Michael Stephens
@MikeRStephens
Senior Fellow @FPRI, Senior Associate Fellow @RUSI_Org @RANDEurope Views my own, RTs not endorsements....Fulham FC @mikerstephens.bsky.social
First copies of the book have arrived! A comprehensive look at British policy in the Middle East with long lasting thoughts and recommendations for policy makers and the general reader alike. Many thanks @cjophillips for driving this forward with me over the past two years.
RIP Hulk Hogan, one of the most monumentally important figures of 21st-century American media
My @semafor article: Gulf philanthropy is key to scientific breakthroughs waf.stage.semafor.com/article/07/16/… The war between Israel and Iran demonstrated the strategic value of advanced technologies and holds lessons for the Gulf, specifically on who foots the bill for innovation.…
Lest anyone forget, Hamas continue to exist, and continue to make calamitous short sighted decisions that make reaching a ceasefire even harder than it already is.
🚨 Hamas has backtracked on several issues that were already agreed upon, including humanitarian matters. 🚨 According to Hamas's Tuesday response, they are now demanding that all humanitarian aid enter Gaza exclusively through the United Nations, despite previous agreements…
🔖Scramble for the Undersea: Challenges ahead for deep-seabed mining and submarine cables Our latest Strategic Update, written by @amaiasc4, focuses on the geopolitical competition and challenges surrounding deep-seabed mining and submarine telecommunications cables,…
Probably not the best strategy if you want Syria to sign the Abraham Accords. Just a thought.
Israel bombs Damascus.
Bunker-buster bombs, drone swarms, cyber blackouts — this war was a test run for tomorrow’s battlespace. ow.ly/pvZK30sO5ak
🎙Our latest #GlobalSecurityBriefing episode ask: Is the Middle East on the brink of transformation? RUSI experts @BurcuAOzcelik and @MikeRStephens join @Eurasia21cntry to assess recent events and their impact on regional dynamics.
We are lending Britain an iconic jewel of our shared history: the Bayeux Tapestry. This is the first time this national treasure will leave French soil. It marks an unprecedented cultural partnership between our two countries — a powerful symbol of our Entente amicale.
This is as good as I’ve ever seen Oasis. Liam properly giving it some…
This is absolutely mind blowing 🤯 Oasis - Acquiesce last night
Honestly this is about as interesting as the break off by Rupert Lowe on the other end. I.E. Not very. In terms of legislation...you can do nothing outside a major party structure, literally nothing. Performative student politics. thetimes.com/uk/politics/ar…
A few good pieces to read this morning on how Gulf states see Iran and Israel after the "12-day war". There's a huge gulf (no pun intended) between what people are saying in Washington and Jerusalem—specifically, about the Abraham accords—and the view from the region. 🧵
🧵 “2 US contractors…said they were coming forward because they were disturbed by what they considered dangerous & irresponsible practices. They said the security staff hired were often unqualified, unvetted, heavily armed & seemed to have an open license to do whatever they…
US contractors say their colleagues are firing live ammo as Palestinians seek food in Gaza. apnews.com/article/palest…
An absolutely extraordinary response. If the Transport Commissioner thinks the graffiti problem isn’t real, one has to ask if he has been on the tube recently? As for telling people “not to take this into their own hands”, the words he should be looking for are “thank you”.
🚨 Is Sadiq Khan’s TfL Chief seriously suggesting that people like @tomhfh and @lfg_uk are spraying graffiti just so they can clean it off themselves? Why on earth would they have to do that?
No chance the US is going to transfer B-2 technology over to anyone else. It will never happen. There are only 19 and they cost a fortune to run and maintain. This is the most bizarre form of performance politics, not grounded in any reality of how US defence advantage works.
Iran is the world’s leading state sponsor of terror and is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans. As Iran rebuilds its nuclear program, we must maintain maximum deterrence. My bipartisan Bunker Buster Act will give Israel the tools she needs to deter Iranian…
Ah this is absolutely terrible news...in the prime of his career and only married a few days ago. Absolutely tragic. RIP Jota.
BREAKING: Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota has died in a car crash trib.al/kdXA2Dr 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube
EXCLUSIVE 🔺What really happened to Virginia Giuffre? She took on Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew, then died by suicide in April. Now @thetimes shares diary entries, private messages and photos that reveal her secret agony. By @Josiensor thetimes.com/us/news-today/…
Why "emboldened" Jewish settlers are now attacking Israeli soldiers in the West Bank | Haaretz Podcast haaretz.com/israel-news/20…