The fascinating dissertation I wrote for my MA in Defence Studies in 2012 discussed the tricky grey area where morals, technology and military necessity overlap. The premise was that, for the last ten years at least, technology has pushed military capability far beyond that which society at large understands, or, in many quarters, would accept if they…
The Litvinenko Inquiry – Parting shots
So, despite much publicity and expectation, the keenly-sought evidence from Dmitri Kovtun, one of the two alleged murderers of Alexander Litvinenko, did not, after all, materialise. The Inquiry has been adjourned since the end of public hearings in March. Late in proceedings Kovtun had said he wished to provide evidence via video-link and the Chairman had set…
MH370: Searching for answers
The search for missing Malaysian airliner MH370 began afresh in a new area last year. I wrote about it for The Economist at the time (see here). It has been reported today that debris consisting of a wing part and, possibly, a suitcase that may have come from the plane has washed up on Reunion island, thousands…
Temporary contemporary beauty
This post was commissioned by Bentley Magazine and can be seen in the Summer 2015 edition. A spring dawn over Lake Iseo in northern Italy and the bells in the church of St Peter and St Paul call the time. One counts out the hour; the other chimes for half-past. Only the hardiest souls brave…
Bored of the Big Man
I wrote this article for The Economist, based on my Ugandan trip. It can be seen in the paper here. THE buildings stormed by Israeli commandos in 1976 still stand on Entebbe airfield. Now they are joined by the occasional C-17 Globemaster of the United States Air Force, part of an American presence trying, among…
A new King of Scotland?
Sacked Prime Minister challenges Ugandan President’s 29-year rule Kampala. 15 June 2015. The former prime minister of Uganda has declared he will challenge the president at elections due next year. Amama Mbabazi was sacked from the government in 2014 after criticising the president, Yoweri Museveni, who has been in charge for 29 years. Mr Mbabazi,…
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