Asked on Wednesday if he would reconsider his decision to pull the United States out of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), Donald Trump said “it’s beyond reconsideration. I just think it should be automatic.” So that’s a definite ‘maybe’. He’s very cross at the moment, because not one of NATO’s 31 other members has […]
In 1910 Henry Wilson, the British army officer charged with planning for a possible war with Germany, visited the French officer doing the same job in Paris, Ferdinand Foch. The Anglo-French alliance was still a tentative, semi-secret thing, so Wilson asked Foch “What is the smallest British military force that would be of any practical
The Crazy Gang are high on the ‘brilliant success’ of their Venezuela caper and looking for new targets. Like Alexander the Great, Donald Trump weeps because there are no more worlds to conquer. But wait! Actually, there are still lots of places to conquer. Colombia is right next door to Venezuela and the US fleet
Greenland: Maybe an Invasion (and Maybe a Backlash) Read More »
“NATO is responding with unity and strength,” said British defence secretary John Healey. “If you’ve got drones that are putting Polish lives at risk, then NATO will take them out. There’s no firm confirmation on intent, but in the end that’s not the point. It’s still reckless. It’s still dangerous.” ‘When in danger or in
Ukraine: Buying Time By Gwynne Dyer There was rejoicing when US President Donald Trump announced that he was going to let Ukraine have weapons after all, but it was conspicuously contained joy. Half-smiles and sighs of relief were plentiful; cheers were absent or faked. The Ukrainians were relieved because this is the first time they
War is in the Air By Gwynne Dyer “There is a clear, present risk, particularly as Vladimir Putin does see himself as being at war with the West. The homeland is again (in peril)…Air and missile attacks will potentially cause civilian casualties (in the United Kingdom) in very large numbers.” Therefore, concludes General Sir Richard
800 words (700) 14 May 2025 After NATO By Gwynne Dyer General The Right Honourable The Lord Ismay, KG GCB etc., the first Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, was probably holding a glass of port after an excellent dinner when he growled his famous remark: “NATO was designed to keep the Russians
14 April 2025 Trump: A Window of Opportunity By Gwynne Dyer Not only did Trump blink first, but he blinked at exactly the right time. Ten days of chaos was long enough to convince non-American traders that Trump’s America has become a place you cannot trust or make deals with – but brief enough that
3 March 2025 NATO: The Late, Great Alliance By Gwynne Dyer The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) retired to its sickbed as soon as Donald Trump won the presidential election last November. It finally died last Friday in the White House, when Trump and Vice-President JD Vance launched a vicious attack on Ukrainian President Volodymyr
29 January 2025 Strategic Shmategic By Gwynne Dyer The Strait of Malacca is strategically important. It’s the shortest shipping route between the Far East and the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, Europe and Africa. It handles a quarter of all internationally traded goods, and if anybody tried to block it there would be a war.