wes Photos: Fidelis & West Businesses Halloween By bernews.com Published On :: Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:29:37 +0000 The Fidelis Partnership and 15 West Hamilton businesses hosted a festive Halloween celebration for the community. A spokesperson said, “For the first time since 2019, The Fidelis Partnership [TFP] and several businesses in the West Hamilton area joined forces to host a festive Halloween celebration outside their respective locations. This event brings together not only […] Full Article All Entertainment News Photos #BermudaBusiness #Halloween
wes Smith, West & Jones Qualify For PGA Golf By bernews.com Published On :: Fri, 13 Sep 2024 13:15:58 +0000 Camiko Smith has once again qualified for the PGA Butterfield Bermuda Championship, after winning the Butterfield Bermuda Championship Local Qualifier at the Port Royal Golf Course. Eric West and Nicholas Jones also qualified for the prestigious event. Smith took a four stroke lead into the second round and shot a 2-over par 73 to finish […] Full Article All Sports #BDAChampPGAGolf #BermudaGolf
wes Minister Congratulates Smith, Jones & West By bernews.com Published On :: Sun, 15 Sep 2024 23:03:56 +0000 The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport Owen Darrell extended his congratulations to Camiko Smith, Nick Jones and Eric West, the three Bermudians who recently qualified for the upcoming Butterfield Bermuda Championship. The Minister — who attended the qualifying event at the Port Royal Golf Course — said he was ecstatic that three talented Bermudians […] Full Article All News Sports #BDAChampPGAGolf #BermudaGolf
wes West & James Crowned Four-Ball Champions By bernews.com Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2024 11:29:04 +0000 The Caribbean Golf Association four-ball championships concluded at the Plantation Golf Course in Tobago, Trinidad & Tobago. In the mid-amateur men’s division, Bermuda pair Eric West and Jonathan James were crowned the champions after a final round 5-under par 65. Bermuda finished at 9-under par overall, they finished 13 strokes ahead of second placed Bahamas. […] Full Article All Sports #BermudaGolf #GoodNews
wes West Hamilton: Agreement & Plan Of Merger By bernews.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Mar 2023 18:16:12 +0000 West Hamilton Holdings Limited has “entered into an agreement and plan of merger with Princess West Limited which will result in the sale of 69 and 71 Pitts Bay Road, representing approximately 86 percent of the Company’s property assets. The filing said, “In a filing with the Bermuda Stock Exchange West Hamilton Holdings Limited, is […] Full Article All Business #BermudaBusiness #BusinessMergers
wes Royal Architects, Unnamed Noblemen, and Viscounts–A 130 Year Tale of West Francia in Three Parts. Part Two: The Unnamed Noblemen (A Review of Paladins of The West Kingdom) By www.thatswhatjennisaid.com Published On :: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:37:00 +0000 During the early reign of King Charles III (Charles the Simple) in West Francia, the area was besieged by Viking invasions, while the memory of the previous and frequent Saracen incursions was still fresh in the minds of the general populace. The Saracens were Muslim - mostly Berbers from Africa – and had only let up on the Franks because they’d been pushed back by the Vikings. The local nobles were left largely to fend the Vikings off on their own.In Paladins of the West Kingdom, players assume the role of these unnamed nobles (most likely Dukes), working to keep the region safe and spread their faith (historically: Christianity). I really enjoy this theme, and in fact, playing the game nurtured my interest in the historical kingdom of West Francia. That’s why I can tell you that while the rulebook notes that the King lends his Paladins to the nobles to aid them in their quest, I’m giving all the credit for the loan to the designers, Shem Phillips and S J MacDonald. Paladins are a fictional group of knights in French lore (think of them as similar to the Knights of the Round Table in British lore), or alternatively, a translation of the Frankish royal title of Palatine Count, which was a noble that focused mostly on judicial and governing matters and was not known as a knight. I’ve won a few and lost a few games of Paladins. It’s a worker placement game that incorporates card drafting. At the beginning of every round, players draw the next three Paladin cards in their deck and choose one to play for the round, one to put back on top of their Paladin deck to draw during the next round, and one to put at the bottom of their Paladin deck. Each Paladin boosts faith, influence, or strength (usually more than one of these), and also provides a special benefit. If you’ve got players prone to analysis paralysis, this is where they may get stalled, especially in the first few rounds. After Paladins are selected and put into play, workers for the round are selected by each player and put into their personal resource supply. You have many stations on your player board to place your workers during the round, and when you do so, your moves are independent and walled off from your opponents (they cannot tamper with your player board or placement of your workers on it). However, there is one area on the general board (the King’s Favour card area) where you can also place your workers and those spots are competitive. Also contributing to player interaction – some of the stations on your player board where you place workers allow you to move resources (monks and outposts) from your player board to the main board, consuming a competitive spot that provides a placement reward. And all the resource cards on display around the main board – the townsfolk you can hire, the walls you can build, the outsiders you can attack or convert, the tavern cards you draw workers from, and the suspicion cards you gain $$$ from, are all lucrative items for which players must compete. So we’ve got a good mix of independent action and player interaction in Paladins. There are not a lot of opportunities for “take that” behavior in this game, other than perhaps timing your draw of suspicion cards to trigger an inquisition when you know your opponents will suffer a penalty and be forced to take on more debt. Strategy Tips: [1] Don’t be afraid to take on debt. It’s not too hard to flip debt cards for additional victory points and the income generated from the suspicion cards + the usefulness of the criminal workers are worth the increase in debt.[2] As with all worker placement games, look for opportunities to get more workers. For example, try to recruit any townsfolk that provide workers as a reward for other actions.[3] Attacking outsiders is a reliable way to get provisions and build influence, which are prerequisites for building the wall, which in turn give more strength and allow you to attack more outsiders. When paired with the townsfolk card that provide a bonus worker for every attack action, it’s a powerful combination. Giving the game more intellectual weight, worker placement on your board and the actions workers trigger often have additional requirements beyond number and types (i.e., colors) of workers. The actions triggered by worker placement may be constrained by your strength, faith, or influence level. And some spots or actions triggered by placing workers in those spots require money or provisions. All of these prerequisites can be gained as rewards from prior actions triggered by various worker placement, so much of the game is finding the most efficient ways to obtain prerequisites associated with the series of actions you’d like to take as the game progresses. I worried this decision making would be a weak point for analysis paralysis (I’m a pretty good candidate for testing potential AP, as I’m prone to it) and while there can be a bit of that during the game, nothing excessive was logged during our plays. The artists (Shem Phillips on graphic design and Mihajlo Dimitrievski on