Con Coughlin's Blog, page 22

Let's learn the lessons from Libya before we take on Syria

If we are not careful we are soon going to find ourselves getting into the same mess over Syria as we did in Libya. This time last year the clamour for a military intervention in Libya was gaining ground as forces loyal to Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi threatened to overrun the eastern city of Benghazi. [...]

Haditha shows the challenges of battlefield justice

At first glance, the sentence handed down to US Marine Sergeant Frank Wuterich for his role in the massacre that took place at the Iraqi town of Haditha in 2005 is laughable. Twenty-four civilians are reported to have been killed when a US Marine unit was involved in heavy fighting in Haditha in November 2005, [...]

The Palestinians are doing their best to derail peace talks with Israel

While the world's attention is fixed on the deepening drama of Iran's nuclear programme and the continuing fall-out from the wave of anti-government protests in the Arab world (I still refuse to countenance the concept  of an Arab Spring), it is hardly surprising that attempts to revive the Palestinian-Israeli peace dialogue are not generating many headlines. And [...]

Iran is no match for the West's naval supremacy

How reassuring to see the West sending an armada of warships through the Strait of Hormuz as a warning to Iran not to meddle with one of the world's most important trade routes. HMS Argyll, a Type 23 Royal Navy frigate, joined forces with the American and French navies to issue a clear statement of intent to Tehran that the [...]