Con Coughlin



Profile:
Full name: Con Coughlin

Area of interest: Foreign Affairs, The Middle East

Journals/Organisation: The Daily Telegraph

Email: [mailto:con.coughlin@telegraph.co.uk con.coughlin@telegraph.co.uk]

Personal website:

Website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/concoughlin

Blog:

Representation:

Networks: https://twitter.com/concoughlin



Biography:
About:

Education: Oxford University

Career: Joined The Daily Telegraph in 1980: amongst other roles has been Defence and Intelligence Editor and Managing Editor of The Sunday Telegraph Current position/role: executive foreign editor


 * also writes/written for:

Other roles/Main role:

Other activities:

Disclosures:

Viewpoints/Insight: Author discusses: Saddam: King Of Terror, 2002 (audio)

Broadcast media:

Video: Regular contributions on world affairs for BBC and Sky News channels

Controversy/Criticism: Telegraph's toxic attack'' - For a newspaper that is consistently against torture, Con Coughlin's vitriolic article about Binyam Mohamed is shocking - Henry Porter & Afu Hirsch, The Guardian Cif, 11th February 2010
 * Gaddafi's son set up by MI6, libel jury told; Paper apologises to Gaddafi's son
 * also see: criticism (Wikipedia)

Awards/Honours:

Scoops:

Other:



Books & Debate:

 * Hostage: Complete Story of the Lebanon Captives (Time Warner Paperbacks; New Ed edition, 1993) ISBN 0751502448
 * A Golden Basin Full of Scorpions: The Quest for Modern Jerusalem Warner (Futura; New Ed edition, 1998) ISBN 075152364X
 * Saddam: The Secret Life (Macmillan, 2002) ISBN 0333782003
 * Saddam: King of Terror (Ecco, 2002) ISBN 0060505419
 * Saddam: His Rise and Fall (Harper Perennial, 2005) ISBN 0060505435

Latest work: American Ally: Tony Blair and the War on Terror (Politico's Publishing Ltd, 2006) OCLC 61247340

Speaking/Appearances:

Current debate:http://www.intelligencesquared.com/people/c/con-coughlin 

The Daily Telegraph:
Column name: Inside Abroad

Remit/Info: Commentary on foreign affairs, especially the Middle East. "Con Coughlin is an expert on international terrorism and the Middle East; with the benefit of 25 years in foreign journalism, he deftly scrutinises world affairs" - The Daily Telegraph

Section:

Role:

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:con.coughlin@telegraph.co.uk con.coughlin@telegraph.co.uk]

Website: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/concoughlin

Commissioning editor:

Day published: Friday

Regularity: Weekly

Column format:

