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Paul D. Williams

@pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social

720 followers 260 following 68 posts

Professor of International Affairs.

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Nov 18

Commissioned by the UN🇺🇳Department of Peace Operations, our new study analyzes models for UN peacekeeping to address evolving global threats. It aims to shape discussions for the 2025 Berlin Peacekeeping Ministerial, focused on "The Future of Peacekeeping."
peacekeeping.un.org/en/study-on-...

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Reposted by Ben Rosamond

Ben Rosamond @benrosamond1.bsky.social · Feb 26

Conflict resolution as a real estate deal, ethnic cleansing as a business opportunity, North Korean levels of self-idolatry. The Trumpian theory of international politics in a nutshell.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Feb 26

Complete batshit lunacy on the president's Truth Social account. Yes, he really posted this.

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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · Feb 26

Basic authoritarian stuff: the government revolves around protecting the President and punishing his enemies. Completely inconsistent with democratic norms, but will barely be a blip in the news in our new regime.

Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney.bsky.social · Feb 26

NEW: President Trump moved Tuesday to punish a law firm for providing pro bono legal services to Jack Smith as he prepared to face a potential investigation from the Trump administration.

He is stripping security clearnces and govt funding from the firm. www.politico.com/news/2025/02...

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Feb 3

Good overview of the crisis in Goma 🇨🇩 and especially Rwanda’s🇷🇼 role in it by @jasonkstearns.bsky.social via @passblue.bsky.social
www.passblue.com/2025/02/02/g...

Goma, Congo: Understanding the M23 and RDF Attack

Goma, Congo: Understanding the M23 and RDF Attack - PassBlue

www.passblue.com

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Reposted by Paul Williams

Jason "Red5" Lyall @jaylyall.bsky.social · Feb 3

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Reposted by Paul Williams

Amarnath Amarasingam @amaramarasingam.bsky.social · Feb 3

He is on a warpath against USAID, and the cruelty it will unleash is going to be immense. USAID provides emergency aid after natural disasters, tries to improve child health and nutrition, promotes good governance, funds literacy programs and programs that empower women, works on food security, etc.

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Jan 31

Private contractors are part of almost all peace operations. It depends what tasks/services/activities he's talking about in particular.

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Reposted by Paul Williams

Nina Wilen @ninawilen.bsky.social · Jan 16

Our longer article in International Affairs is now #OpenAccess for a short period:
🌏 academic.oup.com/ia/article/1...

Peacekeeping armies: how the politics of peace operations shape military organizations

What is a ‘peacekeeping army’ and why do some states develop them? This article lays out the first attempt to theorize this concept and illustrate its util

academic.oup.com

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Reposted by Paul Williams

Nina Wilen @ninawilen.bsky.social · Jan 16

#Peacekeeping armies: what are they, why do African states build them and what impact do they have?

I write with @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social for @theconversation.com about #Africa & peacekeeping armies

theconversation.com/peacekeeping...

Peacekeeping armies: what are they, why do African states build them and what impact do they have?

Poorer states, like Rwanda and Burundi, have economic incentives for maintaining peacekeeping armies.

theconversation.com

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Nov 30

It's a helpful paper: the UN🇺🇳 needs to change the way its
peace operations are planned, budgeted and staffed. ✅
And you hit the nail on the head with this paragraph...😀👍

Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Nov 22

⭐Job Alert ⭐
GW's Elliott School & Political Science Dept are hiring a full-time, tenured Assoc/Full Prof. in security studies beginning Fall 2025. Seeking a strong track record of research, teaching & policy engagement in the field of security studies, broadly defined.
www.gwu.jobs/postings/116...

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs

Security studies: The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs and Department of Political Science invite applications for a full-time, tenured faculty position in securi...

www.gwu.jobs

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Nov 19

Info-nugget😮
The conflict landscape in Myanmar🇲🇲 has become the most fragmented in the world. ACLED records over 2,600 new non-state actors participating in Myanmar’s conflict since April 2021, accounting for 21% of total active non-state armed groups worldwide.
acleddata.com/knowledge-ba...

Myanmar - ACLED

Coding decisions on key armed actors, anti-coup demonstrations, violence in Rakhine state, and more Published on: | Last updated: Background Coding political violence in Myanmar poses several methodo...

acleddata.com

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Reposted by Paul Williams

Reposted by Paul Williams, Casey A. Seideman, Pedro Ramos

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · Nov 7

Today seems like a good day to share this Scientific American story on how vaccines have saved more lives throughout history than any other intervention

www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-...

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News Eye @newseye.bsky.social · Nov 2

The final part of Harrison Ford’s endorsement of Kamala Harris.

“Kamala Harris will protect your right to disagree with her. The other guy? He demands unquestioning loyalty. Says he wants revenge.”

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Reposted by Paul Williams

Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · Nov 2

The Harris-Walz campaign releases its closing ad, 2 min. long, to be aired nationally during NFL games this weekend (first min. embedded, full ad on YouTube) www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6bv...

