Very important piece on Russia/Ukraine peace talks in early 2022. What I take from it is that, late into those talks, Russia continued to make new & unacceptable demands that would have turned Ukraine into a weak & undefensible vassal state. foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/talks-…

A guest contribution from Jessica Morley to Comment is Freed on why we need to be cautious about claims that AI can transform the NHS. Will only help if NHS’s more basic problems are addressed first. (£/free trial) open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/can…?

The historical record, even so soon after the events, absolutely doesn't show that to be true. And in 20 or so years' time, I think it will look even less true. It's a Putin re-invention of the story a lot of us were following closely at the time.

Drones move slowly so they may be followed by missiles as second wave.

UPDATE: Iran Attack on Israel
• Started 10:40 pm local, 3:40 ET
• Dozens of Drones
• Coming likely via Iraq
• War cabinet meeting
• Ben Gurion closed temporarily
• Golan defenses activated al-monitor.com/originals/2024…

My latest post looks at the Gaza War after six months. The absolutist military objective promises a war without end. Hamas has been badly depleted but without a functioning non-Hamas government in Gaza it will be able to return. open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/gaz…

Devastatingly fair from ⁦Jonathan Freedland⁩ . After six months, the war in Gaza is making Israel a pariah state… theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

Now and again Sam and I try to answer questions sent in by subscribers to Comment is Freedom. Thanks for sending - more than we could manage on challenging and some personal topics (£/free trial) samf.substack.com/p/answering-yo…

New post just out -

We answer (many) subscribers' questions - covering topics from a potential US war with China to whether Labour can win a second term.

(£/free trial)

open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/ans…

Answers from Lawrence Freedman on, amongst other things:

* A prospective US/China war
* Trump and Ukraine
* Russia’s nuclear threat
* Israel and war crimes
* The botched Libya intervention
* The Crocus Hall attacks

Lawrence Freedman And answers from me, on, amongst other things:

* Rejoining the EU
* Getting better people into politics
* Citizens’ assemblies
* Why Britain’s welfare state seems so weak
* Whether Labour can win a second term
* Austerity
* And how my ideology has changed

The magnificent Hella Pick died this morning. A truly extraordinary person: a Kindertransport refugee committed to reconciliation with Germany and Austria, a trailblazing journalist, an acclaimed author and a dear dear friend. ❤️❤️❤️
theguardian.com/books/2021/mar…

I appear to have a blue tick - for which I have not paid.

Our panelists, Beatrice de Graaf, Lawrence Freedman, and Iskander Rehman, will discuss strategy, statecraft, and diplomacy from Ancient Rome to the present day. They will be joined by their respective discussants Suzanne Raine, Brendan Simms, and Neville Morley.

More positivity from Sam, this time identifying 10 quick wins for a Labour Government that would be as a package cost neutral and not require new legislation (£/free trial) samf.substack.com/p/ten-quick-wi…

This looks terrific. A biography of Kenneth Waltz.
cup.columbia.edu/book/kenneth-w…

Some cool news: I have a new edited volume out on the Ukraine war at the 2-year mark. The contributors are a real cast of all stars. And best of all, it is available open-access--that is, totally free--online, here:

muse.jhu.edu/book/122782

This post was prompted by this stimulating conference but is not a report on it. Some reflections on the morality and legality of nuclear use. open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/is-…