, but he often is. :)
I can't think of any precedents for this.
This morning, the Trump Administration’s Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will. It is absolutely outrageous and un-American to demand a Governor send military troops within our own borders and against our will.
October 5, 2025 at 8:19 PM
I can't think of any precedents for this.
I've been reading up on artillery for a video. I found this fascinating. About the "fallacy" of precision strike in urban settings.
www.ausa.org/articles/pre...
www.ausa.org/articles/pre...
Precision Fires Hindered by Urban Jungle
In a March–April 2015 Military Review article, Lt. Gen. H.R.
www.ausa.org
October 5, 2025 at 10:45 AM
I've been reading up on artillery for a video. I found this fascinating. About the "fallacy" of precision strike in urban settings.
www.ausa.org/articles/pre...
www.ausa.org/articles/pre...
The world will never forgive Israel for 7 October.
Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.
2 million rally in Italy for Gaza as general strike halts key services
Over 2 million people across Italy have rallied in more than 100 cities for a one-day general strike.
bit.ly
October 5, 2025 at 12:40 AM
The world will never forgive Israel for 7 October.
Reposted by Michael Shurkin
@michaelshurkin.bsky.social on the role of government in the defence industry.
What Role Should the Government Have in the Defense Industry?
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
September 29, 2025 at 11:24 AM
@michaelshurkin.bsky.social on the role of government in the defence industry.
Argentina's Air Force Overhauls Itself
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
September 22, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Reposted by Michael Shurkin
Another thoughtful, balanced piece by @michaelshurkin.bsky.social:
'The standard that matters to me is not “is it legal?,” but “does it make any sense?” And is this a good thing or a bad thing for U.S. national interest?'
shurkin.substack.com/p/our-little...
'The standard that matters to me is not “is it legal?,” but “does it make any sense?” And is this a good thing or a bad thing for U.S. national interest?'
shurkin.substack.com/p/our-little...
Our Little War with Venezuela
President Trump on Monday announced that U.S.
shurkin.substack.com
September 17, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Another thoughtful, balanced piece by @michaelshurkin.bsky.social:
'The standard that matters to me is not “is it legal?,” but “does it make any sense?” And is this a good thing or a bad thing for U.S. national interest?'
shurkin.substack.com/p/our-little...
'The standard that matters to me is not “is it legal?,” but “does it make any sense?” And is this a good thing or a bad thing for U.S. national interest?'
shurkin.substack.com/p/our-little...
🧐
Ukrainian reconnaissance unit “Tur” of the 225th Assault Regiment claims to have found detonators at a Russian ammo depot, marked with Nazi swastikas. They date back to Soviet-Nazi cooperation of 1939–40, when the USSR imported German military tech.
September 17, 2025 at 9:55 AM
🧐
Reposted by Michael Shurkin
“It’s also a morale lifter, a truly fabulous experience for many starting at sea”
Royal Navy revives sail training for junior officers
The Royal Navy is preparing to bring back sail training for young officers by chartering a tall ship to teach seamanship, navigation, and teamwork, the service stated.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
September 17, 2025 at 9:09 AM
“It’s also a morale lifter, a truly fabulous experience for many starting at sea”
80 years after the genocide of Europe's Jews, the campaign to delegitimize and destroy the world's only Jewish state, which harbors so many of the survivors of that genocide, continues.
Ireland's President Michael D. Higgins suggests Israel and states supplying it with weapons be excluded from the United Nations, in light of the genocide conclusions in the UN CoI report.
@president.ie #Spéirghorm
www.rte.ie/news/2025/09...
@president.ie #Spéirghorm
www.rte.ie/news/2025/09...
President suggests Israel should be excluded from the UN
President Michael D Higgins has suggested Israel and countries that supply it with weapons should be excluded from the United Nations.
www.rte.ie
September 16, 2025 at 3:03 PM
80 years after the genocide of Europe's Jews, the campaign to delegitimize and destroy the world's only Jewish state, which harbors so many of the survivors of that genocide, continues.
Reposted by Michael Shurkin
Narendra Modi has sent troops to take part in the Zapad exercises rehearsing conflict with neighbouring Nato countries as relations with the US unravel
India ‘crosses red line’ by joining Russia-Belarus war games
Narendra Modi has sent troops to take part in the Zapad exercises rehearsing conflict with neighbouring Nato countries as relations with the US unravel
www.thetimes.com
September 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Narendra Modi has sent troops to take part in the Zapad exercises rehearsing conflict with neighbouring Nato countries as relations with the US unravel
You can count on the French to make a beautiful warship. I have no idea if it's any good, but don't really care.
Today, the #FDI Amiral Ronarc’h leaves Lorient to join her homeport of Brest, in the North Atlantic.
Designed for rough seas.
Eager to brave strong headwinds.
Arrow through the waves.
DGA @marinenationale.bsky.social
Designed for rough seas.
Eager to brave strong headwinds.
Arrow through the waves.
DGA @marinenationale.bsky.social
September 15, 2025 at 4:14 PM
You can count on the French to make a beautiful warship. I have no idea if it's any good, but don't really care.
Switzerland: The Art of Armed Neutrality
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
September 15, 2025 at 3:59 PM
I haven't gone nuts. The world has gone nuts. But I'm glad people are still reading this. I'm quite proud of it.
He's kinda gone nuts lately over October Sword and the Gaza War but Michael Shurkin wrote this back in 2021 and I think about it all the time when I read updates from Ukraine.
warontherocks.com/2021/02/kill...
warontherocks.com/2021/02/kill...
September 15, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I haven't gone nuts. The world has gone nuts. But I'm glad people are still reading this. I'm quite proud of it.
American centrists and moderates these days be like:
September 12, 2025 at 1:24 AM
American centrists and moderates these days be like:
Why does the Al-Thani family have its own UN seat?
September 10, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Why does the Al-Thani family have its own UN seat?
Reposted by Michael Shurkin
For those of you with substack here's a tidied up version of my response to @michaelshurkin.bsky.social on Beaufre just now
substack.com/@macdonnchad...
substack.com/@macdonnchad...
September 4, 2025 at 1:21 PM
For those of you with substack here's a tidied up version of my response to @michaelshurkin.bsky.social on Beaufre just now
substack.com/@macdonnchad...
substack.com/@macdonnchad...
Countering the External Maneuver: Beaufre, Vietnam, Ukraine, and Gaza
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
September 3, 2025 at 9:48 AM
The obvious sequel to my video on the Greek military, a video on the Turkish military.
youtu.be/2TN4xb0a8As
youtu.be/2TN4xb0a8As
All about Turkey's Military
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
August 26, 2025 at 10:03 AM
The obvious sequel to my video on the Greek military, a video on the Turkish military.
youtu.be/2TN4xb0a8As
youtu.be/2TN4xb0a8As
Greece's Evolving Military Strategy: Mass vs. Modern Weapons
YouTube video by Pax Americana
youtu.be
August 18, 2025 at 10:04 AM
