The UK’s Strategic Defence Review. Some early thoughts. A 🧵

Shame. “Short sighted” and “utterly unacceptable”. What a shambles @wesstreeting 👎🏻 Streeting accused of 'betrayal' over maternity funding plan bbc.com/news/articles/cwynqx…

💔1: Impossible to read the news about Victoriia Roshchyna without feeling tremendous pain & anger. Her body returned from russian captivity in such horrific condition, damaged from starvation & torture, that several DNA tests had to be performed to confirm her identity.

This is a despicable outcome.

Chimes with Daniel Pink on motivation theory: Autonomy Mastery Purpose Critical to stay motivated and keep pushing on, in work and in life more generally.

Donald Trump: NATO allies should spend 5% GDP on defence @SecGenNATO: We need to spend "north of 3%" UK Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy: "The UK is absolutely committed to 2.5%. We will set out that pathway within a few months' time" UK military insiders: A collective groan

🚨End of an Era 🚨 “I’m …. here today to directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States from being the primary guarantor of security in Europe,” US Secretary of Defence, 12th Feb 2025

“I don’t know” is not an admission of ignorance. It’s an expression of intellectual humility. “I was wrong” is not a confession of failure. It’s a display of intellectual integrity. “I don’t understand” is not a sign of stupidity. It’s a catalyst for intellectual curiosity.

What an incredibly restrained and professional response 👮‍♂️

Happy New Year London! 🇬🇧🎆

Current blood type: Trifle.

2/3 college students say "trying hard" should be a factor in their grades. 1/3 expect at least a B just for showing up. The true measure of learning is not the time and energy you put in. It’s the knowledge and skills you take out. An A is for excellence, not for effort. nytimes.com/2024/12/26/opini…

To our soldiers, whether you're with loved ones at home or on duty across the world, we send you warm wishes and a Merry Christmas 🎄 🌍 🇬🇧 #MerryChristmas #BritishArmy

😂🤣😂🤣

Many members of the military going home for the first time from training this holiday season will learn an uncomfortable truth: Although they traveled hundreds of miles to see friends and family, those friends and family won’t drive 5 miles to see them.

The military should be hard, but it should be hard for the right reasons. PT and training should be hard. They should get people ready for the job: war. Training when it’s wet and cold is even better. Training should be hard and realistic. But what shouldn’t be hard is having decent living accommodations or consistent quality food at the dining facility. It shouldn’t be hard to fix pay issues or take vacation time that’s already been earned. There are a lot of great leaders who take those things seriously, but In an all volunteer force we can and should do better.

No.

The Taliban has just banned Afghan women from attending nursing school. Imagine: you cannot pursue any education, even healthcare, because of the sole reason that you are a woman. We are witnessing the erasure of women in real-time. It is beyond horror.

Loved The Hobbit as a kid! Books can be a sanctuary, an escape, a challenge! 📚