Average length: 1000 words



Articles: 2013

 * Islamist terror is now a hi-tech global brand - The al-Shabaab terror gang are part of a new breed who see social media as just another weapon - 25th September
 * Iran is testing Barack Obama’s resolve - Tehran is desperate to see sanctions lifted - 20th September
 * Russia’s plan for Syria is likely to fail - It’s a clever piece of opportunism, but Moscow’s approach is out of touch with reality -11th September
 * Any action against Syria will cause a reaction - America faces a repeat of its last disastrous military intervention in this region - 6th September
 * Britain’s old friends in the Gulf are luring us east of Suez once more - A huge new defence deal could see the Army and RAF take on a permanent role - 9th August
 * This war isn't over yet - In the wake of an al-Qaeda threat that threw Western governments into turmoil, it is clear the terror network is far from defeated - 5th August
 * Why Israel is prepared to consider a deal - This could be one of those rare moments when implacable foes have much to gain - 30th July
 * Face the truth about Assad: he’s not going - Regime change in Syria now looks very unlikely - 26th July
 * The Saudis throw down a gauntlet - The disengagement of Obama’s US from the Middle East has forced the kingdom to square up to Iran and Israel - 12th july
 * Obama gives the Taliban the upper hand - Obama's efforts to talk to the Taliban has backfired - 20th June
 * Dithering EU fails to meet the Syrian challenge - The tide of war is swinging back Assad’s way as Iran and Russia send in arms and men - 28th May
 * The West is fighting on behalf of ordinary Muslims – and winning - Our enemies are utterly misguided in their denunciation of Britain’s interventions overseas - 25th May
 * Putin: a man we can do business with? - David Cameron’s meeting with the Russian president may be fraught with mind games, but it could help bring an end to the civil war in Syria - 10th May
 * How Churchill got a taste for war - Young Churchill learnt to fight while writing dispatches for the Telegraph - 28th April
 * Iran and al-Qaeda: a 'joke' with a nasty punchline - Iran laughed at the idea of links with a terror plot in Canada. But it's no laughing matter - 28th April
 * The Boston bombs show how the internet turned kitchen utensils into weapons of terror - The blood spilled at Monday's marathon attacks is a reminder of how easy it is to build a deadly weapon - 19th April
 * An Iron law that there would be no surrender to terrorism - Mrs Thatcher would never have withdrawn troops from Afghanistan before the mission was completed - 14th April
 * Britain’s Afghan war is over – but there is still no sign of peace - Without a deal between the Afghan government and the Taliban, there may well be another civil war - 12th April
 * The spook who’s got Britain’s legions of jihadists on the run - Sir Jonathan Evans, the outgoing head of MI5, has transformed the intelligence service - 29th March
 * If it’s peace he wants, Obama is far too late - After a dreadful start, the president’s hawkish comments will help to reassure Israelis - 22nd March
 * Don’t write off the tank - drones can't do everything - Armoured vehicles are going out of fashion - witness the loss of the Desert Rats' tanks - but they are still very effective weapons of war - 8th March
 * The lesson of the Iraq war is that benign intervention can work - Iraq is returning to normal, but without Western help, the dreams of Arab democracy are unlikely to become a reality - 1st March
 * China’s cyber-war machine threatens us all - It’s good news that India has signed a new security pact with Britain – Beijing’s power in cyberspace grows by the day - 20th February
 * Drones are gruesome, but would we prefer boots on the ground? - The human rights lobby wants to limit the use of drones, but they are effective and preferable to sending our troops to fight - 8th February
 * The SAS: a very special force - David Cameron has promised to increase rather than cut defence spending after 2015. That’s just as well, because he needs his special forces more than ever - 31st January
 * Without America’s help, Europe’s defenders can’t get off the ground - The armed forces of France and Britain are woefully ill-prepared for the new age of self-sufficiency - 18th January
 * Can Mali be saved from the Islamists? -France's President François Hollande is sending in troops in to prevent the creation of a terrorist super-state, but can they do it alone? - 16th January
 * Why does the West refuse to act over the Kashmir stand-off? - Pakistan’s fixation with Kashmir lies at the heart of the West's problems. It is why Pakistan tolerates Islamist groups and continues to develop nuclear warheads - 11th January



