Jonathan Boff
@jfb1066.bsky.social
Military Historian. Writing a book on Economic Statecraft and Money as a Weapon of War (OUP, 2026). Strategy. Author of 2 award-winning books on the First World War. Professor at University of Birmingham.
Great article, terrific headline.
It is hard to imagine how fearful the authors of this document must be, to hold such a crabbed view of the world outside.
These are not the self-confident Americans I recognise, like, and have always enjoyed working with.
It is hard to imagine how fearful the authors of this document must be, to hold such a crabbed view of the world outside.
These are not the self-confident Americans I recognise, like, and have always enjoyed working with.
My assessment of the Trump national security strategy: "it sees the United States’ adversaries as partners in that war, but it does not see how much U.S. power relies on the voluntary assistance of other countries."
The Only War the White House Is Ready for Is Culture War
The new U.S. National Security Strategy is a moral and strategic disaster.
foreignpolicy.com
December 8, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Great article, terrific headline.
It is hard to imagine how fearful the authors of this document must be, to hold such a crabbed view of the world outside.
These are not the self-confident Americans I recognise, like, and have always enjoyed working with.
It is hard to imagine how fearful the authors of this document must be, to hold such a crabbed view of the world outside.
These are not the self-confident Americans I recognise, like, and have always enjoyed working with.
Reposted by Jonathan Boff
My assessment of the Trump national security strategy: "it sees the United States’ adversaries as partners in that war, but it does not see how much U.S. power relies on the voluntary assistance of other countries."
The Only War the White House Is Ready for Is Culture War
The new U.S. National Security Strategy is a moral and strategic disaster.
foreignpolicy.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:50 PM
My assessment of the Trump national security strategy: "it sees the United States’ adversaries as partners in that war, but it does not see how much U.S. power relies on the voluntary assistance of other countries."
Same
Name a book from your childhood that had a deep and lasting impact on how you saw things.
For me: Rosemary Sutcliffe’s ‘Eagle Of The Ninth’. Latin went from being dull and boring to one of my favourite subjects, and I found a lifelong love of history and reading.
For me: Rosemary Sutcliffe’s ‘Eagle Of The Ninth’. Latin went from being dull and boring to one of my favourite subjects, and I found a lifelong love of history and reading.
December 7, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Same
Fiwere Prez and had zero intention of ever adhering to this, I’d still think twice about letting such garbage to go out under my seal
"The idea that something matters more to Donald Trump because it’s now in a policy document is, at best, quaint and possibly delusional, given the president’s well-known aversion to reading or following carefully worked-out strategies.” @snellarthur.bsky.social
America's Weakness, Europe's Strength
The 'new' national security strategy is the admission of defeat from a declining country
arthursnell.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Fiwere Prez and had zero intention of ever adhering to this, I’d still think twice about letting such garbage to go out under my seal
Reposted by Jonathan Boff
"The idea that something matters more to Donald Trump because it’s now in a policy document is, at best, quaint and possibly delusional, given the president’s well-known aversion to reading or following carefully worked-out strategies.” @snellarthur.bsky.social
America's Weakness, Europe's Strength
The 'new' national security strategy is the admission of defeat from a declining country
arthursnell.substack.com
December 7, 2025 at 10:07 PM
"The idea that something matters more to Donald Trump because it’s now in a policy document is, at best, quaint and possibly delusional, given the president’s well-known aversion to reading or following carefully worked-out strategies.” @snellarthur.bsky.social
Reposted by Jonathan Boff
The stark message in the NSS on where Europe ranks in US priorities also makes tomorrow’s meeting a good moment for Starmer and the 2 Ms to revisit the disastrous handling by the Commission of the UK bid to join SAFE, and the delay in agreeing how to raise a loan against frozen Russian assets. End
December 7, 2025 at 5:28 PM
The stark message in the NSS on where Europe ranks in US priorities also makes tomorrow’s meeting a good moment for Starmer and the 2 Ms to revisit the disastrous handling by the Commission of the UK bid to join SAFE, and the delay in agreeing how to raise a loan against frozen Russian assets. End
Reposted by Jonathan Boff
The 2025 National Security Strategy is an extremely welcome document because it makes it impossible for anyone to continue to think it's all basically business as normal. There's been a lot of dangerous wishful thinking going on in many quarters; that's not an option now.
