Alexander Clarkson
@aphclarkson.bsky.social
Lecturer for European Politics and History at King's College London. Opinions my own. RT not always endorsement.
Also to be found at @APHClarkson
https://www.ullstein.de/werke/die-macht-der-diaspora/hardcover/978354910
Also to be found at @APHClarkson
https://www.ullstein.de/werke/die-macht-der-diaspora/hardcover/978354910
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
I don't know what the point of saying this is—but he has no legal authority whatsoever to do any of that. There's is no AUMF for any strikes on any of these parties. Moreover, these would be strikes on sovereign States that we are not in a state of armed conflict with.
Trump: "We're doing start doing those strikes on land too. You know, the land is much easier."
December 2, 2025 at 11:44 PM
I don't know what the point of saying this is—but he has no legal authority whatsoever to do any of that. There's is no AUMF for any strikes on any of these parties. Moreover, these would be strikes on sovereign States that we are not in a state of armed conflict with.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Trump is not only bad at being a traitor but also a horrible negotiator surrounded by idiots.
He is wasting everyone’s time, and that costs Ukrainian lives
He is wasting everyone’s time, and that costs Ukrainian lives
December 2, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Trump is not only bad at being a traitor but also a horrible negotiator surrounded by idiots.
He is wasting everyone’s time, and that costs Ukrainian lives
He is wasting everyone’s time, and that costs Ukrainian lives
A Russian strategy that hinges on the assumption that Trump can remain the eternal god emperor of the United States is not sustainable
December 2, 2025 at 10:19 PM
A Russian strategy that hinges on the assumption that Trump can remain the eternal god emperor of the United States is not sustainable
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
The Kremlin releases video of Witkoff and Kushner meeting Putin, along with Kirill Dmitriev and Yuri Ushakov. (Unclear who the translator for the Americans is...)
December 2, 2025 at 6:57 PM
The Kremlin releases video of Witkoff and Kushner meeting Putin, along with Kirill Dmitriev and Yuri Ushakov. (Unclear who the translator for the Americans is...)
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
“Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked, have been sacked.’
Last week: In response to WaPo’s story on the Sept. 2 boat strikes, the Pentagon says “This entire narrative is completely false.”
Today: The White House confirms that a 2nd strike happened and that “Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes”
Today: The White House confirms that a 2nd strike happened and that “Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes”
December 1, 2025 at 11:38 PM
“Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked, have been sacked.’
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
I have been saying and will keep saying that Trump and his people are vulnerable to an opponent who embodies a certain style of masculinity. When Kelly called them in unserious, he basically called into question their manhood.
Kelly: He runs around on stage talking about lethality and the warrior ethos.. That’s not the message that should be coming from the Secretary of Defense… He runs around on a stage like he’s a 12 year old playing army. It’s embarrassing.
December 1, 2025 at 11:42 PM
I have been saying and will keep saying that Trump and his people are vulnerable to an opponent who embodies a certain style of masculinity. When Kelly called them in unserious, he basically called into question their manhood.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Did not have Costco being the strongest American institution on my bingo card (I’ll take it)
December 1, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Did not have Costco being the strongest American institution on my bingo card (I’ll take it)
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
This also puts Holsey's resignation as SouthCom commander in another light, as he's a Navy admiral. I'd love to see him called in to testify in open committee in Congress.
Hegseth's not the only war criminal here. "The [USSOCOM] commander overseeing the operation from Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Adm. Frank M. 'Mitch' Bradley, told people on the secure conference call that the survivors were still legitimate targets... He ordered the second strike."
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 2, 2025 at 12:17 AM
This also puts Holsey's resignation as SouthCom commander in another light, as he's a Navy admiral. I'd love to see him called in to testify in open committee in Congress.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
In all circumstances they’ll need to review their operational risk management (and that review will not be pretty one assumes) not least because they’re dealing with some of the most financially sensitive information in the UK.
December 1, 2025 at 7:50 PM
In all circumstances they’ll need to review their operational risk management (and that review will not be pretty one assumes) not least because they’re dealing with some of the most financially sensitive information in the UK.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
What people may be missing a little here is that while the issue in a sense is mundane the potential consequences are enormous. They’ll have to review all their releases for X year to determine any unlawful access - there will almost certainly be a regulatory investigation re any suspicious trading.
December 1, 2025 at 7:47 PM
What people may be missing a little here is that while the issue in a sense is mundane the potential consequences are enormous. They’ll have to review all their releases for X year to determine any unlawful access - there will almost certainly be a regulatory investigation re any suspicious trading.
The lesson American military officers have learned today is that under Donald Trump they will always be thrown under the bus to protect MAGA's civilian leaders
REPORTER: Does the administration deny that that second strike happened, or did it happen and the administration denies that Hegseth gave the order?
LEAVITT: The latter. Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. He worked well within his authority and the law.
LEAVITT: The latter. Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. He worked well within his authority and the law.
December 1, 2025 at 7:37 PM
The lesson American military officers have learned today is that under Donald Trump they will always be thrown under the bus to protect MAGA's civilian leaders
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
That bump you just heard was ADM Bradley being thrown under the Trump bus
REPORTER: Does the administration deny that that second strike happened, or did it happen and the administration denies that Hegseth gave the order?
LEAVITT: The latter. Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. He worked well within his authority and the law.
