Cameron to Georgia this weekend, Miliband to visit next week

David Cameron has stolen a further march on the government by heading out to Georgia before either the Foreign Secretary, who is going next week, or the Prime Minister. With Russian troops only 15 miles from Tbilisi, the Georgian government is keen for any signs of international solidarity and so Cameron can be assured of a warm reception. He will be there at the same time as a host of key players on the world stage—Condi Rice is in Tbilisi at the moment and several European leaders are expected there over the...

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Omagh rememberance marred by McGuinness's presence

Omagh

Highlights of the 10th Anniversary commemoration of victims of the Omagh bomb: lashing rain; Martin McGuinness laying a wreath in honour of victims of republican terrorism; Terry Waite telling us about good Jews who work for peace and bad Jews who persecute Palestinians; the Omagh Waterford Peace Choir ('not a Prod amongst them', said my Presbyterian friend, observing them all blessing themselves) singing a hymn with the lines 'Lord, there are times when I have to ask, "What?" -/Times when your love is not easy to spot'; 'a Dialogue, in music,...

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Weekend reading

If Coffee Housers haven’t already read Bob Kagan’s The Return of History and the End of Dreams,  I would thoroughly recommend that you do so. In only a hundred pages or so, Kagan explains why ideological competition is now a factor once again in great power politics and examines the probable consequences of Russia’s desire to reassert itself in its near abroad. Following Russia’s actions in Georgia this past week, the book seems particularly relevant.

Yet another reason to read it is that Kagan is probably the most important intellectual influence on John McCain’s foreign policy thinking. 

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Our low expectations

Today’s Times tells the heart-warming story of Alex Griffiths who was kidnapped as an infant and has now achieved an A and two Bs at A-level to win her place at university.  The story certainly has the feel-good factor, but one part struck me as depressing:

"Her mother, Dawn Griffiths, a nanny from Middlesbrough, was paid £110,000 for the story, but rather than spend it, she put all the money into a fund to give her daughter the education that she never had. The sacrifice - which allowed Alex to attend

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Pickles responds

Here are Eric Pickles’s answers to the questions posed by Coffee Housers:

 Victoria Street

"Devolving power downwards from Westminster doesn't mean that the blame can always be devolved downwards. Are you prepared for the inevitable slew of critical media that is an inevitable result of letting go the reins? Can you resist the temptation to intervene? Can you take the pressure of Labour and Liberal Democrat authorities demanding central government action to pay for their local mistakes?"

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