illustrations) have printed helpful indicators next to each placement location on boards and cards to identify any prerequisites as well as rewards. It’s an example of how the designers have worked with the artists to layer meaningful game information into the layers of artwork. In fact, all of the symbols implemented across the game components are really quite helpful. Bonus: once you familiarize yourself with them in one of the West Kingdom games, you’ll have learned them for the entire series as the artists reuse the same symbols in all three titles.Beyond the iconography, the illustrations and other artwork are lovely. As with the iconography, the same style of artwork is implemented across the entire series and it carries the theme well. There was a good mix of cisgender representation, but not a lot of racial diversity, especially as would be suggested by the historical setting of the game (for example, Berbers in the area had skin tones ranging from light to to dark brown). The components for Paladins of the West Kingdom are well made. There are wooden meeples, an assortment of foldable boards constructed from cardboard, and various plastic coated card decks. We found the rulebook to be clear and direct, and there weren’t any items we had to look up online. It would have been nice if the designers included a player aid in the components, but I was able to compensate for the oversight by downloading a detailed player aid another user uploaded to the forums on BoardGameGeek.com. Paladins of the West Kingdom is my favorite game of the West Kingdom series. All of the worker types and available actions make sense within the context of the theme, the mechanisms (worker placement, card drafting) integrate tightly with the scoring system to provide opportunities for building a victory point engine, and the game is complex and interesting yet still accessible for new players. The game is also a great value at its price point (approx $50) given you’ll get dozens of multiplayer games in before even a hint of same-o same-o creeps in. Many games with comparable replayability and complexity are double the price of Paladins. There’s also a solo play mode, which provides an additional way to explore the game. -------------------------------------------------Publisher: Renegade Game StudiosPlayers: 1-4 (We played with 2)Actual Playing Time (vs the guideline on the box): About 2 hours per gameGame type: card drafting, worker placementRetail Price: $50Rating:Jenni’s rating scale:OUI: I would play this game again; this game is ok. I probably would not buy this game myself but I would play it with those who own it and if someone gave it to me I would keep it.OUI OUI: I would play this game again; this game is good. I would buy this game.OUI OUI OUI: I LOVE THIS GAME. I MUST HAVE THIS GAME.NON: I would not play this game again. I would return this game or give it away if it was given to me. Full Article board game reviews card drafting games Renegade Game Studios worker placement games
wes Japanese encephalitis virus activity in the Kimberley - Government of Western Australia Department of Health By news.google.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 06:09:56 GMT Japanese encephalitis virus activity in the Kimberley Government of Western Australia Department of Health Full Article
wes North Melbourne announces three-year Western Australia agreement - North Melbourne Football Club By news.google.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:30:00 GMT North Melbourne announces three-year Western Australia agreement North Melbourne Football ClubRoos end 14-year relationship amid bold new location for AFL games Fox SportsNorth Melbourne takes 'home' AFL matches to Western Australia ABC NewsEagles set for extra WA game West Coast Eagles Full Article
wes Car crashes with another outside pub during police chase in Sydney’s southwest - 7NEWS By news.google.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 04:37:12 GMT Car crashes with another outside pub during police chase in Sydney’s southwest 7NEWS‘Flying past me’: Two hurt as car smashes into fence after police chase Daily TelegraphCritical incident investigation into crash following police pursuit Sydney Morning HeraldViolent carjacking linked to Sydney crash that split car in two, police say 9NewsUpdate on crash after police chase news.com.au Full Article
wes Midwest Schools and Bookstores By greglsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Thu, 12 May 2016 15:08:00 +0000 I'm just back from a twelve day trip up to Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis-St. Paul, where I did a bit of research and visited a bunch of schools and children's indie bookstores. The trip started inauspiciously, when my flight was canceled because the wind blew the plane onto a belt conveyor. Eventually, I made it to Chicago, though, where the weather looked like this: Still, I had arrived ahead of time so I could go down to the Museum of Science and Industry, which has a World War II German u-boat and a chicken incubator. Next two days were the actual school visits, arranged at Henry Puffer Elementary and Liberty Elementary by Anderson's Book Shop and at Attea Glenview School and Rondout School by The Book Stall. Afterwards, I got to hang out with Robert from The Book Stall and stopped by for a couple of pics. Posing with posters Then I was off to Milwaukee for a school visit at Atwater Elementary arranged through the Boswell Book Company. It was my first time I'd ever been to Milwaukee, but sadly didn't have a chance to sightsee, because it was off to Minneapolis-St. Paul for three days of school visits. Visits at North Trail Elementary and Brimhall Elementary were through Addendum Books; those at Crestview Elementary and Little Canada Elementary were through the Red Balloon Bookshop; and at Valley View Middle School, through Wild Rumpus Books. Snake! I had some free time, so I went over to Addendum Books for some pics and had a fun lunch with Katherine and Marcus, the proprietors. In front of the "Purple Rain" wall Since I was there over the weekend, I spoke at Red Balloon for the Minnesota SCBWI about Research and the Suspension of disbelief. I also had the chance to go run a couple times on the Mississippi Riverfront trail and visit the Science Museum of Minnesota. T.rex! Triceratops Stegosaurus! After Monday's school visit I had a fun lunch with Drew and Jordan of Wild Rumpus Books at Pizzeria Lola (a separate Pizza-a-Day Diet post will be forthcoming). Then I visited the bookstore, where I met the menagerie. Copper oven and decorative birch logs Chicken! Ferret! Then I was back to Chicago and spent a day at the Field Museum of Natural History and showed Madeline Smoot of CBAY Books a bit of the city! Many thanks to all the librarians and booksellers and Blue Slip Media and everyone else who made this happen. Thanks also to Quinette Cook and all the folks from MN SCBWI who came out for the workshop. It was great fun meeting you! For information on how to book me for school visits for the 2016-2017 school year, contact Carmen Oliver at The Booking Biz. Full Article school visits
wes Necessary? No. Awesome? Yes. By cheezburger.com Published On :: Sat, 14 Jul 2012 08:00:00 -0700 Full Article cherry picker lift painting truck
wes Matthew Nicholson throws down a two-handed slam to help Northwestern lead over UIC going into the half By www.foxsports.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 01:03:13 +0000 Matthew Nicholson threw down a two-handed slam to help the Northwestern Wildcats lead over the the UIC Flames going into the half. Full Article college-basketball
wes Trump’s victory has fractured the western order – leaving Brexit Britain badly exposed | Rafael Behr By biztoc.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 07:02:08 GMT To navigate the dangerous new era, Keir Starmer must end the culture of denial around the biggest strategic mistake of modern times The 35th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down was not commemorated much in Britain last weekend. It is no Poppy Day. The unravelling of the iron curtain doesn’t… Full Article
