When I was crossing the Bekaa valley last month, a shopkeeper proudly told me that “half the restaurants in New York serve wine from the Bekaa” (he wouldn’t be far wrong).
06.03.2026 18:28
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When I was crossing the Bekaa valley last month, a shopkeeper proudly told me that “half the restaurants in New York serve wine from the Bekaa” (he wouldn’t be far wrong).
General Sir Richard Shirreff: "if Britain is involved, our hand is in the mangle... we should not in any way, shape or form be involved with the Americans closely because they are being led by a couple of gung ho nutters without a proper strategy..."
After that, he let's rip.
British PM Starmer says that U.K. bases will only be used for ’defensive’ operations and not ‘offensive’ ops. But how can that be so when they are being used by the aggressor?
Great discussion here with Milanovic, @adhaque.bsky.social @janinadill.bsky.social
www.middleeasteye.net/explainers/u...
“The United States, Israel, and Iran, have each violated international law. The United Kingdom appears poised to join them.”
www.justsecurity.org/132894/us-is...
Great thread on the wonderful Yanar Mohammed ⬇️
Yanar Mohammed writing for Chatham House
Devastated to learn that the great Yanar Mohammed, founder of the Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq, was assassinated today by 'unknown' gunmen in Baghdad.
Here in her own words:
The only certainty in the war between US/Israel and Iran is mass civilian harm
www.ceasefire.org/mass-civilia...
U.K., France, Germany statement just out.
The “we are not joining these strikes” line is crumbling fast…
inside the ‘triple black box’
As Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, the immense civilian toll continues to grow.
Writing for our blog, Ukrainian artist and activist Anna Moskalets shares how these four years have altered her life, her art, and her understanding of resistance.
"The body of evidence we collected ... leaves only one reasonable inference," said UN expert Mona Rishmawi. "The RSF acted with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Zaghawa and Fur communities in El-Fasher. These are the hallmarks of genocide."
reliefweb.int/node/4199260
Bound to be good!
Assassinating Justice in Libya
My latest piece for @ceasefirecentre.bsky.social
Read it here 👇🏽
www.ceasefire.org/assassinatin...
I sat in on the Defence Committee last week as former ministers were questioned about the MoD's Afghan data breach.
In my latest blog post for @ceasefirecentre.bsky.social, I consider what the data breach and superinjunction reveal about the culture inside the MoD and what needs to change.
Large pro-Kurdish demo outside U.K. Parliament just now. There’s a lot of concern that what happened in Suwayda is now unfolding in NE Syria.
Indeed
www.state.gov/u-s-support-...
“Contrary to the interests of the US”:
- Global Counterterrorism Forum
- International Law Commission
- Office of UN SRSG on violence against children
-Peacebuilding Commission
….
www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Historic verdict: Roger Lumbala is found guilty of crimes against humanity in DR Congo..
Congratulations to all who made this happen - particularly to @mglattimer.bsky.social
Good that the PM has intervened, but he is only repeating a threat that was first made by the UK gov 6 months ago.
Now is the time for action.
#reparations #Ukraine
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
BREAKING 📣 Congolese warlord Roger Lumbala was convicted today for complicity in crimes against humanity committed during the Second #Congo War.
Minority Rights Group welcomes this decision to convict as a historic turning point for the #indigenous Bambuti.
BREAKING: Roger Lumbala found guilty of complicity in crimes against humanity
and sentenced to 30 years for operation Effacer le tableau in eastern Congo, just now at Cour d’Assises in Paris.
@minorityrights.bsky.social
Here with UN SR Francesca Albanese at @odi.global
“Absolutely Israel should pay reparations for the occupation — and those other countries who are complicit by sending arms.”
If, on the other hand, you want to know what more should be done to make sure the same mistakes aren’t repeated again and again, read the @CeasefireCentre report on strengthening UK military investigations:
ENDS
www.ceasefire.org/new-report-c...
The closure of the Iraq Fatality Investigations marks the end of 22 years of on/off investigations into British conduct in Iraq. Its final paragraph, declining again to make any recommendations, sums up the message from all those years:
6/7
Five days later, Mr Mousa Ali, another civilian, was killed by the same unit. This is how the Daily Mail reported the testimony of one of the soldiers responsible:
5/7
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Despite finding that Mr Nama had been hooded, forced into stress positions and hearing from his family that his body was found bruised and bloody, the Inquiry “found no compelling evidence of ill-treatment or abuse” and concluded “Speculation about why Radhi Nama collapsed would serve no one.” 4/7
According to soldiers' testimony, Mr Nama was being questioned in an area known as “the cage”, when he asked for a glass of water and then suddenly "doubled over".
3/7
The Iraq Fatality Investigations, a judge-led inquiry, has finally concluded with almost no media coverage, despite a last shocking report into the deaths of 3 Iraqi civilians.
One of them was Radhi Nama, a 55 year old civilian. 2/7
www.gov.uk/government/p...
This is the letter received by an Iraqi family in Basra after their father was arrested. “British Forces have treated him in a good way according to the British Rules”, writes the commanding officer reassuringly.
In fact, as the officer knew very well, their father was already dead. SHORT 🧵
