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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 16h

Our story on what an embassy row & spy case say about where UK-China relations are headed. This government came to power aiming to cool down the rhetoric & build a clearer & more consistent China strategy, but it's hard to see much evidence of either. www.economist.com/britain/2025...

Has Britain gone soft on China?

A spying fiasco and a new London embassy feed accusations that Sir Keir is a Red softy

www.economist.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 17h

Charlie Parton on the China spy trial. If gov't wasn't willing to say China was a threat, CPS "could have called in...ex-heads of the intelligence services, China experts..they didn't do that, which strikes me as an example of ineptitude" sinocism.com/p/sinocism-l...

The UK-China spy scandal and UK-China relations with Charles Parton

This is a recording of the October 14, 2025 conversation with Charles Parton about the recent UK-China spy case and UK-China relations in general. Charles Parton OBE is the Chief Advisor to the China ...

sinocism.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 17h

When a recon satellite's camera fell in Venezuela. "Apparently, the United States had to buy back its spacecraft from the Venezuelans, but not before the Minister of Defense apparently decided to keep the radio transmitter beacon as a souvenir." thespacereview.com/article/5079/1

The Space Review: This spacecraft will self-destruct in 5, 4, 3, 2…

thespacereview.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 20h

Everything is Golden Dome, Golden Dome is everything. "Those capabilities [corps-level sensor-shooter networks] are many of the same capabilities that our leaders have told us to look to develop for the Golden Dome...for homeland defense activity as well" www.militarytimes.com/land/2025/10...

How the US Army, NATO are creating a new Eastern Flank Deterrence Line

To deter Russian aggression, the U.S. and NATO are rapidly building an Eastern Flank defense network focused on counter-drone tech and data integration.

www.militarytimes.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 20h

From an obit of an admiral. Worth remembering when you hear of falling standards. "He also practised deck landings on HMS Triumph...but observed how in those days the state of the paintwork was considered more important than the accuracy of the gunnery." www.thetimes.com/uk/obituarie...

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Benjamin Bathurst obituary: admired navy chief

Former first sea lord and chief of the naval staff who managed to maintain morale as he navigated defence cuts after the Cold War, dies aged 89

www.thetimes.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 2d

How well could the US track Soviet mobile ICBMs in the cold war through SIGINT/ELINT satellites? A good debate here. "...it is more clear now that NSA tested the idea and had resources to pursue it." strategicsimplicity.substack.com/p/sigint-and...

SIGINT and SRTs in the Cold War

A Response to Aaron Bateman

strategicsimplicity.substack.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 2d

'In over two years of warfare Israel has succeeded in tackling only about a third of the hundreds of kilometres of underground passages. It is hard to see how this can take place if Hamas fighters are active.' www.economist.com/middle-east-...

Donald Trump scrambles to seal the deal in Gaza

As he jets to the region Hamas gunmen try to retake control

www.economist.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 2d

I thought the mantra was: train as you fight.

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 2d

Hamas begins trickling back onto the streets. 'The officer claimed that Hamas’s redeployment extends through much of the Strip, in all areas vacated by Israeli forces, “even in places close to the soldiers themselves.”' www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-reappe...

Hamas reappears on Gaza’s streets, and two of three militias that fought it go quiet

For now, the terror group's reappearance is relatively limited, but reports are mounting of it pursuing those who have resisted it. And many Gazans fear a return of terror rule

www.timesofisrael.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 2d

Bagehot is always irreverent. I believe an entire column was recently devoted to the 'briefcase wanker'.

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 5d

Is it possibly because that would make a really shit cover?

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 5d

It's a fine column as usual for Bagehot! Did you read it?

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 11d

And this is our cover briefing. "Western countries are conscious that China and Russia are testing them, but unsure or, in some cases, in outright disagreement about how to respond. That is presumably one of the aims of such actions."
www.economist.com/briefing/202...

Why Russia’s micro-aggressions against Europe are proliferating

It is hoping to sap support for Ukraine and highlight America’s ambivalence

www.economist.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 11d

Our cover this week.

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 12d

The first episode of Inside Defence, one of @economist.com's new video shows, will be with Mark Rutte, the secretary-general of NATO. It'll go out in a couple of weeks, on October 14th. Can't think of a timelier guest.
www.economist.com/insider/insi...