wes COP29 host Azerbaijan hits out at West in defence of oil and gas By biztoc.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 06:40:21 GMT President Ilham Aliyev described his country as a victim of a "well-orchestrated campaign of slander and blackmail". Full Article
wes FTSE 100 Live: Pound Sinks Further to Lowest Level Since August By biztoc.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 07:02:02 GMT Full Article
wes LG Unveils Newest Stretchable Display By thinkcomputers.org Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:07:30 +0000 LG Display has made a groundbreaking announcement by unveiling the world's first stretchable display capable of expanding by 50%. This innovative technology was showcased at LG Science Park in Seoul on November 8, 2024, during a gathering of over 100 industry experts, researchers, and academics involved in a national project aimed at developing stretchable display technologies. The post LG Unveils Newest Stretchable Display appeared first on ThinkComputers.org. Full Article All News Hardware News Display LG Monitor Stretchable Display tech
wes Billy West Recorded Some Choice Donald Trump Tweets in the Voice of Zapp Brannigan By cheezburger.com Published On :: Thu, 11 Aug 2016 12:00:00 -0700 It turns out that there's a VERY fine line between Donald Trump and the Futurama character Zapp Brannigan. Memes with Zapp's image and Trumps tweets started circulating the internet and they caught the attention of Billy West, the voice actor who plays Zapp Brannigan on Futurama. The recordings he made are out of this world. Full Article list donald trump futurama quote
wes SCIE report 68: SCIE learning together - reflections from the South West project By lx.iriss.org.uk Published On :: Friday, November 20, 2015 - 14:09 Report 68 published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) in November 2014. This report will help readers to understand the Learning Together methodology. Full Article
wes Arsenal Women Arsecast 95: West Ham 0 Arsenal 2 By shows.acast.com Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2024 13:20:18 GMT In this episode of the Arsenal Women Arsecast, Tim and Jamie comb through the 2-0 victory at West Ham. Tim and Jamie look at Arsenal's tactical approach and selection and some of the issues with chance creation rearing their head again, question how much has changed and how much change we could expect from Renee Slegers' interim charge and look at the impact of the quadruple substitution early in the second half. In the second half, Tim and Jamie take your questions on the midfield, whether Kafaji should have an increased role now, Steph Catley at centre-back, the goalkeeper situation, whether Arsenal need a 'clean break' with a new manager ASAP and then Tim and Jamie consider Manu Zinsberger's recent LinkedIn post and consider the lines between criticism and abuse.Get extra bonus content and help support Arseblog by becoming an Arseblog Member on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/arseblogIf you are a regular listener please consider giving the show a review in your favourite podcast app, thanks! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Full Article
wes Western Rustic Charm: Creating A Personalized Retreat With Western-Style Furniture By www.star2.org Published On :: Fri, 02 Jun 2023 10:59:31 +0000 With roots in America, western-style furniture is a traditional and vintage style. There are many reasons to admire such furniture, whether captivated by its timeless beauty or collecting and displaying them as part of one’s house decor. People have a particular appreciation for and attraction to Western-style because of its traditional and rustic charm. People ... Read more The post Western Rustic Charm: Creating A Personalized Retreat With Western-Style Furniture appeared first on Star Two. Full Article Design Home Improvement furnishing home Rustic Western
wes Western monarch populations grew over 100-fold in 2021. Why? By www.pbs.org Published On :: Tue, 25 Jan 2022 19:00:00 +0000 The beloved butterflies had fallen to critical levels in recent years. Experts weigh in on what might be causing their remarkable return. Full Article
wes Trials for rapid-charging battery trains under way by Great Western Railway By www.independent.co.uk Published On :: 2024-11-12T16:00:45+00:00 The trains could be charged in a matter of minutes before setting off on their journeys Full Article News & Advice Travel
wes Quyền lực ở West Palm Beach: Bên trong cuộc hành hương đến dinh thự Mar-a-Lago By www.bbc.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 01:21:13 GMT Những chính trị gia triển vọng đổ xô đến dinh thự của Donald Trump tại bang Florida khi tổng thống đắc cử đang thành lập nội các của mình. Full Article
wes Trump At Jacksonville Mocks Biden As ‘Lowest Energy Individual’ For Calling Campaign ‘Lid This Morning Again’ By hispolitica.com Published On :: Fri, 25 Sep 2020 03:34:09 +0000 President Trump mocked Joe Biden Thursday evening for always calling a “lid” on campaign activities early in the morning, saying the Democratic presidential rival is “the lowest energy individual I’ve ever seen.” “Did you see [Biden] did a lid this morning again?” Trump told supporters during his campaign rally Thursday night at Cecil Airport hanger in Jacksonville, […] The post Trump At Jacksonville Mocks Biden As ‘Lowest Energy Individual’ For Calling Campaign ‘Lid This Morning Again’ appeared first on Hispolitica. Full Article 2020 Election 2020 2020 elections 2020 Presidential Race Andrew Bates Biden Campaign florida Jacksonville Joe Biden kamala harris Lid president trump trump rally
wes East meets west London - the mentor who changed Chelsea By www.bbc.com Published On :: Wed, 21 Aug 2024 23:04:58 GMT Vinay Menon knew nothing about football when he went for a meeting at a west London mansion in 2009. A few weeks later he was in the heart of the Chelsea dressing room. Full Article
wes velocityconf: What Is the Risk That Amazon Will Go Down (Again)? http://t.co/DgnfQynjcM Thank you @bergstrom_johan for the awesome #velocityconf post. By twitter.com Published On :: Thu, 30 May 2013 19:02:44 +0000 velocityconf: What Is the Risk That Amazon Will Go Down (Again)? http://t.co/DgnfQynjcM Thank you @bergstrom_johan for the awesome #velocityconf post. Full Article
wes Best early Black Friday MacBook deals: Lowest-ever prices on top models By www.businessinsider.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 18:50:38 +0000 The best early Black Friday MacBook deals include all-time low prices on the latest MacBook Air models. Full Article Deals (Reviews) Reviews Black Friday & Cyber Monday (Reviews) Tech (Reviews) black-friday cyber-monday insider-picks ip-deals deals insider-reviews product-card black-friday-2024
wes No One Needs Permission to Be Awesome By www.43folders.com Published On :: Mon, 17 Jan 2011 20:10:32 +0000 Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address No one wants to die, even people who want to go to Heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet, death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be. Because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It's life's change agent; it clears out the old to make way for the new. […] Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice, heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. None of us should ever have to face death to accept the inflexible and, too-often, novel sense of scarcity that it introduces. In fact, it'd be great if we could each skip needing outside permission to be awesome by not waiting until the universe starts tapping its watch. A simple start would involve each of us learning to care just a little more about a handful of things that simply aren't allowed to leave with us--whether today, tomorrow, or whenever. Because, I really believe a lot of nice things would start to happen if we also stopped waiting to care. A whole lot of nice things. If that sounds like fancy incense for hippies and children, perhaps in a way that seems frankly un-doable for someone as practical and important and immortal as yourself, then go face death. Go get cancer. Or, go get crushed by a horse Or, go get hit by a van. Or, go get separated from everything you ever loved forever. Then, wonder no longer whether caring about the modest bit of time you have here is only for fancy people and the terminally-ill. Because, the sooner you care, the better you'll make. The better you'll do. And the better you'll live. Please don't wait. The universe won't. ”No One Needs Permission to Be Awesome” was written by Merlin Mann for 43Folders.com and was originally posted on January 17, 2011. Except as noted, it's ©2010 Merlin Mann and licensed for reuse under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0. "Why a footer?" Full Article caring hacer Steve Jobs