Articles: 2012

 * The greatest threat to our peace? Well-armed, unstable rogue states - Events in Syria and North Korea show that the West can never drop its guard - 14th December
 * Egyptians want democracy, but is their country turning into Iran? - Like Ayatollah Khomeini in Tehran, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood president, Mohammed Morsi, says his powers are divinely blessed - 30th November
 * David Petraeus affair: All the presidential men - America loves to put its generals into the White House, but David Petraeus’s affair has ruined his chances - 15th November
 * US election 2012: America’s enemies still stand against you, Mr Obama - The President's foreign policy over Afghanistan and Iran is unconvincing and promises trouble - 8th November
 * We keep Gary McKinnon but lose the trust of the Americans - The Home Secretary’s volte-face endangers intelligence co-operation agreements with the US - 22nd October
 * The BAE fiasco shows just how much we need America - A merger between BAE and EADS would have weakened Britain's relationship with its long-standing ally America and its security - 12th October
 * Be wary of playing Turkey’s great game - The state is taking a lead role in unseating Syria’s Assad, but it has a hidden agenda - 5th October
 * The Arab Spring turns sour for America - The murder of the US ambassador to Libya is a shocking reminder to Barack Obama that helping to overthrow dictators does not guarantee stability in the region - 13th September
 * Syria’s rebels are not yet worthy of our trust - After the debacle in Libya, the West needs guarantees from any government-in-waiting - 29th August
 * The Islamist terror that links Syria and Iraq - Al-Qaeda cells moving freely between the two countries threaten the entire region’s stability - 26th July
 * Al-Qaeda free to tighten its grip on Africa - Ayman al-Zawahiri's terror network is exploiting political unrest in Mali and throughout the region - 13th July 2012
 * It’s war for the weekend warriors after Philip Hammond's Army cuts - The Territorial Army is being expected to make up for the savage cuts in the regular Army’s fighting strength. But are Britain’s reservists really up for a fight? - 6th July 2012
 * Our new remodelled Army can't fight a war - The sweeping cuts to the Army's strength are a huge abrogation of the Government's duty to defend the realm - 6th July 2012
 * Can Mohammed Morsi’s Islamic democracy lead the way for the Arab world? - The Muslim Brotherhood ruler is confounding Egypt’s expectations - 28th June
 * A generation of military talent falls prey to defence cuts - Armed Forces cuts will prove devastating in the event of another war - 22nd June 2012
 * To help Syria, we must fight as dirty as Russia - President Putin sees Assad as a vital asset in his fight against Western powers - 8th June 2012
 * The Arab Spring was no prelude to democracy - The rush to back change for change’s sake in the troubled region has proved naive - 1st June 2012
 * Taliban are desperate to kill off peace talks - Nato is making no progress on withdrawing from Afghanistan with honour - 18th May 2012
 * A frontier far away holds the key to our Olympics security - Instead of a military lock-down in London, politicians should focus energies on Islamabad - 8th May 2012
 * Charles Taylor’s conviction is a lesson to tyrants - The Liberian dictator thought himself to be above the law - 27th April 2012
 * We’re all at sea over our new aircraft carriers - The PM is being urged to do a U-turn on buying jets – but it’s the ships that are wrong - 23rd April 2012
 * President Bashar al-Assad won’t make same mistake as Colonel Gaddafi – so the West must act - Syria’s fragile UN-brokered ceasefire will do nothing to topple its ruthless and astute leader - 13th April 2012
 * Israel’s dogs of war are straining at the leash - An attack in September looks almost inevitable unless Tehran changes course - 6th April 2012
 * We will pay a terrible price if we leave Afghanistan in the lurch - The regime in Kabul needs significant military and financial aid to hold off the Taliban after Nato's withdrawal - 30th March 2012
 * Nigeria: al-Qaeda’s new heartland of terror - Islamist extremists have taken international terrorism a horrific step forward - 10th March 2012
 * The West’s undignified scramble for the exit is a gift to the Taliban - We are in danger of making the same costly mistake as the Soviet Union did when it withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 - 2nd March 2012
 * How many more bodies before Assad’s allies finally see sense? - The Russians must accept that their interests are best served by regime change - 24th February 2012
 * An election campaign built on terrorism? Welcome to Iran - Iranian nuclear threats and bomb plots will backfire - 17th February 2012
 * Even Harry can't boost our weakened Forces - Not even the brave princes can restore Britain’s sadly diminished military status - 10th February 2012
 * Israel will not pull out of the next Middle East war until Hizbollah is annihilated - The tension on the Lebanese border is palpable as sworn enemies flex their military muscle - 3rd February 2012
 * Why won’t Britain rescue its hostages? - Our Armed Forces appear to have lost their appetite for robust intervention - 27th January 2012
 * Complacency over the Falklands could cost Britain dear - Whitehall should take more seriously Argentina's renewed interest in the islands - 20th January 2012
 * Can Iran close down the Strait of Hormuz? - The ayatollahs’ armoury is dwarfed by the US. But attempts to close oil lanes could lead to conflict - 6th January 2012



