Fred Halliday has died. There are tributes up at OpenDemocracy from Anthony Barnett and David Hayes. Fred was one of the outstanding scholars and political commentators of his generation, his writings of a range, astuteness and erudition that won readers all over the world. He wrote with a directness and clarity that were always a pleasure to read. His commitments to internationalism and human rights were at the centre of his recent work. I've known Fred since 1976. For the last two decades, he was also a friend. It is a sad loss.