LEAVITT: The latter. Secretary Hegseth authorized Admiral Bradley to conduct these kinetic strikes. He worked well within his authority and the law.
December 1, 2025 at 7:34 PM
That bump you just heard was ADM Bradley being thrown under the Trump bus
How can an OBR that has torched trust in its competence and capacity fulfil a useful policy-making function?
See also the US Supreme Court.
See also the US Supreme Court.
December 1, 2025 at 6:18 PM
How can an OBR that has torched trust in its competence and capacity fulfil a useful policy-making function?
See also the US Supreme Court.
See also the US Supreme Court.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Structurally it's also interesting that, as the leak report also notes, the OBR has all these responsibilities but is about the scale of a small to medium-sized business, with a budget of £6.4mn and a team of 52 people, only six in what you'd call 'operations'. Not extending to a full IT department.
December 1, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Structurally it's also interesting that, as the leak report also notes, the OBR has all these responsibilities but is about the scale of a small to medium-sized business, with a budget of £6.4mn and a team of 52 people, only six in what you'd call 'operations'. Not extending to a full IT department.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
He wasn't actually due to resign until an hour later
December 1, 2025 at 4:44 PM
He wasn't actually due to resign until an hour later
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
This is the hidden in plain sight heffalump trap in the Budget - Mahmood’s plan will deepsix whatever fiscal headroom the Chancellor has.
There is an actual interesting little deceit in the budget, namely ther have the OBR still forecasting based on increasing net immigration back to 300-350k whilst the Home Secretary is promising to bring it down from 200k, which does dissolve about half the headroom, but somehow we're doing vibes.
Think this is exactly right - political journalism that is completely abstracted from policy, which was not the norm before 2017, has become the default. Impossible to have a serious attempt to either shrink what the state does or widen the tax base (have to do at least one) on that basis.
December 1, 2025 at 4:53 PM
This is the hidden in plain sight heffalump trap in the Budget - Mahmood’s plan will deepsix whatever fiscal headroom the Chancellor has.
These kinds of high-level resignations also deflect debate away from more fundamental questions about whether an institution can ever realistically fulfill its supposed purpose
This is fake accountability in my view; scapegoating is still bad when it is a senior leader used as the human shield for the organisation rather than a low level employee. It looks noble but it is not actually helping the organisation - when someone says "I take full responsibility ...
NEW: Richard Hughes resigns from the OBR over budget leak.
Along with BBC leadership, a recent resurgence of people in public service jobs taking responsibility.
Along with BBC leadership, a recent resurgence of people in public service jobs taking responsibility.
December 1, 2025 at 4:55 PM
These kinds of high-level resignations also deflect debate away from more fundamental questions about whether an institution can ever realistically fulfill its supposed purpose
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Which is not only evil, but it is is also just not economically effective unless you massively expand your zone of pillage to keep the Ponzi scheme running, which then requires costly and bloody conquest, which in turn undermines the benefits of all of the horrors that have been unleashed.
December 1, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Which is not only evil, but it is is also just not economically effective unless you massively expand your zone of pillage to keep the Ponzi scheme running, which then requires costly and bloody conquest, which in turn undermines the benefits of all of the horrors that have been unleashed.
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
The economics of fascism have always been based on the idea of looting and pillaging without any further consequences. There is a certain amount of stuff and if we drive out or kill the minority, we can take theirs and this will not affect growth or prosperity in any way, whatsoever.
Obviously "mass deportation will lower housing costs" was never a real argument but @mtkonczal.bsky.social crunched the numbers. Get ready to for crimes against humanity to save you a two liter of shasta mikekonczal.substack.com/p/mass-depor...
Mass Deportation Will Save Renters Less Than $5 a Month
President Trump wants to deport his way to affordability. But immigration can’t explain the housing crisis, and deportation won’t fix it.
mikekonczal.substack.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:50 PM
The economics of fascism have always been based on the idea of looting and pillaging without any further consequences. There is a certain amount of stuff and if we drive out or kill the minority, we can take theirs and this will not affect growth or prosperity in any way, whatsoever.
So Canada can manage to negotiate involvement in the EU's SAFE defence procurement scheme and yet the UK can't
December 1, 2025 at 3:42 PM
So Canada can manage to negotiate involvement in the EU's SAFE defence procurement scheme and yet the UK can't
So much weight in UK government economic and fiscal policy-making is put on the accuracy of OBR forecasts that if it completely misses risks that trigger a serious crisis any remaining public trust in the state could evaporate
December 1, 2025 at 3:35 PM
So much weight in UK government economic and fiscal policy-making is put on the accuracy of OBR forecasts that if it completely misses risks that trigger a serious crisis any remaining public trust in the state could evaporate
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Reposted by Alexander Clarkson
Feel like I'm going mad. The Budget's 'headroom' is based on frankly irresponsible and wildly optimistic claims about what Labour will do in the final year of the forecast, and on ignoring a bunch of upward pressures on spending, and the claim is that she was being exaggeratedly *pessimistic*?
Suggestion Rachel Reeves exaggerated fiscal pressures is absurd
Chancellor was instead far too optimistic about public finances and government’s ability to secure cuts
www.ft.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Feel like I'm going mad. The Budget's 'headroom' is based on frankly irresponsible and wildly optimistic claims about what Labour will do in the final year of the forecast, and on ignoring a bunch of upward pressures on spending, and the claim is that she was being exaggeratedly *pessimistic*?