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Sep 22

741 former national security leaders including fifteen 4-star generals and admirals, along with 230 former flag officers endorse Kamala Harris for President. They write, "Our endorsement of Vice President Harris is an endorsement of freedom and an act of patriotism."
www.nsl4a.org/nsl4a-announ...

Endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for President of the United States — National Security Leaders for America

Kamala Harris will make an excellent Commander-in-Chief, while Mr. Trump has proven he is not up to the job. Effective leadership requires in-depth knowledge, careful deliberation, understanding of ...

www.nsl4a.org

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Aug 7

So there will be a third AU peace operation in Somalia: AMISOM (2007-22) --> ATMIS (2022-24) --> AUSSOM (2025-??). Details lacking thus far...
papsrepository.africa-union.org/handle/12345...

Communiqué of the 1225th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council held on 1 August 2024, on Consideration of the Concept of Operations of AU-Led Mission in Somalia post-ATMIS.

papsrepository.africa-union.org

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Aug 4

👍🏻

Reposted by Paul Williams

Katharine Hayhoe @katharinehayhoe.com · Jul 5

This is an appalling and horrifying story about the attacks researchers like @katestarbird.bsky.social undergo by those determined to silence any who call out their disinformation and other underhanded tactics. Very similar to what climate scientists experience but with even MORE vitriol.

Nature Portfolio @natureportfolio.nature.com · Jun 27

Nature spoke to political scientists from around the world whose work has flung them into both the public and political limelight, sometimes with drastic consequences for their personal and professional lives. 🧪

‘It can feel like there’s no way out’ — political scientists face pushback on their work

In a year in which numerous countries are going to the polls, many election-watching scientists are under pressure. In a year in which numerous countries are going to the polls, many election-watching...

go.nature.com

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Jun 11

What were the top causes & categories of deaths of U.S. Army active duty soldiers, 2014-2019?
Ans:
1) Suicide (GSW or asphyxiation)
2) Accidents (mainly motor vehicles but quite a lot of drug overdose)
3) Natural causes
4) Combat
5) Homicide
Source: www.health.mil/Reference-Ce...

Reposted by Paul Williams

Garth Marenghi's Catbus @hayao.lol · Jun 6

the very worst shit online is always generated by a small, obsessed cult and SUPRISE, when you ban that small group you have mostly solved the problem

Will Oremus @willoremus.com · Jun 6

Deplatforming is out of favor in Silicon Valley. But it works.

A new study in Nature finds that Twitter's mass suspension of 70,000 QAnon-linked accounts after Jan. 6 meaningfully reduced the overall circulation of fake and hyperpartisan news on the platform. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

After Jan. 6, Twitter banned 70,000 right-wing accounts. Lies plummeted.

A new study finds deplatforming “super-spreaders” of misinformation can limit the overall spread of online whoppers.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · May 24

Just recording the idiocy for posterity...

Reposted by Paul Williams

Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · May 24

All us researchers need to be aware of the “bullshit industrial complex.”

Kate Starbird @katestarbird.bsky.social · May 23

Borrowing their term, these attacks on disinformation researchers are an effort by the “bullshit industrial complex” to try to silence the folks who have documented their tactics and called them out for being the creators and conduits of disinfo campaigns and repeatedly spreading harmful falsehoods.

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Apr 30

Inspired by @jjschroden.bsky.social work on the war in Afghanistan🇦🇫, I’ve written a net assessment of the Somali🇸🇴 National Army versus al-Shabaab in the event of a withdrawal of African Union peacekeepers.
My assessment? Well, it’s not good news… ctc.westpoint.edu/the-somali-n...

The Somali National Army Versus al-Shabaab: A Net Assessment – Combating Terrorism Center at West Point

Abstact: An important question for the future of Somalia is if the African Union withdraws the remainder of its forces from the country by December 31, 2024, would the Somali National Army (SNA) or al...

ctc.westpoint.edu

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Apr 25

"What’s Left of Sudan🇸🇩 After a Year At War?"
This is a really good overview of the war's local, national and international dynamics and devastating consequences. Via @crisisgroup.bsky.social
www.crisisgroup.org/africa/horn-...

Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Apr 23

Al-Fashir is the last major city in the vast, western Darfur🇸🇩 region not under control of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). But a truce that protected it from the year-old war has been broken. Its 1.6 million people are now at real risk of RSF attack. www.reuters.com/world/africa...

Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Apr 23

Russian🇷🇺 equipment losses in its war vs Ukraine🇺🇦 are estimated at c.8,800 since Feb 2022. Nevertheless, the IISS assesses that Russia will be able to sustain its assault on Ukraine🇺🇦 at current attrition rates for another 2–3 years, and maybe even longer.
www.iiss.org/online-analy...

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Paul D. Williams @pdwilliamsgwu.bsky.social · Apr 20

Interesting article on the increased use of Iranian🇮🇷 drones by the Sudan🇸🇩 army vs the RSF. m.jpost.com/internationa...