Articles: 2011

 * America is retreating from the world stage - Costly invasions are a thing of the past, as the United States tries to wage a new kind of war - 21st December 2011
 * Grisly reminders signal Syria’s descent into civil war - With the body count rising and the UN powerless to act, the people are on their own - 9th December 2011
 * Iran's mullahs come out fighting - The storming of the embassy in Tehran brings to an end a fruitless diplomatic reconciliation - 1st November 2011
 * Arab monarchs are keeping their heads - King Hamad of Bahrain’s admission to using 'force’ is a refreshing change in the region - 24th November
 * Why Iran wants the bomb - Iran’s push for nuclear weapons puts it on a collision course with the West - 10th November 2011
 * Iran is on the verge of getting the Bomb - The President’s softly-softly approach has failed to deter the ayatollahs - 4th November 2011
 * West should not have allowed Gaddafi killing - Actions against dictators and terrorist leaders like Osama bin Laden should be legal - 28th October 2011
 * A lucky escape in Libya - Despite the excellence of our troops, the operation against Gaddafi has been flawed on all fronts - 17th October 2011
 * Islam's war on the Cross - Christians in Egypt are used to persecution, but the latest attacks threaten the move to democracy - 12th October 2011
 * Who’d want to stay in these Armed Forces? - Very able officers are leaving in their droves because of defence cuts that seem to make no sense - 29th September 2011
 * Palestinians put the pressure on Israel - As the Palestinians step up their campaign for statehood, Israel should accede to their request - 21st September 2011
 * Should MI6 have come in from the cold? - Secret service’s dealings with Gaddafi’s spy masters would have horrified the spooks of yore - 5th September 2011
 * Muammar Gaddafi on his last legs, we must prepare for what comes next in Libya'' - Even before the Mad Dog’s demise, rival rebel groups make for a volatile situation - 19th August 2011
 * Saudi support, Syria’s brutal dictatorship looks doomed'' - The demise of the Assad regime could be welcome news for the Middle East - 12th August 2011
 * Libyan campaign is running into the sand'' - With Ramadan about to begin, Nato’s attempt to dislodge Gaddafi is in desperate straits - 27th July 2011
 * cynical way to cut the Army down to size'' - The Government’s plan to shrink troop numbers is being seen by many as sabotage - 21st July 2011
 * will be suspect until evil in its midst is rooted out'' - The Mumbai attacks will be linked to Islamabad regardless of who perpetrated them - 15th July 2011
 * A campaign built on sand'' - With Gaddafi as determined as ever to cling to power in Libya, tensions between Nato's member states are becoming increasingly exposed - 12th July 2011
 * Gen James Bucknall, David Cameron, and a swift about-turn'' - David Cameron deserves credit for responding to the concerns of his top brass in Afghanistan - 6th July 2011
 * time for Britain to merge its Army, Navy and Air Force'' - The top brass are guilty of putting their own interests ahead of those of the country - 30th June 2011
 * The bond between soldiers and politicians is close to breaking - When senior officers attack the Government in public, something has gone badly wrong - 23rd June 2011
 * The EU’s cold shoulder for Turkey risks alienating a key Nato ally - The Turks’ dalliance with Iran and Syria must stand as fair warning to the West - 17th June 2011
 * Reversing the defence cuts is one U-turn Cameron should take - The Coalition’s wanton destruction of our military effectiveness is short-sighted and inept - 15th June 2011
 * The cyber warriors are preparing for battle - As the world’s attention focuses on traditional conflicts, a new form of warfare is looming - 3rd June 2011
 * Libya: On a wing and a prayer - Con Coughlin is the first journalist to report from inside the RAF's Italian base since the Libyan bombing raids began - 30th May 2011
 * Britain used to win the wars it fought – so what happened in Libya? - Stalemate with Gaddafi and lack of resources in Afghanistan all point to a lack of leadership - 19th May 2011
 * From Arab Spring to boiling-hot summer - Iran is ruthlessly exploiting the pro-democracy movement for its own ends - 11th May 2011
 * Osama bin Laden killing: Victory in the war on terror is now within the West's reach - After Osama bin Laden's death, we can finally destroy al-Qaeda and finish the job in Afghanistan - 5th May 2011
 * In Libya and London, we’re getting into a frightful mess - The National Security Council needs to plot a way out of this strategic impasse - 21st April 2011
 * The war we dare not forget - Afghanistan is a far greater threat to British national security than Libya - 18th April 2011
 * Forty nations made a pact on Libya – now they have to act on it - The main burden of the military effort in Libya is falling upon just two of the 40 or so countries involved in the Nato mission - 15th April 2011
 * Hiring mercenaries to fight Gaddafi could backfire badly - A tactical game-changer is required in Libya - 8th April 2011
 * Who will defend the defence industry? - Ministers should be banging the drum about British skills and planning for the future - 30th March 2011
 * Yemen and Syria pose a greater threat to us than Libya - Unlike Libya, both countries pose an active and current threat to our everyday well-being - 25th March 2011
 * Britain and France should run Libya war - America doesn't even want to be in Libya, and the Germans are just getting in the way - 23rd March 2011
 * Why the Bahrain rebellion could prove calamitous for the West - Saudi Arabia's support for the Gulf state risks drawing Iran into the conflict - 18th March 2011
 * Libya: The West wants to get rid of Gaddafi, but doesn't know how - The Libyan crisis has exposed the West’s limited power – and its internal divisions - 15th March 2011
 * Libya: David Cameron's rude awakening as rallying cry falls on deaf ears - David Cameron has just experienced his first painful lesson on how Western leaders respond to a major international crisis, they don't - 13th March 2011
 * The SAS are men of action, not diplomacy - William Hague's decision to send such soldiers on a peaceful mission was at best misguided - 8th March 2011
 * Libya and Gaddafi: David Cameron steals a march in the Middle East - The PM has been outspoken in Bahrain – shame he's scrapped the gunboats to back his rhetoric up - 23rd February 2011
 * The West looks to fan flames as Iran and Libya feel the heat from within - The mullahs scarcely imagined that the protests would appear on their doorstep, too - 18th February 2011
 * William Hague jaw jaws, but who will listen? - As Foreign Secretary William Hague completes his whirlwind tour of the Middle East, Con Coughlin asks whether Britain can still influence political events abroad - 11th February 2011
 * Egypt protests: Barack Obama may rue the day he decided to abandon Mubarak - Whoever replaces Egypt's president might not prove such a staunch ally of the US - 4th February 2011
 * Sudan: A nation driven apart by Muslim bigotry - The likely partition of Sudan is a result of Islam’s increasing intolerance - 13th January 2011
 * Nato victory in Afghanistan requires political will - Political posturing by Barack Obama and others is hindering real progress in Afghanistan - 7th January 2011



