Ben Tonra

Ben Tonra

@bentonra.bsky.social

Professor of International Relations at UCD Dublin; Dundrum Methodist Church; Royal Irish Academy; Azure Forum, IDSA and Gym Dad. Mix of Mayo, Kerry, West Virginia and suburban Maryland.

4.1K followers904 following2.4K posts

Ben Tonra reposted

Ursula von der Leyen
@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu

Congratulations to my friend Lula on his electoral victory. Democracy and multilateralism have won in Brazil. Europe’s partnership with Brazil is thriving. We will remain by your side for the years to come.

Ben Tonra reposted

Anne Applebaum
@anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu

In one day, two politicians - Bolsonaro in Brazil and Vucic in Serbia - with ties to Trump have lost surprise elections thanks to high turnout. The rise of the international far-right is not inevitable.

Ben Tonra reposted

Dr Keith 🎃 Wilson
@keithwilson.eu

“The harsh reality is that State funding per student is now over 30% lower in real terms than in 2008. This country ranks 36th out of 37 OECD countries for investment in higher education as a share of GDP” #HigherEducation #Ireland #SpeirGorm

RTÉ News@news.rte.ie

Universities are to tell an Oireachtas committee that they are at capacity and teetering on a cliff-edge unless the Government addresses a funding gap in higher education.

rte.ieUniversities warn funding gap leaves sector at cliff-edgeUniversities are to tell an Oireachtas committee that they are at capacity and teetering on a cliff-edge unless the Government addresses a funding gap in higher education.

Ben Tonra reposted

Aaron Rupar
@atrupar.com

“He’s got the White House looking like Saddam opened up a Cheesecake Factory" Obama just spoke to an ELECTRIC audience in Ohio, skewering Trump & Hegseth and making the case that while we may be stuck with the same POTUS until 2029, we are not stuck with a spineless do-nothing Congress Highlights:

Ben Tonra reposted

JoeMyGod
@joemygod.bsky.social

NYT: Kremlin Is Secretly Funding Alaska Energy Project...

joemygod.comNYT: Kremlin Is Secretly Funding Alaska Energy ProjectThe New York Times reports: At first blush, the proposed venture looks like it would further the Trump administration’s goal of global “energy dominance.” An American energy company intends to buy Russian technology and use it to access a massive supply of natural gas in Alaska, liquefy it and export it to allies abroad. The Kremlin and the White House were interested in the idea.
Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

I want to get a big research project funded: “why do psychotic males succeed as tech entrepreneurs?” Any takers?!

@amybisinthewoods.bsky.social 🍄🍄‍🟫@amybdogsandfungi.bsky.social

“Palantir cofounder and CEO Alex Karp states ‘AI will undermine the influence of highly educated, often female voters and give it to working class men. We have feminine energy running our cities and our courts,’ he complained.”

futurism.comCEO of Palantir Says AI Will Seize Power Away From College-Educated WomenPalantir CEO Alex Karp said AI would disrupt "humanities trained" and "Democratic voters" who are largely women.
Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

Their election literature and broadcasts should come with a tag line ‘I’m Vladimir Putin and I endorse this message’

Joni Askola@joniaskola.bsky.social

When it comes to Russia, these two are the exact same. Historically, the French had a word for this: collabo

Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

How many elections will we let Putin win overseas (US, France, Germany, etc) when he hasn’t won a fair one of his own at home?

Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

Follow the money…

Eric Lipton NYT@ericlipton.nytimes.com

JUST POSTED: A Russian energy giant has secretly moved to acquire a position in a massive Alaska gas project. Its part of talks between Witkoff/Kushner & Putin. But CEO of US company resigns after learning of Russian money in the project. A wowzer of a story. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/23/u...

nytimes.comIn U.S. Gas Talks With Kremlin, Hidden Financing for Alaska Project EmergesInterviews and documents show a Russian energy giant secretly funded a U.S. firm. The deal has been discussed in talks to end the war in Ukraine.
Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

Defence Forces to seek more than 550 armoured vehicles from France “Vehicles will transform Army from mostly peacekeeping force to military capable of limited conventional war fighting” I’m thinking it takes rather more than that… www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

irishtimes.comDefence Forces to seek more than 550 armoured vehicles from FranceVehicles will transform Army from mostly peacekeeping force to military capable of limited conventional war fighting
Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

Sounds like active attempt at societal destabilisation… qui bono?

francesco strazzari@zaz.bsky.social

Something disturbing is happening in North Italy. Amidst mass mobilization, high school students are receiving waves of alarming messages on their phones, warning of imminent violence, sexual assaults and chaos in public spaces. Many of these warnings appear to be fabricated. 1/

Ben Tonra reposted

Conor Gallagher
@conorgallagher.bsky.social

At the @iiea today, EU sanctions chief David O'Sullivan was asked about our investigation into Aughinish Alumina. He said Irish alumina “undoubtedly” ended up supplying, at least in part, the Russia's military. “I think there's no doubt the investigative journalists got it right”

Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

Loving the opposition line being used against the Taoiseach for his volte face on the Triple Lock. They ask ‘what’s changed’ since his 2013 support for it. A reasonable answer? “The world”

Ben Tonra reposted

Captain Europe (retired)
@captaineurope.bsky.social

It took him almost two years to notice? Where has he been?

