Tim Benbow
@timbenbow.bsky.social
Professor of Strategic Studies, King's College London
My research focusses on UK naval strategy and naval history in the Second World War and Cold War.
My research focusses on UK naval strategy and naval history in the Second World War and Cold War.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
TL;DR: Russia has decided that the UK is Russia's enemy, and there's nothing we can do to change that as long as Putin is in power. The choice is whether to be an undefeated enemy or a defeated one. That's all the choice we get.
December 18, 2025 at 8:33 PM
TL;DR: Russia has decided that the UK is Russia's enemy, and there's nothing we can do to change that as long as Putin is in power. The choice is whether to be an undefeated enemy or a defeated one. That's all the choice we get.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
“The United States, according to the New York Times, has a Maginot Line problem.
The problem is that Monsieur Maginot’s infamous namesake fortification has little to do with what really happened in 1940.”
Me in Foreign Policy (gift link)
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/18/f...
The problem is that Monsieur Maginot’s infamous namesake fortification has little to do with what really happened in 1940.”
Me in Foreign Policy (gift link)
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/18/f...
U.S. Strategists Keep Getting France’s Defeat Wrong
Myths about the Maginot Line are strangely persistent.
foreignpolicy.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:51 PM
“The United States, according to the New York Times, has a Maginot Line problem.
The problem is that Monsieur Maginot’s infamous namesake fortification has little to do with what really happened in 1940.”
Me in Foreign Policy (gift link)
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/18/f...
The problem is that Monsieur Maginot’s infamous namesake fortification has little to do with what really happened in 1940.”
Me in Foreign Policy (gift link)
foreignpolicy.com/2025/12/18/f...
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Academics and technologists are sounding the alarm about a growing crisis in scholarship as we know it: AI-generated citations of nonexistent papers that have infested real journals. Despite being fake, the sources are widely assumed to be authentic the more they appear in published literature.
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Academics and technologists are sounding the alarm about a growing crisis in scholarship as we know it: AI-generated citations of nonexistent papers that have infested real journals. Despite being fake, the sources are widely assumed to be authentic the more they appear in published literature.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Starmer had a lot of opportunities (Vance Munich speech, Zelensky White House bustup, etc) to make the case for a real increase in UK defence spending, but he just doesn't want to do it.
Defence Investment Plan due date: Autumn, before Xmas and now next year.
And this isn’t an especially hopeful sounding para.
www.ft.com/content/6e96... Defence spending plan delayed over Starmer concerns
And this isn’t an especially hopeful sounding para.
www.ft.com/content/6e96... Defence spending plan delayed over Starmer concerns
December 17, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Starmer had a lot of opportunities (Vance Munich speech, Zelensky White House bustup, etc) to make the case for a real increase in UK defence spending, but he just doesn't want to do it.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Trump knows Russia is planning to conquer all of Ukraine.
Just released this piece. The VA story released yesterday about the inner workings of the Trump administration is the most important yet. For Ukraine and it supporters it confirms that Putin is planning to take all of Ukraine (and Trump is therefore helping him).
open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
open.substack.com/pub/phillips...
Trump Knows
The Scary Meaning of the Most Important Story of the Trump Administration So Far
open.substack.com
December 17, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Trump knows Russia is planning to conquer all of Ukraine.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
“People have every right to own property, but we must balance that with the demands of burglars to steal that property and sell it.”
Fuck off. And tell your loser tech mates to fuck off while you’re at it. Cheers. Ta.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Fuck off. And tell your loser tech mates to fuck off while you’re at it. Cheers. Ta.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
December 16, 2025 at 9:44 AM
“People have every right to own property, but we must balance that with the demands of burglars to steal that property and sell it.”
Fuck off. And tell your loser tech mates to fuck off while you’re at it. Cheers. Ta.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Fuck off. And tell your loser tech mates to fuck off while you’re at it. Cheers. Ta.
www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Grading and googling hallucinated citations, as one does nowadays, and now that LLMs have been around for a while, I've discovered new horrors: hallucinated journals are now appearing in Google Scholar with dozens of citations bc so many people are citing these fake things
December 15, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Grading and googling hallucinated citations, as one does nowadays, and now that LLMs have been around for a while, I've discovered new horrors: hallucinated journals are now appearing in Google Scholar with dozens of citations bc so many people are citing these fake things
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Please visit my new website
profgarysheffield.com
Includes articles, reviews of books old and new, and other material including my obituary of Professor Brian Bond. A work in progress, it will be updated regularly with new stuff
profgarysheffield.com
Includes articles, reviews of books old and new, and other material including my obituary of Professor Brian Bond. A work in progress, it will be updated regularly with new stuff
Professor Gary Sheffield – Military Historian and Battlefield Guide
profgarysheffield.com
December 14, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Please visit my new website
profgarysheffield.com
Includes articles, reviews of books old and new, and other material including my obituary of Professor Brian Bond. A work in progress, it will be updated regularly with new stuff
profgarysheffield.com
Includes articles, reviews of books old and new, and other material including my obituary of Professor Brian Bond. A work in progress, it will be updated regularly with new stuff
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Negotiations between US & Ukraine have begun. It will be embarrassing for him if Witkoff starts to read his statement in the original Russian.
