Just saw
#Oppenheimer
. A short side thread. In the film, the sinister Boris Pash makes a short appearance. He interrogates Oppenheimer on his communist contacts. Lt. Gen. Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) tells Oppenheimer that Pash is used to kidnapping and torturing people... 1/5
@ThePhDPlace
I asked an incredibly mean question, demeaning the work and intellect of people at non elite institutions and now I’m being criticised. Poor me.
Now that I have accepted it, I'm pleased to announce that I will start new research project on the politics of covert action in 2022. The project - The CIA, Congress, and covert action: the politics of selective disclosure - is funded by a
@BritishAcademy_
small grant.
🧵My encounter with
#JimmyCarter
. In 2011, I took the first research trip of my PhD. I travelled to Atlanta, to visit the Carter Library. After the first week, I became friend with the Library’s secretary. One day, she told me that President Carter would visit the Library's cafè.
🚨So, quite the birthday gift. I can confirm that I have signed a contract with
@EdinburghUP
for my book The President's Kill List: assassination and US foreign policy since the Cold War. Thanks
@RoryCormac
and
@ersevius
for your help and support. Now, I just need to write it 😀
New documentary: “Spy Ops” on Netflix. Covering CIA special ops from the 1970s to the 2000s. Particularly interested in the Noriega episode. Something I cover in my book but is very understudied.
In a great turn of events, I had my first ever interview on
@BBCNews
this morning. It was such an honour and a great pleasure. Thanks to staff at BBC News and to
@RUSI_org
and
@JEyal_RUSI
for the opportunity to write a commentary yesterday, which opened the doors to it.
@KimGhattas
At what point will Israel's allies (as calls to the international community are pointless at this point) will have a real talk with the guy and say enough is enough?
as well as making them disappear. In the movie, there is a fleeting suggestion that Pash was involved in the suicide (homicide?) of Oppenheimer's lover Jean Tetlock. Boris Pash appears in my upcoming book on the US government's involvement in assassination.
🚨Call for papers/contributions: I'm organising a conference/workshop at
@SwanseaUni
on state-sponsored assassinations in international history, politics, and law (I am also hoping to draw interest from scholars in forensic toxicology). 16-17th of May, 2023.
I'm updating my
#IR
syllabus to give more space to post-colonialism, non-western approaches, and
#race
and
#racism
in IR. Do you have any accessible reading recommendations? And, yes, I know I'm a white western male.
#AcademicChatter
#AcademicTwitter
@TgLa7
Ovviamente, Barbero parla dell'importanza dell'antifascismo, di come ci fosse un lato giusto e uno sbagliato, e di come non bisogna limitarsi alla memoria individuale. E voi titolate: 'Ho avuto on nonno fucilato dai partigiani.' Applausi.
In the early years of the CIA, he was in charge of the Agency's Policy Branch 7. According to the testimony of Pash's deputy at the time, the Branch had a charter which included assassination. This was revealed in an addenda to the Interim Report on assassination...
The start of 2021 has been a nightmare. This makes it incredibly better. My article on
#norm
contestation,
#assassination
, and the
#Reagan
years out soon in
@Journal_of_GSS
. I'll do a proper thread on it when it's published. Now, I'll book myself some Chinese food to celebrate.
Happy to report that after about 10 months and 150000 words, the main content of my book is written. Now, only introduction and conclusion left. Plus some ruthless editing as I need to cut about 25000 of those words. Any volunteers?
According to the report one of the targets considered for assassination by PB/7 was the leader of Chinese nationalist Chiang Kai-Shek. This was one of the earliest post-WWII assassination plots discussed (and eventually dropped) by US officials.
@ucu
Just a thought here, but instead of suggesting we listen to a podcast, why don't you send out a clear message with bullet points on what has ALREADY been achieved in practice, what is still pending etc.
of the Church Committee. Howard Hunt of later Watergate fame also allegedly had a meeting with Pash to discuss the assassination of a suspected Albanian double-agent during BGFIEND. Pash denied ever being involved in assassination.
I know it's not finished. There is a lot of work left. But after years of research, one year of writing, and 160000 or so words (I know, way too many), a first full draft of my book is done.
@ucu
I have to say your communication strategy has been incredibly poor. You have constantly claimed great victories, but we have seen nothing thus far.
With all the publicity surrounding
#FireAndFury
, I just finished
@brianklaas
’s The Despot’s Apprentice on the dangers
@realDonaldTrump
poses to American democracy, politics, and foreign policy. Strongly recommended.
So, this was just confirmed. Ceremony on the 2nd of November in Cardiff. After that, I'll be officially a British citizen (as well as an Italian one). I might do a thread another time on how I feel about this, but for the moment, I'm very glad that the application was approved.
Some of my first political memories are of my grandad insulting Saddam and Milosevic on TV. Much of my passion for politics probably comes from him. I lost my grandmother in March and since then he has been in a local care home. He is doing great both mentally and physically.
@dbessner
This is a very dumb tweet. Competence or success were never a requirement for fascism or authoritarianism. Historically, the opposite has often been the case.
