Major Edgar “Paddy” O'Ballance (17 July 1918, Dublin, Ireland – 8 July 2009, Wakebridge, Derbyshire, England[1][2]) was an Irish-born British military journalist, researcher, defence commentator and academic lecturer specialising in international relations and defence problems.
[8] In 1968 he transferred from the General List (Territorial Army) to the General List (Regular Army Reserve of Officers) and having achieved the age limit on 17 July 1968 (his 50th birthday) retired retaining the rank of major.
He covered over twenty wars and insurgencies and wrote extensively on international relations, defence and strategic problems.
He was a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies and Chairman of the London-based Military Commentators' Circle.
[10] O'Ballance was the originator of the phrase "mad dog of the Middle East" when referring to Muammar al-Gaddafi while on the lecture circuit in the USA.