Top tweets on military and security in Q4 2019

1. Jens Stoltenberg’s tweet on NATO’s meeting with US President Donald Trump

Jens Stoltenberg, the 13th secretary general of NATO, tweeted about NATO’s meeting with the US President, Donald Trump in London. The influencer stated that NATO was adapting to various new challenges, and making progress towards defense expenditure.

Username: Jens Stoltenberg

Twitter handle: @jensstoltenberg

Retweets: 4203

Likes: 14,357

2. James Stavridis’ tweet on Trump’s interference on military justice

James Stavridis, a retired naval officer, shared an article on Trump’s interference on military justice, signifying conflicting interests among civilians and the military. The statement was with regards to the Gallagher case, where a retired navy SEAL officer had been convicted of war crimes and demoted.

Trump intervened in the judgement and not only reversed the demotion but also ordered that Gallagher’s Trident pin be secured with him, allowing him to retire as a navy SEAL officer. The influencer added that the SEAL should have taken decisions on the pin and his acquittal rather than the President.

Username: stavridisj

Twitter handle: @stavridisj

Retweets: 623

Likes: 2,335

3. Deborah Haynes’ tweet on political warfare threatening democracy

Deborah Haynes, a British journalist, tweeted on UK’s military chief, General Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter, warning of political warfare threatening democracy. She further added that the officer stated that this move was designed to challenge their strategic position in key regions of the world.

She further tweeted that the chief stated that modernising was not the solution alone, but how UK can react to change, step up its businesses and develop talent.

Username: Deborah Haynes

Twitter handle: @haynesdeborah

Retweets: 265

Likes: 442

4. Nicholas Drummond’s tweet on UK’s and Russia’s military balance

Nicholas Drummond, an ex-British army officer, tweeted on the military balance between UK and Russia. This was based on the latest IISS Military Balance data for 2019 and the UK MoD’s own personal statistics from October 2019. The influencer noted that removal of 81 mm mortar from the UK numbers would leave the country with only 238 artillery pieces.

Username: Nicholas Drummond

Twitter handle: @nicholadrummond

Retweets: 110

Likes: 414

5. Sir Humphrey’s tweet on the Royal Navy capabilities

Sir Humphrey, author of the defense blog Pinstripedline, tweeted on the capabilities of the Royal Navy. He further added that the Royal Navy was among the few navies capable of deploying a Task Group, refuelling at sea whilst flying fast jets. The video shows HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Northumberland frigate re-fuel with RFA Tideforce, a Tide-class replenishment tanker, while an F35 lands on HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Username: Sir Humphrey

Twitter handle: @pinstripedline

Retweets: 93

Likes: 526

6. Gabriele Molinelli’s tweet on Merlin crash landing on the Italian Caio Duilio

Gabriele Molinelli, a journalist at the New Journal, shared an article detailing the hard landing of an Italian Navy’s Merlin helicopter on the Horizon class destroyer Caio Duilio. The influencer noted that all six helicopter crew members survived the accident.

Username: Gabriele Molinelli

Twitter handle: @Gabriel64869839

Retweets: 88

Likes: 212

7. Ulrike Franke’s retweet on Macron’s call for a debate about European defense & NATO

Ulrike Franke, a policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, retweeted on French politician, Emmanuel Macron’s call for a debate about European defense and NATO. The three scenarios included keeping NATO, Europeanising NATO, and new formats without NATO.

Username: Ulrike Franke

Twitter handle: @RikeFranke

Retweets: 77

Likes: 131

8. Jonathan Beale’s tweet on Iran’s threat to British shipping in the Gulf

Jonathan Beale, a BBC news reporter, shared an article detailing Iran’s threat to British shipping in the Gulf. Admiral Tony Radakin, a senior Royal Navy officer, reported to BBC that Iran’s threat to British shipping had not gone away.

In July, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seized British-flagged tanker the Stena Impero in the Straits of Hormuz. Tony Radakin reported to BBC that the navy would maintain an intensified military presence in the Gulf.

Username: Jonathan Beale

Twitter handle: @bealejonathan

Retweets: 54

Likes: 89

9. Mike Yeo’s tweet on the withdrawal of KC-135Rs from service

Mike Yeo, Asia Reporter at Defense News, shared an article detailing the withdrawal of KC-135Rs from service by Singapore’s Ministry of Defence. The long-range jet tankers have served the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) for two decades and have been deployed in a number of exercises and missions.

Flown for the last time in June this year, KC-135Rs have helped to rebuild Iraq, evacuate victims from the Christchurch earthquake, and assisted in various refuelling missions.

Username: Mike Yeo

Twitter handle: @TheBaseLeg

Retweets: 47

Likes: 97

10. Aaron Mehta’s tweet on Iran’s missile firing at Iraqi bases housing US troops

Aaron Mehta, deputy editor and senior Pentagon correspondent for Defense News, shared an article on Iran’s missile attack at Iraqi bases housing US troops at al-Asad and Irbil.

The article further noted that Iran had developed a wide range of missiles, with some capable of striking Israel and Eastern Europe.

Username: Aaron Mehta

Twitter handle: @AaronMehta

Retweets: 436

Likes: 445