Articles: 2010

 * Israel’s religious extremists send the peace process up in smoke - Population changes are transforming the country’s politics for the worse - 11th December 2010
 * Their final mission - Watching the last flight of a Harrier jump jet from HMS Ark Royal, Con Coughlin mourns the scrapping of two much-loved symbols of British military prowess - 25th November 2010
 * Hamid Karzai must tell us which side he's on in Afghanistan - Hamid Karzai's fits of pique play into the hands of the faint hearts within the Nato coalition in Afghanistan - 19th November 2010
 * Lord West should stop worrying about the Falklands - We should focus on how to win the wars of the future, not how we fought them in the past - 12th November 2010
 * MI6 must be trusted to keep its secrets - A dignified silence is the best way to protect our spies - 29th October 2010
 * Defence review: These cuts leave us vulnerable to our enemies around the world - How could Britain defend the Falklands without the Ark Royal and its Harriers - 22nd October 2010
 * Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Lebanon sends a menacing message - Iran's president wants the charges dropped against Hizbollah – or else - 15th October 2010
 * Cyber guards or soldiers: which do we need most? - Warships, jets and cash machines can all be put out of action by an attack over the internet. No wonder the director of GCHQ broke cover to warn us this week - 14th October 2010
 * Our politicians must put the nation’s battles before their own - It is impossible to overstate the significance of the impending defence review - 7th October 2010
 * After these defence cuts, even a repeat of Sierra Leone would be beyond us - In these uncertain times, Britain needs all the planes, ships and tanks it can muster - 1st October 2010
 * We may be beating the Taliban, but in this country you'd never know it - Why does the Government insist on playing down the successes of our Forces - 24th September 2010
 * As Barack Obama dithers, Hillary Clinton offers a glimpse of what might have been - There is a growing sense in Washington that the party backed the wrong candidate - 10th September 2010
 * The danger of defeatism in Afghanistan - Enthusiasm for the conflict is waning, but an early withdrawal will benefit only al-Qaeda - 9th September 2010
 * If Britain wishes to remain a global power, it needs Trident - The downgrading of our deterrent would leave us naked on the world stage - 27th August 2010
 * Pakistan's floods have left a country that's too difficult to rule - The government in Islamabad is floundering and ripe for a coup – if anyone wanted to launch one - 25th August 2010
 * Libya has made fools of us all - Gaddafi was playing Tony Blair long before the release of the Lockerbie bomber - 20th August 2010
 * We clip the wings of the RAF at our peril - Planned defence cuts belittle the key role of aerial superiority in modern combat - 12th August 2010
 * Barack Obama is running out on Iraq for all the wrong reasons - The president is grasping at anything that might hold up his plunging popularity - 11th August 2010
 * Asif Ali Zardari is fiddling while Pakistan drowns - The beleaguered country has a president more concerned with politics than his people - 5th August 2010
 * Don't they know the Cold War is over? - The exposure of a Russian spy ring in New York shows that, despite the thawing of relations between Russia and the West, espionage is alive and well - 30th June 2010
 * The next head of our Armed Forces is a crucial appointment - With the war in Afghanistan on course, it is vital that David Cameron picks the right Chief of the Defence Staff - 18th June 2010
 * A year on, the Green revolution in Iran has failed to take root - A crackdown and poor leadership have seen off the government's opponents - 11th June 2010
 * Turkey's role in Gaza affair should worry the West - Ankara is losing patience after being rebuffed in its attempts to join the EU - 4th June 2010
 * We will never defeat the Taliban if they think we're going home - Conservative policy on Afghanistan has to be united if peace is to be achieved - 28th May 2010
 * China holds the key to Korean peace - The Beijing government must cast aside its softly-softly approach to Pyongyang - 21st May 2010
 * Hague must ignore anti-American Lib Dems - Britain's relationship with the US is more important than the one with Brussels - 15th May 2010
 * Obama's luck continues, but are terrorists getting an easy ride? - The US President's pitch for the moral high ground inhibits intelligence agencies - 7th May 2010
 * Gordon Brown's dithering has betrayed our soldiers - The Prime Minister's failure to allow vital missions to be completed in Afghanistan is a shameful legacy - 29th April 2010
 * Britain needs the Navy to provide firepower - The Senior Service has been sidelined in Afghanistan but still has a role to play - 23rd April 2010
 * Karzai is making some pretty unpleasant friends - President Karzai's links to Iran and the Taliban are causing increasing concern - 2nd April 2010
 * Barack Obama looks a winner and has Republicans on the run - Barack Obama's health-care victory has given him new stature – as has standing up to Israel - 26th March 2010
 * Why is Brown so quiet about our Afghan victory? - Labour's neglect of the military means Britain is ill-prepared for the future - 19th March 2010
 * Falkland Islands: The Special Relationship is now starting to seem very one-sided - Hillary Clinton's intervention over the Falklands shows that US will side with Argentina - 5th March 2010
 * India and Pakistan must bury the hatchet for the Taliban to be crushed - An unlikely alliance between two enemies could help to secure Afghanistan's future - 26th February 2010
 * The murder of al-Mabhouh is an insult to our intelligence - Anglo-Israeli co-operation in the war against terrorism is now in jeopardy - 19th February 2010
 * Endgame for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran? - The Iranian president has promised a 'telling blow' against world leaders. But, says Con Coughlin, his recent nuclear posturing is an attempt to shore up his increasingly perilous position at home - 9th February 2010
 * We must prepare for cyber conflict - but not forget wars we fight today - Will landmines or laptops pose the bigger risk to security in years to come - 5th February 2010
 * Has the West got the will to carry on shedding blood for Afghanistan? - The strategy is finally right, but our resolve could be starting to waver - 29th January 2010
 * Dark clouds are blowing from Iran towards the glittering Gulf - These states have survived the recession – but there are worse dangers ahead - 22nd January 2010
 * Chilcot Inquiry unlikely to find the smoking gun that does for Blair - Former officials' outbursts have brought us no nearer to knowing the truth about the invasion of Iraq - 15th January 2010 (Iraq war inquiry)
 * Flying has become a nightmare thanks to the CIA, not al-Qaeda - The world's largest intelligence agency is always one step behind - 8th January 2010
 * Peter Moore is free, but the threat to others is as great as ever - Peter Moore's release has nothing to do with improving relations with the West - 1st January 2010
 * Israel may be a difficult ally – but its leaders are not 'war criminals' - The International Criminal Court Act must be amended to protect friendly politicians - 18th December 2009
 * Baghdad bombers remind Obama that leaving is easier said than don - Suicide attacks claimed by al-Qaeda have plunged Iraq into yet another crisis - 11th December 2009
 * The clock is ticking for Obama as the Taliban bides its time - Barack Obama needs fellow Nato countries to join the fight in Afghanistan, not just keep the peace - 4th December 2009