December 7, 2025 at 5:48 PM
The 2025 National Security Strategy is an extremely welcome document because it makes it impossible for anyone to continue to think it's all basically business as normal. There's been a lot of dangerous wishful thinking going on in many quarters; that's not an option now.
Xmas present to self: sorted!
Out next week in the US (sadly not until March in Uk). Lots of essays from a bit of autobiography to pieces on people (Michael Howard, Mandela, Putin), praising tactics, zugzwang v stalemate, retrospects on Iraq war, and even the strategy of Barbie. global.oup.com/academic/pro...
December 7, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Xmas present to self: sorted!
Reposted by Jonathan Boff
Recommend this book highly. Very strong sense of place
In The Observer, I’ve reviewed Songs Of Seven Dials: @tricksterprince.bsky.social’s fascinating, detailed history of the changing streets of Covent Garden through the early c20th. From race to jingoistic media to gentrification, a book full of resonances today
observer.co.uk/culture/book...
observer.co.uk/culture/book...
Lament for a lost London | The Observer
observer.co.uk
December 7, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Recommend this book highly. Very strong sense of place
Reposted by Jonathan Boff
Huge thanks to @luketurner.bsky.social for the generous, thoughtful, pointed review of Songs of Seven Dials in @theobserveruk.bsky.social. That was worth a wet walk to the shops for.
December 7, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Huge thanks to @luketurner.bsky.social for the generous, thoughtful, pointed review of Songs of Seven Dials in @theobserveruk.bsky.social. That was worth a wet walk to the shops for.
Well-timed article by
@patporter76.bsky.social
@patporter76.bsky.social
December 5, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Well-timed article by
@patporter76.bsky.social
@patporter76.bsky.social
. However much we might have disliked the NeoLibs and the NeoCons, having the NeoLibertarians driving US policy on Europe is even worse
Wondering if Europe/the UK can still count the US as an ally at this point.
December 5, 2025 at 3:34 PM
. However much we might have disliked the NeoLibs and the NeoCons, having the NeoLibertarians driving US policy on Europe is even worse
Excellent thread
Thread on the huge shift in US policy towards Russia visible in the new National Security Strategy - the biggest change since the collapse of the USSR. 🧵
December 5, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Excellent thread
'Some of our people like to believe that wars in Europe and in Asia are of no concern to us. But it is a matter of most vital concern to us that European and Asiatic war-makers should not gain control of the oceans which lead to this hemisphere....
December 5, 2025 at 9:22 AM
'Some of our people like to believe that wars in Europe and in Asia are of no concern to us. But it is a matter of most vital concern to us that European and Asiatic war-makers should not gain control of the oceans which lead to this hemisphere....
Trying to decide whether to spoil my day already by reading this.
The start, even allowing for Trumpian bombast, is not promising.
It defines the aim of foreign policy as the _protection_ of national interests, not _promotion_ , thus embedding the damaging zero-sum game assumption from the off
The start, even allowing for Trumpian bombast, is not promising.
It defines the aim of foreign policy as the _protection_ of national interests, not _promotion_ , thus embedding the damaging zero-sum game assumption from the off
Whole document is here. You don’t need your morning coffee afterwards. www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
www.whitehouse.gov
December 5, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Trying to decide whether to spoil my day already by reading this.
The start, even allowing for Trumpian bombast, is not promising.
It defines the aim of foreign policy as the _protection_ of national interests, not _promotion_ , thus embedding the damaging zero-sum game assumption from the off
The start, even allowing for Trumpian bombast, is not promising.
It defines the aim of foreign policy as the _protection_ of national interests, not _promotion_ , thus embedding the damaging zero-sum game assumption from the off
The Trump National Security Strategy is an act of vandalism against the things that actually make our country strong, safe, and prosperous.
