Rebecca K Campbell
@rebeccakcampbell.bsky.social
Author of the epic poem "The Lay of the Vixens: a Song of Ancient Amazons". Aerospace & Defence journalist. MA in International Relations.
Pinned
It's the festive season, so let me promote my 23 000 word epic poem (in free verse) about Amazons in an ancient world, " The Lay of the Vixens" :-
So, a quick bit of research confirms that France has both optical & sigint spy satellites (3 each, it seems). But no radar satellites. To repeat, the UK has a programme to deploy optical (1 now in orbit) & radar satellites. But will London now accelerate this programme? Let's hope so.
January 6, 2026 at 2:46 PM
So, a quick bit of research confirms that France has both optical & sigint spy satellites (3 each, it seems). But no radar satellites. To repeat, the UK has a programme to deploy optical (1 now in orbit) & radar satellites. But will London now accelerate this programme? Let's hope so.
France & the UK have now both said that they stand with Denmark (& Greenland) against Trump's threats. But is there anything they (& others) could do to actively deter a US attack? Could/should they send troops? The numbers need not be great. Even a platoon each would carry heavy political weight.
January 5, 2026 at 5:15 PM
France & the UK have now both said that they stand with Denmark (& Greenland) against Trump's threats. But is there anything they (& others) could do to actively deter a US attack? Could/should they send troops? The numbers need not be great. Even a platoon each would carry heavy political weight.
Those criticising European countries about their muted responses to Trump's Venezuela strike have to remember that by far the top priority for the Europeans is the defence of Ukraine, & that keeping the US onside is still very important for that. Less important than it was, but not yet unneeded.
January 4, 2026 at 6:51 AM
Those criticising European countries about their muted responses to Trump's Venezuela strike have to remember that by far the top priority for the Europeans is the defence of Ukraine, & that keeping the US onside is still very important for that. Less important than it was, but not yet unneeded.
Trump's strike on Venezuela looks more like a scalping than a decapitation.
January 4, 2026 at 6:32 AM
Trump's strike on Venezuela looks more like a scalping than a decapitation.
1. Recently, I posted that those who sought a big blow-up between European leaders & President Trump were looking for the wrong thing in the wrong place, & that it was in the areas of policies, programmes & projects that they should be looking, for evidence of European self-assertion.
January 1, 2026 at 9:18 AM
1. Recently, I posted that those who sought a big blow-up between European leaders & President Trump were looking for the wrong thing in the wrong place, & that it was in the areas of policies, programmes & projects that they should be looking, for evidence of European self-assertion.
My "warm" take on the Trump-class "battleships" (BBGs, as they are being classified). They make sense only in terms of an anti-access/area denial strategy. An AA/AD strategy would be completely in line with VP Vance-led MAGA isolationism & with Trump's great powers spheres-of-interest mindset.
December 23, 2025 at 11:56 AM
My "warm" take on the Trump-class "battleships" (BBGs, as they are being classified). They make sense only in terms of an anti-access/area denial strategy. An AA/AD strategy would be completely in line with VP Vance-led MAGA isolationism & with Trump's great powers spheres-of-interest mindset.
On 21/12/25 in the "Sunday Telegraph", one of the UK's most conservative mainstream columnists, Simon Heffer, has penned an eviscerating attack on Donald Trump & asserted that the US can no longer be regarded as the leader of the free world. This is a very significant attitude shift towards the US.
December 21, 2025 at 5:51 AM
On 21/12/25 in the "Sunday Telegraph", one of the UK's most conservative mainstream columnists, Simon Heffer, has penned an eviscerating attack on Donald Trump & asserted that the US can no longer be regarded as the leader of the free world. This is a very significant attitude shift towards the US.
The term to use to describe Trump's rule is Caesarism, not fascism.
December 18, 2025 at 12:34 PM
The term to use to describe Trump's rule is Caesarism, not fascism.