December 14, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Negotiations between US & Ukraine have begun. It will be embarrassing for him if Witkoff starts to read his statement in the original Russian.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Not a credible position for the Labour leadership to take. If they were serious about the threat we face, after 18mths we'd have ramped up our capabilities, have factories and stockpiles in place, people would have been fired and talent brought in to shake up UK defence. Instead, we've tinkered.
This sounds like defensive briefing straight from a Morgan McSweeney Whatsapp group in denial about how an ineffective leader unwilling to face the breakdown of US-Europe relations might not be the best figure to lead the UK into a post-American order
December 13, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Not a credible position for the Labour leadership to take. If they were serious about the threat we face, after 18mths we'd have ramped up our capabilities, have factories and stockpiles in place, people would have been fired and talent brought in to shake up UK defence. Instead, we've tinkered.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
NYT: “Trump signs executive order granting himself power to fly; scientific experts press for caution, citing currently understood laws of physics.”
December 12, 2025 at 2:14 PM
NYT: “Trump signs executive order granting himself power to fly; scientific experts press for caution, citing currently understood laws of physics.”
Reposted by Tim Benbow
I'm pleased to see the appearance of my piece on the historical context of Britain's Army Reserve.
engelsbergideas.com/essays/the-p...
engelsbergideas.com/essays/the-p...
The power of the citizen-soldier
Britain has a long history of reservists defending the country in times of crisis. Reviving this tradition is among the most effective ways to secure Europe from Russian aggression.
engelsbergideas.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I'm pleased to see the appearance of my piece on the historical context of Britain's Army Reserve.
engelsbergideas.com/essays/the-p...
engelsbergideas.com/essays/the-p...
Reposted by Tim Benbow
"The US can no longer be relied on... Rather any US involvement will be transactional, and the UK needs to rapidly unpick 80 years of defence integration with, and dependence on, the US."
✍️ Andrew Dorman on the US National Security Strategy & Starmer's defence dilemma
ukandeu.ac.uk/starmers-def...
✍️ Andrew Dorman on the US National Security Strategy & Starmer's defence dilemma
ukandeu.ac.uk/starmers-def...
Starmer’s defence dilemma - UK in a changing Europe
Andrew M Dorman reflects on UK defence policy and argues that while the UK must deintegrate its defence capabilities from the US and implement the recommendations of this year's Strategic Defence Revi...
ukandeu.ac.uk
December 11, 2025 at 9:28 AM
"The US can no longer be relied on... Rather any US involvement will be transactional, and the UK needs to rapidly unpick 80 years of defence integration with, and dependence on, the US."
✍️ Andrew Dorman on the US National Security Strategy & Starmer's defence dilemma
ukandeu.ac.uk/starmers-def...
✍️ Andrew Dorman on the US National Security Strategy & Starmer's defence dilemma
ukandeu.ac.uk/starmers-def...
Reposted by Tim Benbow
This is accurate. Russia has succeeded very well in convincing media in Europe and the UK that the conflict is far more one-sided in Russia’s favour than is genuinely the case - and that contributes to the assumption that it should be settled in Russia’s favour sooner rather than later.
One of the frustrating aspects of Trump's 'peace' efforts is that he resides in an echo chamber that doesn't acknowledge the real difficulties that Russia is facing in continuing its war in Ukraine - and it is an echo chamber that influences media coverage, judging by the questions that I get asked!
Time is not working for Russia, and things will only get worse.
“Putin is very likely preparing to attempt to offset Russia’s near-exhaustion of voluntary recruitment in 2026 by mobilizing elements of Russia’s strategic reserve to sustain combat operations in Ukraine.”
“Putin is very likely preparing to attempt to offset Russia’s near-exhaustion of voluntary recruitment in 2026 by mobilizing elements of Russia’s strategic reserve to sustain combat operations in Ukraine.”