Articles: 2009

 * What will it take to tame Tehran? - Time is running out for the West's conciliatory approach after Iran's latest provocation - 1st December 2009
 * Can Obama destroy the enemy, get the troops out and save himself? - The President needs a quick victory in Afghanistan if he is to stay in the White House - 27th November 2009
 * Obama may regret giving America its vengeance - The trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed will be a sensation – perhaps for the wrong reasons - 20th November 2009
 * The MoD can barely run itself, let alone a war in Afghanistan - The rank ineptitude of the Ministry of Defence cannot be allowed to continue - 13th November 2009
 * Afghanistan could be Obama's Vietnam - Despite the murder of five British soldiers, now is not the time for faint hearts - 6th November 2009
 * Hopes of restarting Middle East peace process look like a mirage - The US is desperate to stop relations between Israel and the Palestinians worsening - 30th October 2009
 * Is Tehran beginning to thaw over a 'freeze-for-freeze’ nuclear deal? - Russia's change of mind about imposing sanctions on Iran could be vital - 23rd October 2009
 * Grand gestures by America will not secure Russia's goodwill - Washington should know by now that the Kremlin can't be trusted as an ally - 16th October 2009
 * Worried about President Blair of the EU? It may be about to get even worse - For all the hoopla about the EU presidency, the foreign minister could have more power - 9th October 2009
 * When war in Afghanistan comes to Whitehall - The Government's dithering is having a drastic effect on the morale of our troops in Afghanistan – and on their chance of success - 7th October 2009
 * General Stanley McChrystal turns his fire on Western leaders as Afghan mission falters - The Nato commander's honest critique will not win him the troops he needs - 2nd October 2009
 * Barack Obama's deal won't be enough to stop Iran getting the atomic bomb - Handshakes in New York won't change the realities in Moscow and Tehran - 26th September 2009
 * US missile shield: appeasement is alive and well in Barack Obama's White House - President Barack Obama's decision to abandon the missile shield will weaken the US and embolden its enemies - 18th September 2009
 * War correspondents must venture where others fear to tread - The rescue of Stephen Farrell in Afghanistan has provoked justified controversy, but war reporters must sometimes take risks - 11th September 2009
 * The isolation of Israel could have disastrous consequences for us all - The more Israelis feel they can no longer rely on Washington to protect them, the more likely they are to launch unilateral military action to destroy Iran's nuclear capability - 28th August 2009
 * The West is giving Karzai one last chance to redeem himself - Despite his many failings, the Afghan leader is the least worst option - 21st August 2009
 * Afghanistan: Our fight is against terror and tyranny - not just the Taliban - It is crucial that the Afghanistan election withstands desperate efforts to derail it - 17th August 2009
 * Ignoring Iran's nuclear plan would be the West's greatest blunder - A Middle East arms race is looming unless our leaders recover their nerve - 14th August 2009
 * Tribal leaders hold the key to a peaceful solution in Helmand - Pashtun chiefs must be reminded that there is an alternative to the cycle of bloodshed - 31st July 2009
 * Who is going to stand up and fight for our short-changed soldiers? - Nick Clegg is right to break the all-party consensus and criticise the disastrous handling of the military campaign in Afghanistan - 10th July 2009
 * Afghanistan 'surge' will test Obama's military muscle - The President hopes to finish off the job that under-funded British forces have failed to do - 3rd July 2009
 * Why Iran hates Britain so much - Britain has taken America's place as Tehran's most loathed nation. The antipathy goes back centuries - 30th June 2009
 * Iran's brave revolutionaries can change nothing but the faces - Mousavi, the defeated candidate in Iran's election, has been an unswerving supporter of revolutionary policy for 30 years - 17th June 2009 (See: Iran: summary)
 * At last, a real election in Iran – but it won't help relations with the West - Today's ballot may prove to be a unique event, yet there's little hope of radical change - 12th June 2009