December 5, 2025 at 7:41 AM
As far as I can see, this nat sec strategy is far harsher on Europe than on Russia. There is no mention of a threat from Russia or of deterrence, only that "re-establishing strategic stability" is a priority. Europe is cast as a major threat to freedom. A radical, dangerous document.
December 5, 2025 at 7:38 AM
I am desperate to find ways to support Ukraine but this will poison international relations for generations, just as happened after 1919.
Russia will never pay reparations so Ukraine will never repay the loan and the EU will end up having to write it off - to the disgust of future taxpayers.
Russia will never pay reparations so Ukraine will never repay the loan and the EU will end up having to write it off - to the disgust of future taxpayers.
Breaking news: The European Commission has proposed a loan that would leverage up to €210bn of Russian assets immobilised by EU sanctions to fund Kyiv, which would not have to repay the loan until Russia pays reparations on.ft.com/4iFKUNi
December 3, 2025 at 2:48 PM
I am desperate to find ways to support Ukraine but this will poison international relations for generations, just as happened after 1919.
Russia will never pay reparations so Ukraine will never repay the loan and the EU will end up having to write it off - to the disgust of future taxpayers.
Russia will never pay reparations so Ukraine will never repay the loan and the EU will end up having to write it off - to the disgust of future taxpayers.
Mme Boff is terribly excited to have the collected works of JM Keynes filling a shelf in her living room
December 1, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Mme Boff is terribly excited to have the collected works of JM Keynes filling a shelf in her living room
Is it true that Prez Trump thought it a good idea to invite the Taliban _to_Camp_ David _on_11_Sep_ 2019 to sign what became the Doha Agreement and had to be talked down from it?
November 30, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Is it true that Prez Trump thought it a good idea to invite the Taliban _to_Camp_ David _on_11_Sep_ 2019 to sign what became the Doha Agreement and had to be talked down from it?
Just started watching After the Hunt and so far struck by the realism of Julia Roberts as a College philosophy professor who wears Armani suits and keeps a full time housekeeper
November 29, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Just started watching After the Hunt and so far struck by the realism of Julia Roberts as a College philosophy professor who wears Armani suits and keeps a full time housekeeper
FCOL
November 28, 2025 at 3:06 PM
FCOL
Europe should give Ukraine the money right now, outright.
No ifs, no buts, no loans.
It’s the cheapest defence we will ever pay for; a loan will only store up trouble for decades; and it needs to be done with full democracy, making the case to voters to help them understand the threat we face.
No ifs, no buts, no loans.
It’s the cheapest defence we will ever pay for; a loan will only store up trouble for decades; and it needs to be done with full democracy, making the case to voters to help them understand the threat we face.
My press remarks in full here ↓
www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/informa...
www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/informa...
Informal Foreign Affairs Council: press conference by High Representative Kaja Kallas
Check against delivery! Good afternoon everybody, We just met with the EU Foreign Ministers in video format to discuss latest developments in ending Russia’s war. Foreign Minister Sybiha also joined u...
www.eeas.europa.eu
November 27, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Europe should give Ukraine the money right now, outright.
No ifs, no buts, no loans.
It’s the cheapest defence we will ever pay for; a loan will only store up trouble for decades; and it needs to be done with full democracy, making the case to voters to help them understand the threat we face.
No ifs, no buts, no loans.
It’s the cheapest defence we will ever pay for; a loan will only store up trouble for decades; and it needs to be done with full democracy, making the case to voters to help them understand the threat we face.
People responsible for this procurement should go to jail.
Even if they currently sit in the House of Lords
Even if they currently sit in the House of Lords
The MOD has paused all Ajax training after around 30 soldiers reported noise and vibration injuries, with Minister Luke Pollard ordering an urgent investigation.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/fresh-halt-t...
ukdefencejournal.org.uk/fresh-halt-t...
Fresh halt to Ajax training after 30 troops unwell
The MOD has paused all Ajax training after around 30 soldiers reported noise and vibration injuries, with Minister Luke Pollard ordering an urgent investigation.
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
November 27, 2025 at 12:02 PM
People responsible for this procurement should go to jail.
Even if they currently sit in the House of Lords
Even if they currently sit in the House of Lords