Articles and analysis

The time is right for a new European strategic assessment

Robert Walter president European security and Defence Assembly. Session 2009

Can a European Security Council (ESC) contribute to EU and Europe's security and defence, asks Robert Walter?

The time is right for a new European strategic assessment combining the forces of NATO, EU and a coalition of willing nations prepared to commit significant resources to give Europe the ability to protect itself and ultimately defend its people, with or without the United States. The Franco-German proposal for a European Security Council, with the United Kingdom present from the outset, would seem to be timely and sensible way forward.

AS UK evacuates, we remember 457 British soldiers died in Afghanistan â€“ and what must be done not to betray their sacrifice.

Robinthumbnail Our soldiers went to do the bidding of our Government, and did their job with courage, writes Robin Ashby, Director General of the U K Defence Forum..
Thousands came back with life changing physical or mental injuries. We thank them for their service and sacrifice. But we owe them a debt which goes beyond a thank you and a disability pension
Rereading the obituaries published here in Defence Viewpoints as much as 10 years ago is still heart rending.

The Taliban, IS-K and where to from here?

My friend Anatol Lieven has just published this - link below. As he says in the article, he has visited Pakistan and the Taliban. He has also been a "back channel" in deniable negotiations. There are no easy answers or future certainties, and nobody wears black or white hats...but UK policy cannot be evacuate 12,000 people and then forget about the area (BTW Afghanistan and Pakistan are the last two countries in the world where polio is endemic...)

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2021/08/26/who-are-the-islamic-state-in-afghanistan/

Friday, 27 August 2021 12:52

Articles and analysis

The time is right for a new European strategic assessment

AS UK evacuates, we remember 457 British soldiers died in Afghanistan â€“ and what must be done not to betray their sacrifice.

The Taliban, IS-K and where to from here?

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