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Wesley K. Wark

Wesley K. Wark is a Canadian historian, an associate professor emeritus of history at the University of Toronto, and an… more

H-index: 13

Political science 85%

Sociology 6%

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by Wesley K. Wark

A Chinese container ship sails through the Arctic

Or no, not our Arctic A Chinese container ship, the “Istanbul Bridge,” has just completed a voyage from a port on the east coast of China to Felixstowe in the UK, where it was welcomed with a huge banner display. The ship made the news because it avoided the usual sea route through the Suez Canal and instead sailed through Arctic waters using the coast-hugging Russian Northe…

by Wesley K. Wark

“Borders” Bill split, pain doubled!

Or, Look out for Baby Bill C-12 The Government introduced the original version of legislation it misleadingly called the “Strong Borders Act” on June 3. [1] It was the first piece of national security law crafted by the new Carney government, and it was, to put it politely, not politically artful or well thought-out.

by Wesley K. Wark

Hungary plays Karla

Or, spying on the EU An investigative report from a consortium of European media outlets, based in Belgium, Germany, Austria and Hungary, contains a starting expose on Hungarian intelligence operations targeting the European Union (of which Hungary is a fractious and frequently off-side member under the Orban government).

by Wesley K. Wark

Canada is Not for Sale?

Or, Can I still wear the hat? PM Carney began promising to forge a new “comprehensive economic and security relationship” with the United States, e.g. Donald Trump, back in March.

by Wesley K. Wark

So you want an Arctic Trade Corridor?

The allure and challenge of Churchill, Manitoba Thanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

by Wesley K. Wark

The Drones are Coming

Or, Look up (doesn’t have to be way up) Drone sightings are ramping up across Europe, interfering with airport operations in Munich, Olso and Copenhagen. Drones are apparently surveilling military installations and critical infrastructure. In Germany, the authorities are sorting out who is responsible for counter drone measures, police or military, and how information might be shared. Very Ge…

by Wesley K. Wark

The Saga of the Pirate ship “Boracay”

Or, what Putin’s shadow tanker fleet looks like Thanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

by Wesley K. Wark

So you want a Drone Wall?

Or, think Battle of Britain Europe has a history of building walls to keep out invaders. Few worked. The walled fortress of Troy fell to a ruse de guerre. Hadrian’s Wall proved a drain on Roman imperial resources, was an unpopular post for garrison troops (windswept, rainy and cold), and failed to protect the northern reaches of Roman Britain. During World War Two, there was the f…

by Wesley K. Wark

Don’t oversell the terrorist entity list

Or, adding Bishnoi achieves what? The Canadian Government has added the Indian Bishnoi criminal gang to its terrorist entity list.[1] The move came as little surprise, given widespread political pressure from the Conservative party leader, the premiers of Alberta and B.C. and the mayor of Brampton.

by Wesley K. Wark

How to be a start-up spy service

Or, do it like MI6? As the government contemplates what to do to increase Canada’s foreign intelligence capabilities, maybe a small history lesson would be in order. (What follows is drawn from the authorized history of MI6 written by the late Keith Jeffery, published in 2010).

by Wesley K. Wark

Hello Luch, Russia’s spies in space

Or, here’s looking at you, kid Thanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

by Wesley K. Wark

The PM’s secret sauce for saving Canada

Or, the importance of ‘getting it’ Mark Carney took to the podium at the Council on Foreign Relations during his visit to the UN to talk about Canada and its role in the world. [1] He claimed that Canada had a secret sauce to “thrive” in the new world disorder (well, he didn’t say secret sauce).

by Wesley K. Wark

C’s Swan Song

Or, putting down the green pen MI6 Puzzle Palace, Thames HouseThanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

by Wesley K. Wark

Go Big on Copper? (not pennies)