I have a suspicion that "civilisational erasure" is actually the objective for Trump/MAGA when it comes to Western Europe. Western Europe's liberal, & therefore tolerant & inclusive, democracy, simply by existing, is an ideological threat to MAGA's narrow-minded, conformist & intolerant vision.
December 13, 2025 at 9:42 AM
I have a suspicion that "civilisational erasure" is actually the objective for Trump/MAGA when it comes to Western Europe. Western Europe's liberal, & therefore tolerant & inclusive, democracy, simply by existing, is an ideological threat to MAGA's narrow-minded, conformist & intolerant vision.
1. Some European analysts are complaining that key national leaders in Europe are not responding vocally to President Trump's provocations. But this seems unreasonable to me. Increasing autonomy from the US is, in practice, a complex task. Trump can do a lot of damage to Euopean defence, still.
December 11, 2025 at 6:14 PM
1. Some European analysts are complaining that key national leaders in Europe are not responding vocally to President Trump's provocations. But this seems unreasonable to me. Increasing autonomy from the US is, in practice, a complex task. Trump can do a lot of damage to Euopean defence, still.
I am taking Trump's decision to authorise the export of Nvidia H200 chips to China to confirm that he has no intention whatsoever to confront Beijing, & that the next iteration of the NSS will betray Asian democracies just like the recently released one has betrayed European democracies.
December 9, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I am taking Trump's decision to authorise the export of Nvidia H200 chips to China to confirm that he has no intention whatsoever to confront Beijing, & that the next iteration of the NSS will betray Asian democracies just like the recently released one has betrayed European democracies.
It's the festive season, so let me promote my 23 000 word epic poem (in free verse) about Amazons in an ancient world, " The Lay of the Vixens" :-
December 4, 2025 at 1:56 PM
It's the festive season, so let me promote my 23 000 word epic poem (in free verse) about Amazons in an ancient world, " The Lay of the Vixens" :-
Despite Trump's fulminations & threats, the G20 leaders meeting in South Africa have issued a "G20 Leaders Declaration". Most of it is waffle of course (these things usually are) but the fact it was issued is a pretty striking illustration of the decline of US influence in the world, under Trump.
November 22, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Despite Trump's fulminations & threats, the G20 leaders meeting in South Africa have issued a "G20 Leaders Declaration". Most of it is waffle of course (these things usually are) but the fact it was issued is a pretty striking illustration of the decline of US influence in the world, under Trump.
I see that the leaders of the European powers, Japan, & Canada, plus the EU, have issued a joint statement that diplomatically (doesn't insult Trump) but clearly states that the proposed US-Russia "peace" plan is unacceptable, without (a lot of) reworking.
November 22, 2025 at 2:30 PM
I see that the leaders of the European powers, Japan, & Canada, plus the EU, have issued a joint statement that diplomatically (doesn't insult Trump) but clearly states that the proposed US-Russia "peace" plan is unacceptable, without (a lot of) reworking.
The "peace" plan that Trump is pushing Ukraine to accept is, if the reports about it are accurate, an appalling betrayal. The UK, France, Germany and the rest of Europe must show steadfast support for Ukraine & make it clear that Kyiv will have their support if the plan is rejected.
November 22, 2025 at 7:00 AM
The "peace" plan that Trump is pushing Ukraine to accept is, if the reports about it are accurate, an appalling betrayal. The UK, France, Germany and the rest of Europe must show steadfast support for Ukraine & make it clear that Kyiv will have their support if the plan is rejected.
Is Trump's big aeronaval build-up against Venezuela just a manoeuvre to give the impression of strength and power, to distract from his reported (&, to be fair, I must stress "reported") contemptible & cowardly plan to appease Putin & betray Ukraine?
November 20, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Is Trump's big aeronaval build-up against Venezuela just a manoeuvre to give the impression of strength and power, to distract from his reported (&, to be fair, I must stress "reported") contemptible & cowardly plan to appease Putin & betray Ukraine?
