Phillips’s Newsletter

Phillips’s Newsletter primarily focuses on the ongoing Russo-Ukraine War, offering detailed updates, strategic analyses, and reflections on domestic and international politics affecting the conflict. It provides insights into military operations, the impact of political decisions, and broader geopolitical implications while occasionally touching on US politics and strategic history.

Russo-Ukraine War International Politics Military Strategy Geopolitical Implications US Politics Strategic/Military History

The hottest Substack posts of Phillips’s Newsletter

And their main takeaways

The 2024 elections: Glass Half Empty or Half Full?

28 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Biden administration Policy Voting Patterns Democracy
  1. There are contradictory indicators about the upcoming US presidential election, with under-counted Democratic support in polls and increasing voter support for Trump.
  2. The author admits bias in wanting Trump to lose due to concerns about his threat to democracy, expressing a preference for Joe Biden over Trump.
  3. Pessimism about defeating Trump stems from a change in voter preferences towards Trump, particularly in distinct ethnic demographics.

AI is starting to Rule the Battlefield

8 HN points • 22 Jan 24
🕹 Technology AI Weapons Warfare Ethics Security
  1. AI is increasingly being used to control weapons of war, potentially removing humans from the decision-making process.
  2. The debate around AI and weapon control has evolved over time, with concerns about ethics, errors, and biases in data.
  3. War has a way of changing and accelerating technological developments, leading to the adoption of controversial systems on the battlefield.

Nuclear Weapons--The Good News and the Bad News

2 HN points • 05 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Nuclear Weapons International relations Geopolitical Tensions
  1. The future of nuclear weapons hinges on two distinct paths: continued non-proliferation efforts or a dangerous escalation of nuclear capabilities.
  2. Recent events have shown conflicting signals on the direction of nuclear policy, with Chinese intervention contrasting with Russian nuclear threats.
  3. It is crucial to pay attention to international signals, such as Chinese actions, amidst the heightened tensions surrounding nuclear weapons.

Weekend #70: Reflexive Control and Putin's Nuclear Threats

1 HN point • 03 Mar 24
🌍 World Politics Russia Ukraine Warfare Nuclear Propaganda
  1. Reflexive control is a strategic concept used by Russia to influence enemy decision-making by shaping their thought processes, even more critical than battlefield actions.
  2. Putin's deployment of nuclear threats as part of reflexive control tactics has successfully influenced Western countries like the USA and Germany in providing limited aid to Ukraine, despite numerous unfulfilled threats in the past.
  3. The recent high rate of Russian aircraft losses in Ukraine showcases a short-term risk strategy to target Ukrainian military weaknesses, indicating potential long-term consequences for Russia's airpower.
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