America has just withdrawn its B-1 bombers from their base at RAF Fairford, retreating in the face of a threat that remains unclear. Nobody has shot the bombers down, nobody has attacked the base and Iran denies that it was planning to do so. But intelligence suggesting that the aircraft and the people operating them … Read more
The myth of British military power ended at Suez. The myth of American military power may be ending at the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s war against Iran has no clearly defined strategic objectives, no endgame, and no obvious way of judging success or failure. It is, above all, an exercise in image-building: projecting American strength, … Read more
Oil, Renewables and the Slow Unravelling of Petro‑States With Venezuela back in the headlines, another oil state is once again under pressure for regime change. This time the focus is Iran. Iran has faced mass protests against its authoritarian regime before, but the current moment feels more brittle. The country is not only grappling with … Read more