In The News 11 July - 15 July
Op-Ed
Has blundering Boris Johnson been set-up by Theresa May?
"By appointing Johnson, May will be able to tell Brexiteers that one of their own – indeed, their most famous proponent – is in a key role in the British cabinet. She might have appointed Michael Gove, the now former justice secretary for the same reason, but severely bad blood between them precluded that, and he is now out of his position as a result."
HA Hellyer for International Business Times, 14 July
Britain’s resilient nature is there for all to witness
"This isn’t a note of triumphalism – there are very good reasons why the UK is safer from upheaval than most parts of the Arab world. Indeed, the UK itself has often been a reason why parts of the Arab world are less safe than they might otherwise be."
Broadcast
Karin von Hippel on the question if the UK not joining the invasion could have prevented it
"I don't think so. I think Bush would have gone ahead anyway, unlike Obama, who decided not to use force after Asad crossed the “red line” and Parliament didn’t support the use of force."
Karin von Hippel, Sky Today with Dermot Murnaghan, 10 July
Raffello Pantucci on Nice Attacks
"On the one hand we know that there's quite a substantial number of French nationals who’ve gone to fight in Syria and Iraq. We know there's a lot of others who have been prevented so clearly the problem of radicalisation home is something that's really is a substantial problem in France."
Raffaello Pantucci on BBC Radio 4, 15 July
Raffaello Pantucci on Nice Attacks
"It's clearly very difficult I think when you're looking at individuals who are radicalised to the point of willingness to do this sort of an atrocity and to use these sort of weapons like a truck which is so easily accessible to frankly anyone who has a drivers licence, it does become very difficult to completely defend against it."
Raffaello Pantucci on LBC Radio, 15 July
Afzal Ashraf on Nice Attacks
"But at this stage, it is important to keep an open mind. In Europe and elsewhere we have had attacks by right-wing extremists, and by others. I think that we cannot jump to any conclusions."
Afzal Ashraf on Sky News, 15 July
Shashank Joshi on Nice Attacks
"Most importantly, it’s about making sure the people like you and me reading the newspaper don’t lose our heads at the moment when we face a crisis, which I think will happen in the next few years."
Shashank Joshi on BBC Radio Asia, 15 July
Afzal Ashraf on John Kerry visiting Moscow
"The biggest threat to peace to the ordinary people are the extremists who are all operating with impunity at the moment."
Afzal Ashraf on Aljazeera, 15 July
Quoted in the media
Chilcot Inquiry
I will be with you, whatever’
"Despite all the many other things he did — and many people would argue lots of positive achievements — he will always be remembered for this fateful decision in 2003."
Malcolm Chalmers in T&& Newsday, 10 July
Putin Ally Belarus 'Not Threatened' By NATO Reinforcement
“Playing into Putin’s hands on the ‘NATO threat’ is counterproductive for Lukashenko’s efforts now,” he says. “That is why he’s reluctant to support the Kremlin’s rhetoric.”
Igor Sutyagin forNewsweek, 12 July
Nato Warsaw Summit
NATO and EU put on show of united after Brexit Vote
“There has been a very definite change of mood in Europe in the wake of the Brexit vote. People are worried about keeping things together...We are hearing everyone say nothing will change as a result of Brexit, but really they know this might be a seminal moment.”
Jonathan Eyal for The Financial Times, July 9
NATO’s looming battles — with itself
“This is not the time to wobble over enlargement or pretend that Brexit doesn’t matter. Both matter desperately for the cohesion of the transatlantic relationship.”
Jonathan Eyal for The Washington Post, July 15
Trident
Trident: war-gaming the future
“Russia has an initial advantage because it’s in its own neighbourhood,” Chalmers says. “It has significant conventional superiority. But within weeks the Americans would gain the advantage as they brought their airpower to bear, along with the German and British army.”
Malcolm Chalmers for Raconteur, 15 July
EU Referendum
Brexit: What about the Northern Ireland Peace Process?
“Removing a European dimension that ‘softens the border’ between the North and South of Ireland,” notes Edward Burke of the Royal United Services Institute, “may upset the delicate equilibrium painstakingly constructed since the Good Friday Agreement.”
Edward Burke for Euractiv 14 July
Lone Actor Terrorism
Lone Wolf Attacks Are Becoming More Common — And More Deadly
"The phenomenon of lone wolf attacks by radical jihadis can be traced to the late 1990s when Al Qaeda affiliated writer and strategist Abu Musab Al-Suri began advocating within the organization for the decentralization of the jihadi cause."
Raffaello Pantucci for PBS Frontline, 14 July
Ukraine Crisis
Ukraine's freeze on military exports to Russia carries risks
"Britain's Royal United Services Institute, or RUSI, this year undertook an analysis of Ukraine-Russia defense industry integration and the risks entailed in trying to disentangle it. One daunting possibility, the security analysts said, is that Russia will be inspired to grab what it wants and isn't getting through normal trade."
Canuma, 9 July
Russia’s Military
Putin sacks EVERY commander in his Baltic fleet in Stalin-style purge 'after top brass refusal to follow his orders to confront Western ships'
"There was no reason to be very concerned five years ago when you could count on more or less peaceful behavior of the Russian side...Now it's becoming more and more possible that these forces could be used, and this is reason for concern."
Igor Sutyagin in The Mail on Sunday 12 July
Financial Crime
Special Report - Caribbean countries entangled by U.S. financial crackdown
“There is a sense that for a period of time now, it’s been open season on the banks...Nobody wants to be the next HSBC or BNP Paribas. You’re not going to take a risk.”
Tom Keatinge for Reuters 14 July
UK Foreign Policy
Theresa May: Where does Britain's incoming prime minister stand on foreign policy?
"Ultimately she'll be so taken up with Europe that many other issues will simply have to take a back seat...I'm not sure where that leaves Middle East policy but obviously our position vis-à-vis issues like Isis can't change. If anything, we'll probably look to ramp up capabilities in military terms to show the world we're still relevant."
Michael Stephens for International Business Times, 12 July