Soldiering and European society

Posted on May 15, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on Conflict and security, Europe, Leadership | Comments Off

General Richard Dannat, the head of the British army, once remarked that the British Armed Forces are less understood and less honoured for their commitment and sacrifice by ordinary Britons than in comparable societies, like United States, and probably even less than in earlier periods.
But this is not unique to Britain. And it is part [...]

No, Minister

Posted on May 14, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on Conflict and security, Leadership | Comments Off

Last night I had dinner with a group of security experts and sat next to Chatham House’s Robin Niblett . We got to talking about the role of Ministers and how they seem to struggle with their role in overseeing today’s counter-insurgency missions i.e. operations like in Iraq. They shy away from detail, but are forced into [...]

Iran file re-activated

Posted on May 13, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on News | Comments Off

After a period of silence on the “Iran file”, the P5+1 will present Tehran with a new incentive package to convince the Iranians to suspend their enrichment program and enter negotiations. This is the second time the five permanent members offer a package. The first time was in 2006, which was rejected by Tehran.
Nobody thinks [...]

New Afghan strategy needed

Posted on April 30, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on Asia, Conflict and security | Comments Off

Prince William, the second in line to the British throne, just finished a trip to Afghanistan, which probably happened at the same time as Taliban gunmen failed to kill Afghan President Hamid Karzai and a slew of international officials.
Despite Prince William’s safe return and President Karzai’s lucky escape, it should be clear to anyone that [...]

No COIN please, we’re British

Posted on April 29, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on Conflict and security, Development, UK politics | Comments Off

Despite having practically invented modern counter-insurgency, today Britain is woefully ill-equipped for this kind of complex, mosaic-style warfare. The Times, echoing David’s post from a few days ago, has picked up on the problems Britain has in spending money in places like Afghanistan.
As readers will know, even though the Labour government sought to overcome the [...]

Viral in the Balkans

Posted on April 28, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on News | Comments Off

Nothing is more viral than a political gaffe – just ask Hilary Clinton. But what about EU accession policy? Well, in the Balkans anything goes.
Twenty days ago I wrote a piece about the EU’s policy in the region on ECFR’s website. I recommended “reverse conditionality” – in other words that the
EU should give three countries [...]

Kissinger calling

Posted on April 26, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on Europe, Leadership | Comments Off

For three weeks, Europe’s “big men” have been polishing off their CVs in the hope of getting one of the new top EU jobs to be created if the Lisbon Treaty comes into force. They all want to be at the other end of the phone when the U.S wants speak to Europe, as Henry [...]

National security reform, U.S-style

Posted on April 25, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on Conflict and security, US politics | Comments Off

Yesterday, Congress heard testimony from James Locher III – the head of the Project on National Security Reform and the organisational genius behind the 1986 Goldwater-Nichol defence reforms that put the “joint” into the Joint Chiefs of Staff and later the Cohen-Nunn Amendment, which created the U.S. Special Operations Command.
Bringing together an impressive array of [...]

General merry-go-round

Posted on April 23, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on Conflict and security, Leadership, Middle East | Comments Off

Today American Defence Secretary Robert Gates recommended that General David Petraeus be appointed head of US Central Command. Until Admiral William Fallon was sacked earlier in the year, the idea had been for  General Petraeus to replace General John Craddock as Supreme Allied Commander and help fix the failing mission in Afghanistan, especially after Paddy [...]

Barroso goes to China

Posted on April 22, 2008 | Daniel Korski | More on Africa, Asia, Europe | Comments Off

Later in the week half of the European Commission will go to Beijing. Playing Kissinger to EU President Barroso’s Nixon, Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has prepared the way for his boss with a thoughtful speech to the China-Britain Business Council.
Instead of boycotting the Olympics, Mandelson argues that China should be treated with respect - but [...]