wes Convicted Jihadi Terrorist Hired As Social Justice Prof In Western University By clashdaily.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Nov 2024 04:39:39 +0000 For anyone thinking that 'social justice' is less about 'justice' and more about being a delivery system for a poisoned ideology, the story of Dr Hassan Diab, is the proverbial 'Exhibit A'. The post Convicted Jihadi Terrorist Hired As Social Justice Prof In Western University appeared first on Clash Daily. Full Article News Clash
wes EPIC: The ‘Songify’ Trend Of Clipping Speeches To Music Is Back… And AWESOME! By clashdaily.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 11:00:46 +0000 Kamala was right about one thing: this election really DID deliver 'joy'... just not the way she expected. The post EPIC: The ‘Songify’ Trend Of Clipping Speeches To Music Is Back… And AWESOME! appeared first on Clash Daily. Full Article Videos
wes The West, a New Haven for the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’s Planetary Nebula’? By cynthiafarahat.com Published On :: Thu, 01 Dec 2022 13:59:01 +0000 By SADF – Nov. 30, 2022 Online conversation on The West, a New Haven for the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’s Planetary Nebula’? On November the 29th at 16H.00 (CET), SADF promoted an online conversation in the web platform StreamYard titled ‘The West, a New Haven for the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’s Planetary Nebula’?’ The conversation included the Member of the European Parliament (EPP, […] Full Article Featured Articles
wes Independent Thinking: Western tanks head for Ukraine By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Thu, 26 Jan 2023 18:09:19 +0000 Independent Thinking: Western tanks head for Ukraine Audio NCapeling 26 January 2023 Episode 12 of our weekly podcast analyses the deployment of international battle tanks to Ukraine and the contentious diplomacy putting pressure on Germany. The panel examines what kind of capabilities will new weapons give to Ukraine amid fears of a new Russian offensive looming in the spring, and the intense pressure Olaf Scholz’s German government has been under since the invasion of Ukraine started. How has Germany’s standing changed over the past 12 months, and what are the challenges facing the country in its relations with Russia as a long and cold winter sets in? Joining Bronwen Maddox this week from Chatham House are Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum, and Marion Messmer, senior research fellow in the International Security programme, along with Jeremy Cliffe, writer-at-large for The New Statesman magazine, and Ed Arnold, research fellow for European security at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). About Independent Thinking A weekly podcast hosted by Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox, in conversation with leading policymakers, journalists, and Chatham House experts providing insight on the latest international issues. Full Article
wes Independent Thinking: Will debt constrain Western foreign policy? By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Thu, 24 Oct 2024 15:15:59 +0000 Independent Thinking: Will debt constrain Western foreign policy? Audio john.pollock 24 October 2024 Patrick Wintour and Ranil Dissanayake join the podcast ahead of the UK Budget to discuss the high debt facing G7 economies and its impact on foreign, defence and development policies. On this episodeAhead of a crucial Budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, UK national debt is at almost 100 per cent of GDP – and it’s not alone. Many G7 economies face massive debt levels, restricting ambitions when it comes to foreign policy and global engagement. Bronwen Maddox is joined by Patrick Wintour, the Guardian’s diplomatic editor and Ranil Dissanayake, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Global Development. With them are Olivia O’Sullivan and David Lubin from Chatham House.About Independent ThinkingIndependent Thinking is a weekly international affairs podcast hosted by our director Bronwen Maddox, in conversation with leading policymakers, journalists, and Chatham House experts providing insight on the latest international issues.More ways to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Full Article
wes As the ruling party claims victory in Georgia’s disputed election, Western condemnation is no longer enough By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Tue, 29 Oct 2024 12:31:47 +0000 As the ruling party claims victory in Georgia’s disputed election, Western condemnation is no longer enough Expert comment LToremark 29 October 2024 As tens of thousands take to the streets to protest the election results, Georgia faces a familiar crisis – with a few key differences. As the people of Georgia went to the polls on 26 October, many were hoping not only for a democratic change of government but also for an end to one-party dominance and a return to the path of European integration. The previously weak and divided opposition had grouped itself into four major electoral centres, promising a coalition government and framing these elections as a choice between Europe and Russia. Ahead of the election, President Salome Zourabishvili had put forward the Georgian Charter, a blueprint for a stable and democratic transition to a new style of governance and for initiating reforms to fulfil conditions for EU accession. It was signed by all pro-European and pro-Western opposition parties. A new electoral system had created a not unreasonable expectation that these elections, if held freely, would result in a coalition government. The official election results gave the ruling Georgian Dream party a 54 per cent majority in contrast with exit polls that gave the opposition a 10 per cent lead. President Zourabishvili and the opposition parties refuse to recognize the results, beginning a long process of contestation with allegations of fraud and street protests. As the disappointment sets in and the streets once again replace the ballot box as a conduit for democratic change, there is a sense of déja vu.Georgia has seen this before. A party sweeps to power on the tide of popular protest, initiates reforms to meet public expectations but, by the end of its second term, it takes an authoritarian turn. As it overstays its welcome, it starts manipulating elections to cling to power. People once again take to the streets and a new party wins by a landslide only to repeat the same cycle. But with each turn, the grip the ruling elites have on power gets stronger and the methods they use become more sophisticated. State security becomes equated with regime stability, leaving no space for normal democratic contestation or expressions of dissent. Related content Where is Georgia now heading? Although what is happening in Georgia fits this familiar pattern, there are some consequential differences. First, these were the first fully proportional elections. Previously, a mixed system of representation meant that the incumbency always had an advantage by dominating majoritarian districts. A