Mark Rutte on NATO’s survival | The Economist Insider

The transatlantic alliance is facing its toughest test since the cold war. Defence budgets are climbing, but the gap between pledges and capabilities remains large. New technologies are transforming t...

www.economist.com

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Wesley Morgan @wesleymorgan.bsky.social · 14d

“Only in recent decades did politicians somehow come to believe that our job is to police the far reaches of Kenya and Somalia”

Guess no one has told him that Biden reversed his Somalia pullout and that AFRICOM is running the most active remaining GWOT air campaign there

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 14d

Trump to generals: "America is under invasion from within. We're under invasion from within. No different than a foreign enemy, but more difficult in any ways because they don't wear uniforms. At least when they're wearing a uniform you can take them out."

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Secretary of Defense Rock @sodrock.bsky.social · 15d

This coming out the same day Lutnick is on the record saying that the United States won’t defend Taiwan unless they move 50% of chip production to America shows how everyone in the administration is just out running their own foreign policies in their fiefdoms

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · 15d

Exclusive: The Pentagon, alarmed at the low weapons stockpiles the U.S. would have on hand for a potential future conflict with China, is urging its missile suppliers to double or even quadruple production rates on a breakneck schedule.

Exclusive | Pentagon Pushes to Double Missile Production for Potential China Conflict

U.S. military leaders are urging defense contractors to increase assembly of 12 critical weapons.

on.wsj.com

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Kori Schake @kschake.bsky.social · 14d

Disgraceful and dangerous incitement by the President and Secretary; reassuring to see the disciplined professionalism of our military leaders amidst it.

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Reposted by Shashank Joshi

Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 14d

Even worse, the speech aims to signal that the military profession does not matter. Calls for the military to clap in response to partisan commentary says to those assembled: “we don’t care about your nonpartisan ethic and the professional ethos that sustains it” 7/

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Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 14d

If mil leaders don’t buy the message, they can keep quiet or self-select out. Those who don’t want to be part of politicized military (or agree w/ the ideology) leave. This aims to weed out committed professionals who strongly adhere to norms of nonpartisanship. 6/

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Risa Brooks @risabrooks12.bsky.social · 14d

To the generals & admirals in attendance, it signals that overt ideological conformity with the administration is not just appropriate, but key to their career advancement and to protecting their units and commands. 3/

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 16d

The Strategy of Denial (of reality)

Luke McGee @lukemcgee.bsky.social · 16d

"the administration’s new National Defense Strategy is expected to significantly shift attention and resources away from preparing for a conflict with China to sharply focus on homeland defense and military use at home"

www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Trump to attend gathering of top generals, upending last-minute plans

President Trump will attend the unusual gathering of hundreds of generals summoned to Virginia on short notice by Pete Hegseth, adding new security concerns.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 16d

Even if Hegseth intended this gathering to be a lecture on warfighting and standards, the presence of Trump makes it far likelier that it will deteriorate into a highly political event that further drags the armed forces into the partisan political maelstrom. www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...

Trump to attend gathering of top generals, upending last-minute plans

President Trump will attend the unusual gathering of hundreds of generals summoned to Virginia on short notice by Pete Hegseth, adding new security concerns.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Shashank Joshi

eileen chengyin chow @chowleen.bsky.social · 17d

The South Korean Ministry of Defense has awarded medals of merit to 11 officers for disobeying direct orders of superiors during the martial law fiasco, orders that they deemed to be contrary to the constitution and endangerment to democracy.
www.chosun.com/english/nati...

National Defense Ministry Honors 11 Soldiers for Refusing Illegal Orders

National Defense Ministry Honors 11 Soldiers for Refusing Illegal Orders Honored for rejecting illegal orders during martial law, Marine death probe

www.chosun.com

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Shashank Joshi @shashj.bsky.social · 17d

📺 This week The Economist announced a new video series: The Economist Insider, comprising five new shows. From October I will host Inside Defence, a monthly show featuring in-depth interviews w/ senior figures in defence & nat'l security.
www.economist.com/comingsoon
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cshx...

The Economist Insider launches soon

A new premium video experience from The Economist, coming on October 9th

www.economist.com

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