December 10, 2025 at 7:12 AM
This is accurate. Russia has succeeded very well in convincing media in Europe and the UK that the conflict is far more one-sided in Russia’s favour than is genuinely the case - and that contributes to the assumption that it should be settled in Russia’s favour sooner rather than later.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Stocking filler for the war history enthusiast in your life - come for the excellent cover, stay for outstanding chapters on everything from inter-theatre learning to maritime law and strategy to patriotic propaganda. Featuring chapters from @sdanisimova.bsky.social
Get your copy of Framing the First World War today and receive 40% off with discount code: UPKHOLIDAY25 at checkout (kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700640560/).
@mpmfinch.bsky.social
@draefox.bsky.social
@dmorganowen.bsky.social
#modernwarstudies #militaryhistory #WorldWarI #militarythought #upkansas
@mpmfinch.bsky.social
@draefox.bsky.social
@dmorganowen.bsky.social
#modernwarstudies #militaryhistory #WorldWarI #militarythought #upkansas
December 9, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Stocking filler for the war history enthusiast in your life - come for the excellent cover, stay for outstanding chapters on everything from inter-theatre learning to maritime law and strategy to patriotic propaganda. Featuring chapters from @sdanisimova.bsky.social
Reposted by Tim Benbow
We can debate each word he said, but I will leave you with this joke currently trending in Europe:
“In war between Russia and Ukraine, United States surrendered first.”
“In war between Russia and Ukraine, United States surrendered first.”
December 8, 2025 at 7:07 PM
We can debate each word he said, but I will leave you with this joke currently trending in Europe:
“In war between Russia and Ukraine, United States surrendered first.”
“In war between Russia and Ukraine, United States surrendered first.”
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Once again, Russia and USA are allies. Although this time we are fighting to put Nazis back in power.
Which is a nuance.
Which is a nuance.
December 8, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Once again, Russia and USA are allies. Although this time we are fighting to put Nazis back in power.
Which is a nuance.
Which is a nuance.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Can't believe @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social isn't reporting excitedly on items that sank in the Solent on their maiden voyage:
Bananas: ✅
The Mary Rose: ❌
Bananas: ✅
The Mary Rose: ❌
Banana containers clear-up operation under way on Sussex beaches
Response teams start clearing cargo from containers that fell from a ship in the Solent.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 8, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Can't believe @maryrosemuseum.bsky.social isn't reporting excitedly on items that sank in the Solent on their maiden voyage:
Bananas: ✅
The Mary Rose: ❌
Bananas: ✅
The Mary Rose: ❌
Reposted by Tim Benbow
This is why I’m cautiously optimistic — in the long run.
December 7, 2025 at 1:56 PM
This is why I’m cautiously optimistic — in the long run.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
This really can't be shared far enough. Make the thieving bastards pay!
September 6, 2025 at 9:36 AM
This really can't be shared far enough. Make the thieving bastards pay!
Reposted by Tim Benbow
The inquiry into Dawn Sturgess reminds us that you cannot do deals with a gangster
As the inquiry into the killing of Dawn Sturgess reveals its findings I revisit the events of 2018 - when Putin's hapless hit men came to England
@noosphere.app
www.noosphere.app/murder-in-th...
@noosphere.app
www.noosphere.app/murder-in-th...
Murder in the Cathedral City - when Putin's assassins came to our green and pleasant land
Get news direct from reporters you trust.
www.noosphere.app
December 6, 2025 at 8:41 AM
The inquiry into Dawn Sturgess reminds us that you cannot do deals with a gangster
Reposted by Tim Benbow
Steal one book from a bookshop: get charged with shoplifting
Steal millions of books to feed to your plagiarism machine: make a pile of money ⚖
Steal millions of books to feed to your plagiarism machine: make a pile of money ⚖
December 4, 2025 at 11:35 PM
Steal one book from a bookshop: get charged with shoplifting
Steal millions of books to feed to your plagiarism machine: make a pile of money ⚖
Steal millions of books to feed to your plagiarism machine: make a pile of money ⚖
Reposted by Tim Benbow
My employer, Dartmouth College, today boasts it's 1st Ivy "to launch AI at an institutional scale." It is doing this by partnering--"more than a collaboration"--with Anthropic, a company that stole the books of many faculty, me included, which many of us are suing.
December 4, 2025 at 9:38 PM
My employer, Dartmouth College, today boasts it's 1st Ivy "to launch AI at an institutional scale." It is doing this by partnering--"more than a collaboration"--with Anthropic, a company that stole the books of many faculty, me included, which many of us are suing.
Reposted by Tim Benbow
You'd think us violating Irish neutrality in an apparent attempt to assassinate Zelensky by forcing his plane to crash would be bigger news.
For the Irish for a start.
For the Irish for a start.
December 5, 2025 at 10:25 AM
You'd think us violating Irish neutrality in an apparent attempt to assassinate Zelensky by forcing his plane to crash would be bigger news.
For the Irish for a start.
For the Irish for a start.