new electoral system had created a not unreasonable expectation that these elections, if held freely, would result in a coalition government. The hope was this could help break the vicious cycle of Georgian politics, sustained by an extreme form of majoritarianism and a winner-takes-all political culture.The Georgian Dream party was contesting its fourth consecutive term against a backdrop of falling popularity and growing societal mobilization in opposition to its authoritarian inclinations. Despite all this, it secured – some would insist manufactured – an absolute majority in elections that international observers say were marred by serious irregularities and fell short of democratic standards. Related content Georgia’s European opportunity The second important difference is that these elections were not only about saving Georgia’s democracy but also about rescuing its European perspective. Since Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023, its parliament has adopted Russian-style laws on foreign agents and combating LGBTIQ+ ‘propaganda’. It has also adopted a strongly Eurosceptic political discourse, pushing back on international criticism and accusing EU and US officials of interference in domestic affairs and disregard for Georgia’s sovereignty. In response, the EU has suspended accession talks with Georgia indefinitely while the US has imposed targeted sanctions on high-ranking Georgian officials and judges. Georgia’s democratic backsliding at home and its pivot away from the West are both simultaneous and interrelated. It was widely hoped these elections would be a course correction and return Georgia to the path of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. The election results, if they stick, will prevent this from happening. A Georgian Dream government will not work to fulfil conditions for EU accession, viewed as a challenge to its hold on power. The third and final difference is that these elections took place in the context of heightened geopolitical confrontation. The Georgian Dream ‘victory’ is a win for anti-liberal, conservative forces around the world championed, among others, by Hungary’s Viktor Orbán. He was the first to congratulate Georgian Dream for its declared success and even visited Tbilisi in a show of solidarity and ideological alignment. Related content Is the Kremlin behind Georgia’s foreign agents law? The election result is also a win for Russia. It strengthens Moscow’s influence in the South Caucasus, which has waned as a result of the war in Ukraine and the fall of Nagorny-Karabakh. Russian officials and propagandist were quick to congratulate Georgian Dream, wishing them success in standing up to Western pressures and offering help in case things got tough. From Moscow’s perspective, Georgia’s elections are part of a global hybrid war. They represent a local battle in the ongoing geopolitical contest between Russia and the West, between the rules-based global order and competitive multipolarity. As Georgia repeats a familiar pattern, what do the election results mean for its future? While clear predictions are difficult at this stage, it is worth bearing in mind that as the democratic resilience of the Georgian society has strengthened over time, so too has the state capacity to supress and control. Full Article
wes Chatham House Forum: Is the West Losing its Power on the Global Stage? By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Wed, 11 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
wes The Western Balkans Before the Berlin Process Summit By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
wes Undercurrents: Episode 27 - Financing for Developing Countries, and Investigative Journalism in West Africa By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Thu, 28 Feb 2019 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
wes Undercurrents: Episode 29 - The Future of EU-US Trade, and Why Russia Confronts the West By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Wed, 20 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
wes Serbia-Kosovo Dialogue: The Future of Peace and Security in the Western Balkans By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Fri, 05 Apr 2019 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
wes The Kremlin Spectrum: Western Approaches Towards Russia By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Tue, 14 May 2019 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
wes Power Shift: The Rise of Asia and the Decline of the West? By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Tue, 28 May 2019 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
wes Undercurrents: Episode 53 - Protecting Workers During COVID-19, and Food in Security in West Africa By brightcove.hs.llnwd.net Published On :: Thu, 14 May 2020 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
wes Undercurrents: Episode 57 - Race in Westminster, and COVID-19 Expertise By brightcove.hs.llnwd.net Published On :: Thu, 11 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
wes Numerical analysis of a time-stepping method for the Westervelt equation with time-fractional damping By www.ams.org Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:01 EDT Katherine Baker, Lehel Banjai and Mariya Ptashnyk Math. Comp. 93 (), 2711-2743. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
wes West Bank Annexation: International Rhetoric vs. Action By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Mon, 13 Jul 2020 16:30:48 +0000 14 July 2020 Reni Zhelyazkova Programme Coordinator, Middle East and North Africa Programme @renizhelyazkova Professor Yossi Mekelberg Senior Consulting Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme @YMekelberg Israel may have delayed announcing its plans to annex West Bank lands but the international community now needs to transform its rhetoric into action if there is to be a lasting solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, argue Reni Zhelyazkova and Yossi Mekelberg. GettyImages-1223719050.jpg Houses are pictured in the Maale Adumim settlement in the West Bank east of Jerusalem. The Israeli government has delayed plans to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank and in the Jordan Valley. Photo: Getty Images Observers of the Israel-Palestine conflict have been anticipating Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, announcement to annex parts of the West Bank. It has been a tumultuous year for Israeli politics which has seen three inconclusive elections and resulted in a sharing of power between Netanyahu and Benny Gantz of the Blue and White party. However, since the coalition government was sworn in, Netanyahu has appeared to not lose any time in moving forward with his plans.Annexation has long been Netanyahu’s political aspiration and was part of his recent re-election platform but the anticipated announcement from the Israeli government didn’t come straight away. The determining factor in the delay was the inability to reach an agreement with Washington about the scope of the annexation while divisions within the Israeli government itself, in addition to international condemnation from the region and beyond, has also played a part.Discussions around annexation have so far yielded one major outcome: it has introduced a different rhetoric by the Trump-Netanyahu axis even though things on the ground don’t necessarily follow. Ever since President Donald Trump took office in 2016, there has been a marked change in Washington’s language around the Israel-Palestine conflict. It has shifted towards legitimizing Israel’s expansionist ambitions in the West Bank while marginalizing, and considerably weakening, the Palestinian Authority (PA) through a series of punitive measures.This has further damaged relations between Israel and Palestine and has resulted in a fundamental change in the public discourse around the conflict, from emphasizing a just solution based on self-determination for both sides, to focusing on a de-facto one-state solution.But how has the discourse shifted so dramatically in less than four years? First came the announcement of the US embassy move to Jerusalem, and with it, recognition of the city as Israel’s capital. In his statement, President Trump avoided recognizing Palestinian claims over Jerusalem and did not acknowledge their historical connection with the city. When the PA rejected the move, the US administration then retaliated by cutting aid and development funding and closing the PLO mission in Washington stating: ‘We have permitted the PLO office to conduct operations that support the objective of achieving a lasting...peace between Israelis and the Palestinians … However, the PLO has not taken steps to advance the start of...meaningful negotiations with Israel.’ On the question of Israel’s settlements in the West Bank, the current US administration has shied away from calling them ‘illegal’ despite being deemed illegitimate under international law and condemned on numerous occasions by the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the EU, the Arab League and the Palestinians themselves. US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, has even gone as far as saying that the establishment of Israeli settlements in the West Bank is not inconsistent with international law.The culmination of US discourse in recent months has been the unveiling of the ‘Peace to Prosperity’ plan. The language of the proposal, once again, has shown partiality towards Israel by not mentioning the illegality of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, or that of settlements, and entirely ignoring previous Palestinian positions or acknowledging their sensitivities. There is little doubt that the current US administration understands the power of rhetoric and has been using it to change the trajectory of discussions away from a two-state solution towards an outcome that would only serve Israeli interests.Indeed, US rhetoric has empowered Netanyahu immensely too, ushering in a new reality that has rendered a Palestinian state nothing more than a hypothetical option. The language, combined with a multitude of unilateral actions, is helping to dismantle any efforts towards a two-state solution and the upholding of previous international agreements.Many European and regional governments have condemned any move towards annexation. Indeed, 1,000 European parliamentarians from across political lines have urged Israel to abandon its plans. This has notably included, German Foreign Minister, Heiko Mass, whose first overseas visit during the coronavirus crisis was to Israel to reinforce Germany’s position against unilateral action.But actions speak louder than words, and in the case of the US, its rhetoric has been matched by action unlike its EU counterparts whose statements of condemnation have rarely been followed by concrete action. For instance, the EU ratified a landmark aviation agreement with Israel just days before 1 July and economic, technological and scientific cooperation between Israel and Europe has never been stronger casting doubt on the strength of political will among EU countries to take action against Israel.In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates has been the most vociferous in disapproving Israel’s annexation plans. However, again, it is important to look beyond the rhetoric. Cooperation between the UAE and Israel has in fact increased in recent years mainly due to common opposition to Iran’s regional influence but also due to shared interests. In May, for instance, the first publicly acknowledged commercial flight between the UAE and Israel landed at Ben Gurion airport carrying aid aimed at mitigating the effects of COVID-19 in the Palestinian territories. But, to many, it looked like a stepping-stone towards a normalization of relations between Abu Dhabi and Jerusalem.Similarly, Jordan and Egypt have also expressed their concern but it is difficult to imagine a scenario where either country would go as far as abrogating peace agreements that they currently have in place with Israel.In spite of this, the global response has overwhelmingly been critical of Israel’s plans to annex parts of the West Bank. This has demonstrated some level of unity among world leaders which has not been seen for some time and may have played a significant role in delaying the Israeli government’s plans. In parallel, united international condemnation has also prevented the US from dominating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict entirely.While the US approach has played a key role in the Israel-Palestine conflict so far, it remains to be seen how the international community will translate its voice into action to prevent the annexation of occupied Palestinian land. Full Article
wes The UK’s Huawei Decision: Why the West is Losing the Tech Race By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Fri, 17 Jul 2020 16:36:31 +0000 17 July 2020 Dr Yu Jie Senior Research Fellow on China, Asia-Pacific Programme @yu_jiec LinkedIn Joyce Hakmeh Senior Research Fellow, International Security Programme; Co-Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy @joycehakmeh LinkedIn On 5G and the technological race, the answer is a visionary rather than a reactive approach and, so far, the West has opted for the latter. GettyImages-1140107267.jpg A pedestrian walks past a Huawei product stand at a telecommunications shop in central London on 29 April 2019. Photo: Getty Images. The UK’s decision to ban its mobile providers from buying new Huawei 5G equipment after December 2020 and removing all the company’s 5G kit from their networks by 2027 is a blow to Huawei and China, but it is one battle in a long war that the West is currently losing.5G’s significance for the next generation of technology is indisputable and so is its critical role in helping countries achieve digital transformation and economic success. Not only does it offer faster and better connection speeds and greater capacity, it also transforms the way people interact with online services. And it will allow industry to automate and optimize processes that are not possible today.Due to its transformative importance, what is in essence a technological issue has turned into a contest over global technological leadership that extends beyond the US-China rivalry and has created tensions between the US and its long-time allies. Yet 5G is just one key technology in a more expansive landscape that will underpin the future of the world’s critical infrastructure, including in areas such as quantum computing, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and big data.To achieve technological leadership in these domains requires governments to invest in a long-term, strategic and agile vision that is able to encompass the interdependencies between these areas and then leverage the resulting technological advances for economic progress. It also requires governments working with each other and with the private sector to support research and development and to create companies with leading-edge technologies that can compete globally.China understands this and has a national and international vision to establish itself as a technological superpower. Re-balancing from a hub of labour-intensive manufacturing to a global innovation powerhouse is the absolute priority of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.China’s state-led approachIn the earlier part of this journey, commercial espionage and IP theft of western R&D were at the heart of the Chinese way of competing. Now, Beijing is cultivating national champions that can drive China’s technological innovation, with the goal of using domestic suppliers to reduce reliance on foreign technology at home as well as extending its international outreach. In the 5G area, Beijing has introduced domestically the so-called ‘New Infrastructure Investments Fund’, which earmarks special loans to boost 5G technology applications in medical devices, electric vehicles and communication platforms. This Fund constitutes a