I am absolutely shocked by opposition (Democratic Party) legislators in the US abdicating their responsibilities & dumping the burden of opposing illegal Trump orders on to serving servicemen & servicewomen, and without providing any guidance at all on the issue!
November 19, 2025 at 6:12 AM
I am absolutely shocked by opposition (Democratic Party) legislators in the US abdicating their responsibilities & dumping the burden of opposing illegal Trump orders on to serving servicemen & servicewomen, and without providing any guidance at all on the issue!
I must confess, as a science & technology journalist, to be shocked by all those who (1) seem to think that unethical, dishonest & biased behaviour at BBC news is OK, because it was directed at Trump (it's never justifiable, no matter who the target is; honest reporting is damning enough), [contd -]
November 12, 2025 at 9:19 AM
I must confess, as a science & technology journalist, to be shocked by all those who (1) seem to think that unethical, dishonest & biased behaviour at BBC news is OK, because it was directed at Trump (it's never justifiable, no matter who the target is; honest reporting is damning enough), [contd -]
Trump sanctions Russian oil groups: incredible! But, hooray! My only quibble: it took a long time, but late is always better than never.
October 24, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Trump sanctions Russian oil groups: incredible! But, hooray! My only quibble: it took a long time, but late is always better than never.
London Daily Telegraph reporting that Trump tried to pressure Ukraine's Zelensky into caving into Putin's territorial demands, for "peace". Zelensky, unsurprisingly, refused. But he is a hero. Trump is not. But this is a really squalid low for Trump to fall to, after his high regarding Gaza.
October 20, 2025 at 10:13 AM
London Daily Telegraph reporting that Trump tried to pressure Ukraine's Zelensky into caving into Putin's territorial demands, for "peace". Zelensky, unsurprisingly, refused. But he is a hero. Trump is not. But this is a really squalid low for Trump to fall to, after his high regarding Gaza.
So, Trump back to normal, regarding Ukraine, allowing Putin to manipulate him again, and putting no further pressure on Russia. Why am I not surprised?
October 19, 2025 at 3:18 PM
So, Trump back to normal, regarding Ukraine, allowing Putin to manipulate him again, and putting no further pressure on Russia. Why am I not surprised?
Ceasefire in Gaza. Hostages & prisoners being released. Trump's done it. Yes, the hard yards were down by hus team, but his political weight made it possible. Will it hold? Who knows. But, right now, it's a real and beneficial achievement. He does deserve praise for it, even though ....
October 13, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Ceasefire in Gaza. Hostages & prisoners being released. Trump's done it. Yes, the hard yards were down by hus team, but his political weight made it possible. Will it hold? Who knows. But, right now, it's a real and beneficial achievement. He does deserve praise for it, even though ....
No comment on Hegseth's & Trump's speeches to the US GOFOs because I haven't had time to check them out, yet. But respected secondary sources indicate that
they were at least eye-brow raising, if not downright alarming.
they were at least eye-brow raising, if not downright alarming.
October 1, 2025 at 7:50 AM
No comment on Hegseth's & Trump's speeches to the US GOFOs because I haven't had time to check them out, yet. But respected secondary sources indicate that
they were at least eye-brow raising, if not downright alarming.
they were at least eye-brow raising, if not downright alarming.
Credit where credit's due: if Trump's Gaza peace plan succeeds, it will be a major achievement for him, perhaps even -- dare I say it? -- a huge achievement. And a very good thing. Heck, even partial success would still be significant.
September 30, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Credit where credit's due: if Trump's Gaza peace plan succeeds, it will be a major achievement for him, perhaps even -- dare I say it? -- a huge achievement. And a very good thing. Heck, even partial success would still be significant.
I wonder if, in the future, Trump's speech at the UN will come to be seen as the moment symbolising America's abdication of its leadership role?
September 24, 2025 at 8:48 AM
I wonder if, in the future, Trump's speech at the UN will come to be seen as the moment symbolising America's abdication of its leadership role?