Robert Fox retweeted
‘One of the key tasks of this squadron will be to determine what these small boats are to be used for, and it’s interesting to note that they were bought so fast that this isn’t yet clear’ 🧐
telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/11/0…
telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/11/0…
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Mark, I think I came across your father ( forgive the perpendicular pronoun) . The end state and achievable mission objective should be the news point. What do the Russians want, and are they really settling for a ten year war ? What possible end state do Trump / Hegseth / Kushner-Witkoff think they can achieve in Iran and the Gulf ?
That’s a/ the question - not very well answered in current media debate. Least of all by governments
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Robert Fox retweeted
Exactly - and in any case the term originally was used for how non-state actors fought state ones (eg, Chechens vs Russians, Hezbollah vs Israel). But it does, by implying this mix of mil/non-mil, always needlessly invoke the "but when are the little green men arriving?" q
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Robert Fox retweeted
Can we have a new name rather than hybrid? For it to be hybrid it has to be a mix of trad and non trad warfare. Russia (or anybody) is not engaged in traditional warfare with any of these countries. So what exactly is it a hybrid of? As a pedant, this has always annoyed me.
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Thank you Mark. I was hoping you are writing for the weekend , but we have this piece of ratiocination at least . I struggled to explain to Al Jazeera last night that no safe attribution on the bomb hoaxes has been made so far. But they insisted on banging on about hybrid war, and useless NATO security !
PS: I suppose I should tack on an obligatory bit of self-promotion: I talk about many of the fragilities of this modern world in my book THE WEAPONISATION OF EVERYTHING!
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Okay - cut the innuendo . What do you really mean ?
I've been in politics for a quarter century. It's hard to express how staggering it is to see a conversation like this on corporate US media. The Morning Joe panel gobsmacked by the directness of @AbdulElSayed's points.
(clip via @DropSiteNews)
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A bit extravagant- Dan Jarvis is there . Sad bit of boasting
He’s not a shadow spokesperson, as Reform isn’t HM Opposition, nor is he an MP, nor is military service a qualification for public office. Some highly capable defence secretaries have served in the armed forces (e.g. Denis Healey; Ben Wallace); others haven’t (e.g. Roy Mason).
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Tried to do this in the I . Trumps options are really quite limited . Never reinforce failure : old maxim
How soon will the Democrat’s triumph see an end to the Iran war and lower oil prices? How should Andy Burnham negotiate with a weakened Donald Trump? What does it mean for our security and living standards? All this and more in a US election Peston Show special, tonight at 22.50 on ITV and 21.00 on YouTube. With @jahimes @campbellclaret @EmilyThornberry and @nadhimzahawi
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Robert Fox retweeted
We're in the space where people are being asked to reform themselves - which has predictable outcomes.
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I think this is the point: mod needs to reform but can’t do it under present dispensations . At present looks like a convenient whipping boy for politicians and civil servants. However this means UK failure on basic NATO Art 3 and 4 commitments not being addressed
The fundamental issue @robfox45 is that the NAD doesn’t meaningfully exist as conceived - in essence it is a rebadged, deck-chair shuffled DE&S. Most agree that was a failing organisation, ripe for serious pruning.
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Robert Fox retweeted
If a democracy cannot accept a democratic decision, then it’s no democracy.
By all means argue for change, or that the EU has changed, or that the world has changed..
But don’t diss the vote.
Especially in this country.
By all means argue for change, or that the EU has changed, or that the world has changed..
But don’t diss the vote.
Especially in this country.
I’m fed up with certain politicians saying we need to “respect” the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum.
A decision by a narrow majority 10yrs ago that turned out to be a disaster does not have to be respected.
If a democracy cannot change its mind it ceases to be a democracy.
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Amazing mish mash of an American droolathon on Today prog this morning. We have had a string of Trump fanboys shedding surprisingly little light on what this means for the rest of the world . BBC needs to realise most Brits don’t think they’re Americans
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No smoke without fire, Nicolas. The Navy lobby has form on this. Close 1 Div and fund their ambitions for the Hybrid Navy. The budget scarcely concealed a plan for severe cuts for the next two years . The NAD and MoD procurement accounts for 25000 employees - bigger than the Navy itself !
I’m sure this is just a rumour, but it keeps circulating. So far, I have been contacted by three journalists asking for an opinion. They say government advisors are suggesting that the Army should be reduced to a single division with four brigades. If this happens, I see five consequences:
1️⃣It would be the deepest cut since 2010
2️⃣At a time when all our NATO allies are investing in defence, it would send the wrong message both to them and to potential adversaries
3️⃣We would severely weaken our ability to sustain an expeditionary deployment as part of a coalition
4️⃣Any reduced investment in land capabilities that might follow such a move would lead to UK land primes disinvesting - I can see 3,000-5,000 job losses
5️⃣ It would precipitate a crisis of confidence among serving soldiers with talent leaving to pursue other career options
——
In short, it would destroy the Army. For all these reasons, I think this is just a rumour and nothing more.
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Always go for the cave in option , Francis. It’s the UK default mode
@MODdigitalHQ @RoyalAirForce tried to rush the wire over Skynet 6, hoping to get a decision from @andyburnham before he got his feet under the No10 Table - that failed.
Will @andyburnham listen to @UniteSharon, a power behind the throne, or will he cave in the craven calls?
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