 * Can Barack Obama's soothing rhetoric douse the Muslim militants' flames? - The President's plea for a new beginning will face formidable obstacles - 5th June 2009 (See: Decoding the President: what Obama's words really mean - Patrick Cockburn analyses the highlights of the much-anticipated – and carefully constructed – Cairo speech)
 * The Korean crisis is China's chance to show the world it has changed - Beijing has taken the first step – now it must persuade Pyongyang to back down - 29th May 2009
 * North Korea's home-made nuclear bomb is a threat to the whole world - The key issue is the threat of nuclear proliferation - 27th May 2009
 * Indian election: India is now a world power, and it must remember to behave like one - Whoever wins the election, nationalist politics should have no place in their agenda - 15th May 2009
 * Barack Obama's charm offensive needs to be followed up with military action - Pakistan and Afghanistan are not yet fully committed to fighting the Taliban - 8th May 2009
 * Brown's half measures will put our soldiers' lives at further risk - Peace in Afghanistan will be even longer in coming if the Army is not at full strength - 1st May 2009
 * Barack Obama must beware of playing party politics with security - There is little new in the revelations that the CIA had used White House-sanctioned methods of torture - 19th April 2009
 * China has a key role in bringing North Korea back down to earth - The rogue state must end its childish ways, or face the full force of sanctions - 17th April 2009
 * The new enemy within is invisible - Al-Qaeda is changing its tactics to avoid detection of its agents. Security forces must adapt quickly to find them - 10th April 2009
 * Gordon Brown's shabby leadership betrays our vital mission in Afghanistan -The Prime Minister's failure endangers our soldiers and increases the risk of terrorism, - 27th March 2009
 * Gordon Brown's dreams of a new era of nuclear detente will go up in smoke - An deterrent remains vital as leading rogue states strive to acquire weapons of their own - 20th March 2009
 * Britain is fighting a war – and we are too soft on our enemies - Too little action is being taken by the authorities against hostile Muslims - 13th March 2009
 * If we win the war in Afghanistan, we could lose a battle in Pakistan - The Taliban now have more support from their restless neighbours than ever before - 6th March 2009
 * Russia's economic troubles put Putin firmly in the firing line - Unrest has been crushed, but the real challenge could come from falling oil prices - 27th February 2009
 * Back to the melee of sweat, blood and dust of the Khyber Pass - Con Coughlin returns to the Khyber Pass, where our former allies are now the enemy - 22nd February 2009
 * Iran will never give in to the US - Khomeini's revolution commits his successors to hardline nuclear policies - 14th February 2009
 * We must help Afghanistan find a government that works - Britain and America need to adopt a new strategy to solve the country's problems - 13th February 2009
 * Iran must freeze its nuclear programme - If the Iranian President wants peace with the West, he should stop supporting terror groups - 11th February 2009
 * Is Britain no longer special to America? - Britain's relationship with its greatest ally is already showing signs of strain under Barack Obama, but it is vital for our future - 6th February 2009
 * We must treat China as a friend and ally in this financial crisis - Britain should welcome the Chinese PM this weekend – our future depends on him - 30th January 2009
 * Barack Obama may keep Gordon Brown waiting, but he'll need him in the end - Sarkozy is the new White House favourite, but only Britain is in a position to deliver front-line troops - 23rd January 2009
 * If there isn't a war on terror, then what exactly are our boys dying for? - David Miliband has betrayed a misconception about the nature of this conflict - 15th January 2009
 * One ill-directed missile has turned the tide of support against Israel - Hamas has won the PR battle at the expense of Gaza's innocent civilians - 9th January 2009
 * Gaza will explode if US stays on sidelines - In the absence of serious diplomatic pressure, the bloodshed will get much worse - 6th January 2009
 * The assault on Gaza offers the best hope of peace - There is no excuse for the loss of life, but Israel is right to seek the destruction of Hamas - 2nd January 2009 (see: 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict)