major part of the stimulus package for China’s post-COVID economic recovery.Apart from 5G, China's recent launch of a second state-funded semiconductor development fund valued at $29 billion, following an earlier $20 billion fund for the same purpose, shows the extent to which state financial resources are being utilized in China’s quest to become technologically self-sufficient.It is too early to know if the Chinese government’s industrial policies will eventually achieve the technological self-sufficiency Beijing has long desired. But its growing national capabilities have stoked serious concerns across the West and led to the current US administration’s determined effort to dismantle Chinese high-tech companies.China’s approach to macroeconomic management diverges significantly from that of the US and other market economies, particularly in its policy towards driving innovation. Due to the legacy of a state-planned economy, China is certain that simply relying on market forces is insufficient.While Beijing financially supports government-controlled technological enterprises, Washington takes a laissez-faire, light-touch approach by the state to the business sector. The US believes that a politicized process of distributing public money is inherently susceptible to rent-seeking and corruption, and gets in the way of competitive innovation. In line with most liberal economists, many Western governments believe the government should refrain from market intervention. For its part, Beijing stresses a state-dominated economy as a necessary precondition both to the future growth of the Chinese economy and to the legitimization of one-party rule. If the pro-market economists’ view is correct, the US should have little to fear from Chinese industrial innovation policy in the long-term. Let Beijing waste money and distort resource allocation, while Washington follows its private sector-led principles, confident that this approach will produce a more competitive economy in the long run.Using the leverage of technical standardsBut one area that should concern the US and that illustrates the Chinese vision for global technological dominance is technical standard setting. Technical standards determine how technologies work with each other, enabling their interoperability around the world, meaning they can function irrespective of where they are being used.The Chinese leadership has long understood the relationship between technical standards and economic power. Standards help to monetize technological innovation and research and can help shape new technologies. China has therefore been playing an increasingly active role in international standards organizations to legitimize Chinese technologies, whereas the US, which historically has been highly influential in this area, has not been participating as much or as effectively.China has also been using its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as an opportunity to internationalize the distribution of its standards to countries signed up to the BRI. The so-called Digital Silk Road, which has been described as China’s most important global governance initiative, acts as a route to accelerate this process. Later this year, China is expected to launch its new ‘China Standards 2035’ plan, which aims to shape how the next generation of technologies will work together.China’s preferred model and its recent actions have given Western leaders much to worry about. But standing up to China’s growing global influence in high technology and re-establishing the West’s desired technological edge will take much more than achieving a common front on excluding China from their 5G networks. It requires a long-term vision built on the power of competitive markets, backed by solid investment in the next generation of technology. This will require, in turn, much greater cooperation between Western governments and between them and their private sectors.And, whilst recent protective steps taken in Washington and other Western capitals may slow down China’s trailblazing in the technology sphere, it will only hasten China's determination to become tech self-sufficient in the long term. This will increase the probability of a splintered internet, which will have negative repercussions for all. Full Article
wes Seven Ways the West Can Help Belarus By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Thu, 10 Sep 2020 16:35:08 +0000 10 September 2020 Ryhor Astapenia Robert Bosch Stiftung Academy Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme @ryhorastapenia LinkedIn Outlining the key steps that government, international institutions, and NGOs can take to bring an end to the suffering of the Belarus people. 2020-09-10-Belarus-Protest-Lukashenka Opposition supporters hold white-red-white flags at a Minsk protest in support of Belarusian opposition activist Maria Kolesnikova. Photo by Natalia FedosenkoTASS via Getty Images. 1. Acknowledge the new realityA huge number of Belarusians across all levels of society simply no longer recognize Lukashenka as their legitimate president. The unprecedented size and persistence of protests against his regime and the sheer scale of reports of repressive actions, torture, and even murder, mean Belarus will never be the same again.However, current paralysis in EU policy and the absence of a comprehensive US policy are both serving as a de facto licence for Lukashenka to deepen the political crisis. The sooner policymakers realize this and act with more responsibility and confidence, the quicker the increasing repression can be reversed.2. Do not recognize Lukashenka as presidentIf the international community stops recognizing Lukashenka as president, it makes him more toxic to others, including Russia and China, both of which will be reluctant to waste resources on someone who is seen as the main cause of Belarusian instability. Even if Russia still decides to save Lukashenka and financially support him, ignoring Lukashenka decreases the legitimacy of any agreements he signs with the Kremlin on collaboration or integration.Demanding a re-run of the presidential election should also remain firmly on the agenda as functionaries within Lukashenka's system should know this international pressure is not going away until a truly transparent vote takes place.3. Be present on the groundIn order to curb repression and establish ties with actors within Belarus, a monitoring group should be organized under the auspices of the UN, the OSCE or other international organizations to establish a presence on the ground, and to stay in the country as long as it is needed, and is possible. Governments and parliaments can send their own missions, while staff from international media and NGOs should be encouraged to report on what is actually happening inside the country.The bigger the visible presence of the international community is in Belarus, the less brutal Lukashenka’s agencies can be in persecuting protestors, which in turn would then allow more substantial negotiations to take place between the democratic movement and Lukashenka.4. Announce a package of economic support for a democratic BelarusThe Belarusian economy was already in bad shape before the election, but the situation is going to get much worse. The only way out is support from the international community with a ‘Marshall Plan for a democratic Belarus’. States and international financial institutions should declare they will provide significant financial assistance through grants or low-interest loans, but only if there is democratic change first.It is essential to make this economic package conditional on democratic reform, but also that it will have no geopolitical strings attached. If a democratically-elected government decides it wants to improve relations with Russia, it should still be able to count on an assistance package.This would send a strong signal to economic reformers who remain inside Lukashenka's system, giving them a genuine choice between a functioning Belarusian economy or sticking with