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Matthew Redhead

@matthewrr.bsky.social

1.8K followers 1K following 2.2K posts

National & financial security. Former UK civil servant and financial intelligence professional. Senior Associate Fellow @rusi.bsky.social CFS. Loves ideas, cult fiction, anomalous stuff and landscapes. Views own.

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 26d

“People sometimes tell me that they prefer barbarism to civilisation. I doubt if they have given it a long enough trial…they are bored by civilisation; but all the evidence suggests that the boredom of barbarism is infinitely greater.”

Kenneth Clark, ‘Civilisation’.

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Profolus @profolus.com · 5h

A study reveals that the biggest predictor of war support is not politics—but masculinity. Cultural ideals linking manhood with violence make people more likely to support militarization and war.

Beliefs About Violent Masculinity May Predict Readiness for War - Profolus

Beliefs linking masculinity with violence are the strongest driver of pro-war attitudes.

www.profolus.com

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 6h

If he doesn’t want to pigeon-holed as a Tory, why did he write about it in a national newspaper? And speak at the Tory conference? Give me a break.

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Shipwreck @shipwreck75.bsky.social · 6h

A senior Iranian lawmaker said on Wednesday that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had lifted all limits to the range of Iran’s missiles, signaling a potential major shift to Tehran's defense posture after a punishing June war.
iranintl.com/en/202510081527

Khamenei lifted all limits on missile range, senior Iranian MP says

iranintl.com

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Jan-Werner Mueller @jwmueller-pu.bsky.social · 7h

"The future they are building is one in which states cooperate in a global condominium to suppress transnational dissent...one in which a fundamental means of continuing the struggle against dictatorships—fleeing to a more democratic country and advocating from there—is foreclosed."

Important read:

Trump Is Supporting Transnational Repression

Instead of sheltering pro-democracy dissidents, America is now returning them for arrest.

foreignpolicy.com

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François Heisbourg @fheisbourg.bsky.social · 14h

Grey zone ops

POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 17h

One of Europe’s biggest air defense companies is warning that its top secret factories are being overflown by increasing numbers of drones.

And it wants clear rules on how to jam or bring them down.

Top EU weapons firm warns of drone threat to production lines

Thales Belgium says its factory making 70 mm rockets is being buzzed by drones.

ow.ly

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

Rip off degrees:

Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

David Henig @davidheniguk.bsky.social · 15h

Incidentally English graduates are in demand by tech companies who need to translate what they do into understandable language for their business customers in particular.

But why let facts get in the way of a stupid soundbite?

Tim Worthington @outonbluesix.bsky.social · 17h

How is this repeatedly made into a policy issue - by *all* parties - when the blunt fact of the matter is that grown adults who are obliged to pay for their own education, and relentlessly pursued to repay their loans, should be able to study whatever the fuck they want.

Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

That two hander with Guinness and Bannen. Beautiful, sad, bitter.

Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

I seem to be seeing more random posts from accounts I don’t follow. I just had one telling me “not to forget to trace and kiss her tattoos today”.

Like, what? WHAT?

Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

Interesting perspective.

Anders Östlund @andersostlund.bsky.social · 14h

EU's slow response EU to Russian warfare makes a Russian state collapse more likely. EU's measures are slowly eating away at the Russian body in a way a swift and resolute response would not. Time is not on Russia's side. Eventually China will also not want to be fettered to a corpse.

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

Those flags are like bleedin’ rabbits.

Reposted by Matthew Redhead

Ian Bond @cerianbond.bsky.social · 16h

I agree. I've seen Putin described as risk-averse; I don't think that's right. He takes risks that other leaders wouldn't, but only when he assesses that the likelihood of an effective response is low. The West has yet to change his assessment that he can keep pushing us back.

Keir Giles @keirgiles.bsky.social · 18h

Here is @nigelgould-davies.bsky.social on Russia’s disruption campaign against Europe. I’m not sure I would be so optimistic on the Kremlin being worried by US & EUR behaviour, but the conclusion is unshakeable: absent a serious response, this will get much worse.

www.iiss.org/online-analy...

Screenshot from linked article, saying Western officials are puzzled, but they shouldn’t be.

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

Which indicates what a small person she is.

Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

More to the point - you don’t just do a degree to get a job.

Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 9h

I’ve worked with quite a few English grads in consultancy, banking and technology. Some have had to learn new skills (me too - I studied history), but most bring imagination, cultural depth and humanity to their work. That’s a dividend, not a rip off, as far as I can see.

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Marc Morris @marcmorris.bsky.social · 17h

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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 17h

Calling English a 'rip-off degree' is one of the most blatant exhibitions of personal barbarism I've ever seen. You've demonstrated nothing but the poverty of your own mind.

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 10h

They could cast you as the next "Man in Black" on Radio 4.

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Keir Giles @keirgiles.bsky.social · 10h

It's been a year since the audiobook version of 'Who Will Defend Europe?' was released. If you haven't heard my best soothing bedtime story voice recounting this tale of looming disaster and calamity, a) what's your excuse and b) the publishers have the answer.

www.audiobooks.com/promotions/p...

70% OFF Who Will Defend Europe?: An Awakened Russia and a Sleeping Continent

Who will defend Europe? The answer should be obvious: Europe should be able to defend itself. Yet, for decades, most of the continent enjoyed a defense holiday, outsourcing protection to the United St...

www.audiobooks.com

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 10h

This happens to me occasionally. I mostly feel like I am blathering into the ether on here, but invariably, the few times I get re-posted, I've made a ruddy mistake.

Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 12h

I think a charitable way to view this would be necessity and perceived self-interest going hand-in-hand.

Reuters @reuters.com · 12h

Starmer denies trying to appease China, says spying case dropped on legal grounds reut.rs/3IYb2W5

Starmer denies trying to appease China, says spying case dropped on legal grounds

Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday rejected accusations that Britain tried to appease China by dropping a prosecution against two men accused of spying for Beijing, insisting the decision was based on legal constraints, not political motives.

reut.rs

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Keir Giles @keirgiles.bsky.social · 12h

A tale of two book covers.

Now, as ever, I have the deepest respect for @mcfaulmike.bsky.social, but also sympathy as his magnum opus has been in production so long that the original cover has had to be amended to reflect the emergence of a third autocratic power.

Out on 28 Oct.

amzn.to/3IWWRQX

Book cover 1: "Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia and the New Global Order"

Book cover 1: "Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America and the New Global Order"

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 12h

Too good not to be shared...👏

Reposted by Matthew Redhead

Toby Earle 🇺🇦 @tobyontv.bsky.social · 12h

if you’ve ever watched the apprentice, that’s the world without arts or humanities degrees

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Matthew Redhead @matthewrr.bsky.social · 16h

Strange things happen on a night shift.