Or, Mines plus politics plus geopolitics Thanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

by Wesley K. Wark

This is not a review of the new Mick Herron Slow Horses novel

Or, maybe a little Thanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Reposts 0 Sep 16

by Wesley K. Wark

Trump says DON’T WASTE MY TIME

Or, the time, energy and money of the United States (not that there’s a difference) The latest avoidance tactic from the US president in his approach to ending the war in Ukraine is to blame, in no particular order, Joe Biden, President Zelenskyi of Ukraine, and, get this, NATO. Biden and Zelenskyi because in the President’s fervid imaginary, they are responsible for the war, not the ex-KGB guy in the Kremlin. Trump, never one to avoid…

Reposts 0 Sep 14

by Wesley K. Wark

CSIS takes the public’s temperature

Or, It’s a glass half-full at least. Thanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Reposts 0 Sep 12

by Wesley K. Wark

Slow Horses

Or, galloping back to screen and bookseller near you If you have somehow been so distracted by, I don’t know, the world, that you have lost track of the next instalment of the superb UK spy series, Slow Horses, here’s a reminder.

Reposts 0 Sep 6

by Wesley K. Wark

Inviting who?

Or, is Project 2025 news to the Carney Cabinet? I will keep this short. It’s hard to go long about a blown fuse. But I am trying to digest the news that our PM, or some bright spark around him, invited the maestro of the US right-wing revolution to sit down with his Cabinet during their retreat in Toronto.

Reposts 0 Sep 4

by Wesley K. Wark

Taking a symbolic swing at the Bishnoi gang

Or, how about swinging higher? Thanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Reposts 0 Aug 24

by Wesley K. Wark

So, you thought the Five Eyes was rock solid

Or, maybe not? CBS News published an exclusive report on August 21, with details of a directive put out by the US Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, on July 20 barring intelligence sharing with the Five Eyes (the other members are the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand).

Reposts 0 Aug 22

by Wesley K. Wark

Ordinary People don’t carry machine guns

Or, remembering the sacrifices of Ukrainians As the world, and Ukraine in particular, waits to see what kind of poisoned chalice it will be offered in the form of a peace settlement, it is an opportune moment to keep the sacrifices of ordinary Ukrainians in our minds. Those sacrifices can never be repaid in full, but neither can they be forgotten, in a patched-together peace from the duopoly of Vl…

Reposts 0 Aug 21

by Wesley K. Wark

Two Public Reports: CSIS and CSE tells their stories

Or, speaking truth to the public? Or, speaking truth to the public?

Reposts 0 Aug 16

by Wesley K. Wark

Wanted: A Canadian foreign intelligence service

Or, even needed, now Or, even needed, now

Reposts 0 Aug 12

by Wesley K. Wark

Let the Leak Games begin

Or, fixing the F-35 debate Thanks for reading Wesley Wark’s National Security and Intelligence Newsletter! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Reposts 0 Aug 11

by Wesley K. Wark

The new economic and security relationship with the United States

Or, a big NADA on both fronts The August 1 trade negotiation deadline with the United States has come and gone without achieving tariff relief or any “new” economic relationship with the United States. Can anyone really be surprised?

Reposts 0 Aug 1

by Wesley K. Wark

Bill C-2, Read all (or some) about it

Or, "the strengthening a bunch of stuff, but not really border security, bill" Or, "the strengthening a bunch of stuff, but not really border security, bill"

Reposts 0 Jul 31

by Wesley K. Wark

How to write a National Security Strategy (Canada take note)

Or Lost in NATO noise--The UK publishes its National Security Strategy The NATO summit in the Hague in late June was inevitably dominated by two things—the new NATO commitment to much higher levels of defence and related infrastructure spending, to reach 5% of GDP within a decade; and, of course by Donald Trump. What better for the US President than to be fawned over by the new NATO Secretary-General (and former Dutch PM),…

Reposts 0 Jul 30

by Wesley K. Wark

Sparing the Intelligence Community?

Or, watching the cuts, not smart In the United States, disquiet is already being expressed about cuts imposed on staffing in parts of the US intelligence community, including one of its smallest, but most vital, analytical components, the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence Analysis and Research (INR). One former head of INR, Ellen McCarthy, who led the 300-strong Bureau from 201…

Reposts 0 Jul 28

by Wesley K. Wark

A little learning, Intelligence and National Security course

Or, not so dangerous Or, not so dangerous

Reposts 0 Jul 14

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