Fiona Byrd ✨

It sure would look better if Taiwan were to fall while our resources were consumed by domestic or alliance-wide crises that just made it impossible, darn it, to fulfill our assurances to protect the place

“What’s certain is that literature does not solve problems—instead, it creates them—and rather than happy, it makes people more apt to be unhappy. That’s how it is and it’s all part of my way of living and I wouldn’t change it for any other.” —Mario Vargas Llosa, 1979

'The pouches under his eyes were like purses that contained the smuggled memories of a disappointing life.' Graham Greene at the weekend

One month later, Alexander Vindman did testify before a closed session of the House Intelligence Committee, detailing an explosive quid pro quo he had heard Trump offer Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.