It would be really helpful if on
@zoom_us
you could create break-out rooms during a meeting and then allow participants to pick what room they want to be in (e.g. to discuss different topics). Any similar solution?
@AcademicChatter
New research assistant visited the office for the first time today. Ready to hit the ground running (and stopping for a wee every few seconds). The contribution made so far, though, is minimal.
Today we said goodbye to our old dog Rocky. He was the nicest dog, a quiet, gentle soul. Hopefully, his last few years with us were pleasant and comforting for him. 💔
With an (attempted)
#assassination
in the news once again, a new opportunity to recommend my favourite
@five_books
on the topic. ‘The Best Books on State-Sponsored Assassination.’
I’ve donated a copy of my
@EdinburghUP
book to
@OxfamCastleSt
. There will be a book talk on 8 July at 7pm in the shop. If you are around, see you there.
Do I challenge perceptions? Possibly. Do I uncover historical truths? When I’m lucky! In any case, listen in for a chat about my book and state-sponsored assassinations more broadly.
Curious about the covert side of international relations? Dr Luca Trenta delves deep into the murky world of state-backed assassinations, challenging perceptions and uncovering historical truths
My article: 'Death by Reinterpretation: Dynamics of
#Norm
Contestation and the US Ban on
#Assassination
in the Reagan Years'
@Journal_of_GSS
is now available on-line. I might do a thread tomorrow, but if you want to start reading, you can find it here:
I was supposed to travel to Calgary for the
@SocIntelHist
conference today. Instead, I am in Italy. On Saturday, my grandad passed away. He was 95. He was a very important and present figure in my life. Above all, my passion for politics comes from him. A short 🧵
🚨We are hiring. Come and work with us
@PCS_Swansea
. We are looking for a Lecturer in
#IR
. Happy to have a chat about the post. Also feel free to contact HoD
@wallmt
.
VIDEO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was welcomed by the public as he casted his vote in the Nov. 26 elections for provincial, city and county people’s assemblies at the Ryongsong Machine Complex.
These people. They hate academia and everything it stands for. They don’t give a flying f*ck about research and science, and now they are all out in force with their vapid talking points celebrating a ‘deal’ for something we already had before they gave us Brexit.
DEAL DONE: The UK is joining Horizon Europe.
Following negotiations with
@EU_Commission
, UK scientists will now have access to the world’s largest research and innovation programme on better terms for British taxpayers.
It’s another step to grow the economy. Here’s why ⬇️
Me: I can’t thank participants enough. They made the conference on assassinations a great success.
Faculty: It would be good to have an A1 poster on the main outcomes of the conference.
Main outcome of the conference so far:
🚨Book Talk alert: "State-sponsored assassination: from the Cold War to the present" as part of the SPIN Talks Series. Wednesday 3pm. Free on Zoom. via
@research_SPIN
I have long been convinced of the timeliness of my research, but I did not expect this kind of timeliness. "The President can now assassinate you. Officially.'
@richardmaass
In the summer, I asked a very similar question. i compiled a reading list based on the recommendations I received. You can find it here: (Not all are post-2010 though).
Very interesting article on 'fashionable' labels for war. I wonder whether the same could be said of 'remote,' 'network-centric' and many other labels. ‘Hybrid warfare’ as an academic fashion
There is no need to go through all the amazing things that Carter and the Carter Center have done in the post-presidency. Their demeanour and grace, their love for each other, the attentiveness and care with which they talked to me, a nobody from nowhere. Just unforgettable.
@Phil_Baty
@timeshighered
If only the leading journal on the sector could have raised the alarm about this years ago and banged the drum constantly, eh?!
Currently reading Shadow State by
@lukeharding1968
. It is so infuriating. Russian lackeys like
#Farage
are back and British media gives them prime time.
Yes,
#Biden
's debate was awful, but, as usual, US media was worse. No one called for
#Trump
to leave the race and he is (likely) a rapist, a coup plotter, corrupt, treasonous, a convicted felon, and - at best - a Russian 'useful idiot.' A bit of actual balance wouldn't hurt.
Quite fitting that on the CIA's birthday, I have submitted both an article on Guatemala '54, secrecy, and the politics of selective disclosure, and the final version of my book The President's Kill List for
@EdinburghUP
.
🎪 Festival alert!
Join EUP author
@lucatrenta
as he discusses The President's Kill List with
@OliverBullough
at the 2024 Hay Festival. Together, they'll dive into the US government's involvement in assassination plots since 1945.
Find out more 👉
My
@Journal_of_GSS
article on the Reagan Administration and the ban on assassination is now open access. Of interest to colleagues working on
#norms
, covert action, assassination/targeted killing, and US foreign policy. Have a read here:
Research find of the day
@USNatArchives
. In January 1970, the CIA compiled this report titled: 'Power moves involved in the overthrow of an unfriendly government.'
Since I’m about to publish a book, I won’t name names. But sometimes I find what is labelled as exceptional scholarship to be utter common sense described in pretty words. Rant over.