Lukashenka, whose leadership is seen by many as to be responsible for ruining the country’s economy.5. Introduce targeted political and economic sanctionsThe Lukashenka regime deserves tough sanctions internationally, but so far only selective visa restrictions or account freezes have been imposed, which have little to no effect on what is actually happening on the ground. Visa sanction lists need to be expanded but, more importantly, there should be increased economic pressure on the regime. Companies which are the most important to Lukashenka's business interests should be identified and targeted with sanctions, all their trading activity halted, and all their accounts abroad frozen.Governments should also persuade their own country’s large companies to reconsider working with Belarusian producers. It is shameful that international corporations continue to advertise in media controlled by Lukashenka and appear to be ignoring the reports of human rights violations at Belarusian companies they do business with.Moreover, there should be a deadline set to halt all repression, or broader economic sanctions will be imposed. This would send a strong message to Lukashenka and also his entourage, many of whom would then become more convinced he has to go.6. Support NGOs to investigate allegations of tortureThere are few legal mechanisms to prosecute those thought to be involved in election fraud and acts of brutality. Nevertheless, all reports of torture and falsifications should be properly documented by human rights defenders, including identifying those alleged to have taken part. Gathering evidence now prepares the ground for investigations, targeted sanctions, and leverage on law enforcement officials in the future.But, given that such an investigation is not possible in Belarus right now, international human rights activists should be enabled to start the process outside the country with support from Belarusian NGOs.7. Support known victims of the regimeEven with an unprecedented campaign of solidarity among Belarusians, many people need support, especially those alleged to have suffered torture. Some media outlets claim to have lost a significant amount of revenue because advertisers were forced to pull out, and journalists arrested. Human rights defenders need funds to keep organizations running in the heat of this crackdown.Supporting all these people and organizations will cost tens of millions of euros, but it would significantly ease the huge financial burden facing those who have opposed the regime. Full Article
wes Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront the West By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Thu, 17 Jan 2019 14:54:55 +0000 Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront the West Book sysadmin 17 January 2019 Keir Giles surveys Russia’s history and the present day to explain why its current leadership feels it has no choice but to challenge and attack the West. Recognising and accepting that this will not change in the near future will help the West find a way of dealing with Russia without risking a deeper conflict. This book is for anyone that cannot understand why Russia and its leaders behave as they do. The relationship between Russia and the West is once again deep in crisis. A major reason is that Western leaders have too often believed or hoped that Russia sees the world as they do — but things look very different from Moscow. This book shows that efforts at engagement with Russia that do not take this into account are a key reason for repeated disappointment and crisis. In confronting the West, Russia is implementing strategic and doctrinal approaches that have been consistent for centuries. The roots of current Russian behaviour and demands can be traced not just to the Soviet era, but back into Tsarist foreign and domestic policy, and further to the structure and rules of Russian society. But this also gives the US and the West pointers for how to behave — and how not to — in order to manage the challenge of Russia effectively, based on past experience of both successful and unsuccessful engagement with Moscow. The book recognizes the reality of confrontation and provides an essential introduction to grasping why Russia sees it as inevitable. Consequently, it offers a basis for building a less crisis-prone relationship with Russia. This book is part of the Insights series. Praise for Moscow Rules My only regret is that I did not have this book 35 years ago Toomas Ilves, former President of Estonia Should be required reading for all who deal with Western policy towards Russia Roderic Lyne, former British Ambassador to Moscow About the author Keir Giles is a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs. He also works with the Conflict Studies Research Centre (CSRC), a group of subject matter experts in Eurasian security with a particular focus on the wide range of security challenges coming from Russia. Purchase UK (via Amazon) Rest of world (via Brookings Institution Press) Students (via Browns Books) Full Article
wes War Time: Temporality and the Decline of Western Military Power By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Mon, 22 Feb 2021 16:21:42 +0000 War Time: Temporality and the Decline of Western Military Power Book dora.popova 22 February 2021 In War Time the Western way of war, its pace and timing, are discussed and analysed by experts who question the West’s ability to maintain its military superiority given the political and strategic failures of interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In War Time, war studies experts examine the trajectory of Western military power. They discuss conflicting perceptions of time anchored within Western political and military institutions, and the Western attachment to fast-paced warfare at the expense of longer-term political solutions. Divided into three sections, the book covers ‘civic militarism’ and the trajectory of Western power, Western perceptions of time and the international normative order, and military operations and temporality. War Time explains why the West has been overwhelmingly powerful on the battlefield and yet strategically and politically weak as exemplified by the return of the Taliban and the hasty evacuation of troops and personnel from Afghanistan. The book identifies policies that decision-makers must adopt to stave off the decline of Western military dominance. This book is part of the Insights series. Watch the event A special event was held in March 2021 to mark the launch of the book. View the event here. Praise for War Time War Time is a provocative consideration of the many aspects of modern military power in politics and international affairs. Though the nature of war doesn’t change, this book is particularly relevant given the changing character of modern war as we see in the Caucasus, Ukraine, the Sahel, and the Indo-Pacific region. Essential reading for political leaders, diplomats, and strategic thinkers. Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ben Hodges, Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies, Center for European Policy Analysis; Commander, United States Army Europe, 2014–2017 About the editors Sten Rynning is professor of war studies at the University of Southern Denmark. Olivier Schmitt is professor with special responsibilities at the Center for War Studies, University of Southern Denmark, and currently director of research and studies at the French Institute for Higher National Defence Studies. Amelie Theussen is assistant professor at the Center for War Studies, University of Southern Denmark. Purchase UK (via Amazon) Rest of world (via Brookings Institution Press) Students (via Browns Books) Full Article
wes Previewing the AL West's biggest questions By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Fri, 8 Feb 2019 14:57:02 EDT Our weekly series previewing each of baseball's six divisions begins with the American League West. Let's take a team-by-team look at the biggest questions this season. Full Article