Dave Keating@davekeating.substack.com

"We no longer have America as an ally on climate," EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra tells the Europa Power conference in Strasbourg. It's not every day you hear such an acknowledgement from the 🇪🇺Commission.

Ben Tonra reposted

EUwatch 🇪🇺
@euwatch.live

Guerre en Ukraine : galvanisé par le soutien de Donald Trump, Vladimir Poutine ne cède rien

lemonde.frGuerre en Ukraine : galvanisé par le soutien de Donald Trump, Vladimir Poutine ne cède rienReçu par le président russe près de Saint-Pétersbourg, mercredi, Steve Witkoff, l’émissaire de Donald Trump, a rendu hommage au maître du Kremlin, saluant son profil « humanitaire ». Il n’en est pas moins reparti sans obtenir la moindre concession de son hôte, qui rejette toute idée de trêve avec Kiev.

Ben Tonra reposted

Jorge Liboreiro
@jorgeliboreiro.bsky.social

Trump "was never going to support Ukraine, and was going to take the Russian side; the signs were all there," former US General Ben Hodges tells @shonamurray.bsky.social. "What he has done to Ukraine was entirely predictable."

euronews.comTrump is siding with Russia against Ukraine, US general tells EuronewsFormer US Army lieutenant General Ben Hodges warns that Washington’s approach is weakening Ukraine’s defences, while former US ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker urges Europe to prepare for a future with ...
Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

There are books to be written about the collapse of the US republic. Whole chapters will detail the existential failures of the media, the law, universities, interest groups, unions & the corporate sector. The failure of the constitutional system of ‘checks and balances’ will also be central.

Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

💯 true…. “And one of the ironies of the current argument is that the people who previously said that the triple lock was central to neutrality now say it’s not, and the people who previously said it was meaningless for our neutrality now say it is essential.”

Ben Tonra reposted

Lord Speaker
@lordspeaker.parliament.uk

"Ukraine is not anyone's to give. This war is about Ukrainians wanting to decide their own future." Dr Fiona Hill, former advisor to the White House on Russia, delivering the latest Lord Speaker's lecture to a packed room @houseoflords.parliament.uk My thanks to Lord Ahmad for chairing.

Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

Liar. Pure and simple.

Grainne Brennan@grainnebrennan.bsky.social

t.me/noel_reports... Rubio acknowledged that Patriot interceptors bought by Europe for Ukraine may still be awaiting Hegseth’s approval, saying the US constantly reviews whether they are needed elsewhere. He denied any political order to withhold support or early-warning intelligence from Kyiv.🦬💩

t.meNOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦Rubio acknowledged that Patriot interceptors bought by Europe for Ukraine may still be awaiting Hegseth’s approval, saying the US constantly reviews whether they are needed elsewhere. He denied any po...
Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

No longer an alliance… it’s a US owned prison.

Olga Nesterova@onestpress.onestnetwork.com

Telegraph: The White House has blocked the transfer of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, US officials have said. The transfer of interceptor missiles from countries friendly to Ukraine requires the approval of Pete Hegseth. I’ve been screaming about it for years - you use/sell/donate US tech on US terms

Ben Tonra reposted

Olga Nesterova
@onestpress.onestnetwork.com

Telegraph: The White House has blocked the transfer of Patriot missiles to Ukraine, US officials have said. The transfer of interceptor missiles from countries friendly to Ukraine requires the approval of Pete Hegseth. I’ve been screaming about it for years - you use/sell/donate US tech on US terms

Ben Tonra reposted

Ralph Janik
@ralphjanik.com

The US is on Russia's side. China is on Russia's side. North Korea is on Russia's side. Iran is on Russia's side.

NOELREPORTS@noelreports.com

Ukraine’s Air Force says US intelligence warning did not arrive during Russia’s evening ballistic attack on Kyiv, forcing Ukrainian forces to detect the missiles themselves. A US warning arrived around 3 a.m., but too late for a full response, Yurii Ihnat said. #Ukraine

Ben Tonra reposted

Jay in Kyiv
@jayinkyiv.bsky.social

With Ukraine continuing to liberate territory, the month of October is proving to be a bountiful one for Ukrainian Armed Forces, with three of the all time highest Russian casualty days coming in the past two weeks alone. This Saturday was the 2nd highest day on record, with 2090.

Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

Either he knows and is lying Or he doesn’t know and he’s pointless

NOELREPORTS@noelreports.com

Marco Rubio says he has no information about a missing US warning before Russia’s ballistic attack on Kyiv overnight, noting previous cases involved “software problems.” He also denied Zelensky’s claim that some US intelligence sharing was paused this week. #US

Ben Tonra
@bentonra.bsky.social

US actively frustrating and impeding Ukrainian efforts to defend civilian population. Looks increasingly like US colluding with Russia.

NOELREPORTS@noelreports.com

Ukraine’s Air Force says US intelligence warning did not arrive during Russia’s evening ballistic attack on Kyiv, forcing Ukrainian forces to detect the missiles themselves. A US warning arrived around 3 a.m., but too late for a full response, Yurii Ihnat said. #Ukraine

Ben Tonra reposted

Hoodlum 🇺🇸
@nothoodlum.bsky.social

Poland’s Foreign Minister Sikorski: basically calling Trump a liar. “The US no longer finances this war since January of last year. In other words, for more than a year and a half. The US has not contributed a single cent to the defense of Ukraine. We are doing it. Europe.”