Articles: 2008

 * Barack Obama should practise his golf swing while he has the chance - The economic meltdown is only one crisis awaiting the new president: Iran is still very dangerous - 26th December 2008
 * Brave British troops leave Iraq a far better place than under Saddam Hussein - 19th December 2008
 * Terrorists tried to undermine the whole of India - Lashkar-e-Taiba has moved on from challenging India’s sovereignty in Kashmir - 12th December 2008
 * Will Obama's team pull together? - The president-elect's choice of national security team is bold, but fraught with risk - 5th December 2008
 * Barack Obama turns to the old guard - Little more than three weeks after Mr Obama achieved his victory, many who voted for him are starting to fear that they are in for a Clinton third term - 28th November 2008
 * Obama will find Israel peace elusive - The "peace wall" between Israel and the West Bank shows how far the two sides have drifted apart in the last decade - 21st November 2008
 * Obama will want more European soldiers - America's enemies are not going to change because there is a new president - 7th November 2008
 * Britain needs a plan for Afghanistan - John Hutton, the new Defence Secretary, is right to concentrate on defeating the Taliban insurgency - 31st October 2008
 * Seduction is easier than terror - Does North Korea's deal with the US mean that it has seen the error of its ways? - 17th October 2008
 * Taliban would rule a bankrupt Pakistan - The financial crisis has nearly bankrupted a key ally in the fight against fundamentalism - 10th October 2008
 * Saudi Arabia can rein in Taliban - Seven years after the start of the war on terror, the West is no closer to victory - 3rd October 2008
 * Gordon Brown has lost Britain the ear of the White House - 19th September 2008
 * West can't afford Iran bombing - yet - A unilateral strike against the mullahs would have dire consequences for us all - 12th September 2008
 * Putin wants a new Russian empire - Moscow's aggression in the Caucasus is part of a much wider campaign for power - 5th September 2008
 * Viktor Yushchenko plays a risky game - Ukraine should be told that the West is in no position to fight a new Crimean war - 29th August 2008
 * Europe's security dithering endangers us - The British seem to be alone in Afghanistan. Twenty-six Nato states are supposed to be working in unison to defeat the Taliban - so where are they? - 22nd August 2008

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Links:

 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Con_Coughlin
 * http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Con_Coughlin