Since Teverayi Muguti @tevewekwamuguti.bsky.social & Sandra Swart @wildpasts.bsky.social have arrived, here's their recent article on Zambia / (Southern) Rhodesia relations 1963-73, arguing economic diplomacy helped Rhodesia to survive UK & UN sanctions amid war. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

Legendary heavy metal band Metallica shared on Instagram a video of a performance by Taras Stoliar.

Thank you for your support!

The man used to work as a member of the electronic band ONUKA, but now serves in the 112th Separate Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine.

Combat medics like Beka save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline every day. @bekamaciorowski.bsky.social is now here on Bluesky so you can follow her in her new job as Chief of Medical Services for her battalion. Please follow her & consider supporting - see her feed for how you can.

So.... I remember being told by media, analysts and "sources" long range strikes into Russia would have no effect because they were all prepared and everything was out of range...The moment it happens Russians are treatning nuclear Armageddon and important assets are getting blown up. How is that?

Hey . It’s Gaz EOD from twatter ? Remember - me you and Wolfie too ? .. if anyone is around ! 🙄😉

The great General Ben Hodges has joined @general-ben.bsky.social

I don‘t see an end to this. Hamas will be beaten, but terror will find a new shape, as always.

This is not Israel's 9/11 or Pearl Harbor. It is Israel's D-Day. The moment they take the fight to the enemy. Move from defence to offence. There will be casualties - lots of casualties, on both sides. There will be destruction. But it's the only way to end the war.

Even a sophisticated commentator like Roger Boyes imagines the Sunni/Shia divide is important in itself, not just labels adopted by opposing geo-political operating systems. This is no more about actual religious beliefs than the NI conflict was about Protestantism vs Catholicism.

Broadly, if a state holds these values, I will support it. 'We respect your right to be who you are, and live how you wish. We expect you to let us be who we are, and live how we wish. If you try to hurt us, we will strike back'.

It works for individuals, too.

There has been a lot of speculation about the Hamas attacks drawing U.S. support away from #Ukraine. It’s possible. But Russia does appear to be a strategic beneficiary of the attacks. My latest at Futura Doctrina explores why.
mickryan.substack.com/p/the-surpri...

In these transitional times, can we put our old Xitter handle in our biogs so that we can find each other? I've done so. Mine is/was robcsadams@x

Thanks!

There's a lot of chat in military strategy circles about the success of 'dispersed squad' tactics by Hamas defeating IDF ISR. It's a lot easier when your dispersed squad fighters expect to die in the attack. Much harder for humanist democracies who want their squads to come back alive.

Good morning, BlueSky. Thanks to @helenebismarck.bsky.social for bringing me across, where I was @robcsadams. I hope to find old friends and new here.