Charlie Edwards
Senior Researcher
Charlie Edwards writes, lectures and consults on national security, resilience, defence and intelligence. He works with international institutions, government departments, companies, and NGOs. He is a regular commentator in the national and international media.
- Iraq 2011 The web-comic Shooting Wars, hit people’s screens in May 2006. It followed a young journalist named Jimmy Burns, who found himself video-blogging across the front lines of Iraq in the year 2011. At the time of its release, only a handful of people were ready to believe US forces would be in the country for much longer. In 2006 sectarian violence was spilling across streets and districts in Iraqi cities. Infighting, between different Iraqi camps and within the coalition forces occurred with depressing regularity. continue reading on 17th November 2008 in Basra Journal
- Preparedness Now How to prepare for an earthquake in California. Preparedness is going to be a major theme of Resilient Nation. continue reading on 14th November 2008 in Resilient Nation
- Should they stay or should they go? The received wisdom within the British Government and the higher echelons of the Ministry of Defence’s Main Building is that the situation in Basra is safer and better since Charge of the Knights, the Iraqi led operation earlier this year. Given the situation on the ground, the argument goes, it makes sense that British Armed Forces should depart soon. This argument is seductive and credible - but not without risk. continue reading on 13th November 2008 in Basra Journal
- Emergency Planning 2.0 The following is an article from Wired about how the LAFD are evolving into a web 2.0 outfit. 'Firefighters are known for their bravery (and their popularity with the ladies). But geek cred? Not so much. Brian Humphrey is trying to change that. From a decommissioned bomb shelter four stories beneath Los Angeles City Hall, this 23-year veteran is single-handedly hauling the city's fire department into the Web 2.0 era. He has about 80 projects in the works—involving everything from Twitter... continue reading on 11th November 2008 in Resilient Nation
- Ironic We're having a little technical problem with our links. Our man is on it so don't despair... continue reading on 11th November 2008 in Basra Journal
- The key message The key message you will be begin to hear from now until April next year is that the the Mahdi Army is on the run. The Iraqi Army's success during Operation Charge of the Knights flushed many of the insurgents from Basra. While many of the senior commanders slunk back into Iran others adopted a low profile in the city. continue reading on 10th November 2008 in Basra Journal
- Lest we forget Last year I was at the Royal Hospital Chelsea for Remembrance Sunday, yesterday I went to the Service at Sherborne Abbey. I'd be interested to know if anyone (like the British Legion) has recorded a larger turnout than last year. continue reading on 10th November 2008 in Basra Journal
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Slick but no connection
12:30 Monday, Central London (sometime in the last couple of weeks). Briefing on Iraq visit. Final questions:
Me: Can I blog when I'm there?
Media Ops Officer: No.
Me: Can I twitter?
Media Ops Officer: Can you what?* continue reading on 6th November 2008 in Basra Journal - 'Comprehensive' but not yet an 'approach' The last five years in Basra and southern Iraq has been something of an experiment for the UK Military's Comprehensive Approach. For those unfamiliar with the term it is: a conceptual framework which can be used to reinvigorate the existing, Cabinet Office-led, approach to coordinating the objectives and activities of Government Departments in identifying, analysing, planning and executing national responses to complex situations. To you and me it's joined-up Government or 'A... continue reading on 4th November 2008 in Basra Journal
- Opportunity knocks Last week I was in Basra, Iraq’s second largest city, located along the Shatt al-Arab waterway. The city is rich with potential: It sits on some of the world's largest untapped oil reserves; the port of Umm Qasr is downstream, while the International Airport is close by. The city still suffers from the effects of five years of conflict, rule by militia and competing political factions. Sewage runs along the streets in the city’s slums, the lack of fresh water remains an issue, electricity is temperamental and trash lies everywhere. But the city is arguably the safest it has been since the start of the conflict in 2003. And this is good news. continue reading on 3rd November 2008 in Basra Journal