Atlantic Council blogs

Time for Strategic Learning

By Harlan Ullman

British Field Marshall Viscount Alanbrooke of Brookebrorough, one of World War II’s most accomplished and distinguished generals, regularly complained about the lack of American strategic thinking. In Alanbrooke’s view (and Churchill’s too) Washington was too anxious to open a second front the continent and woefully unprepared to face the superior Nazi Army in battle. Hence, […]

Russia to Triple State Defense Order by 2015

By RIA Novosti

Japan’s Coming Challenges: What Awaits Shinzo Abe

By Rajan Menon

Shinzo Abe became prime minister of Japan—its seventh in six years —after his Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for all but four years since 1955, won parliamentary elections resoundingly, ending a three-year interlude by the Democratic Party of Japan.

Will the Egyptian Pound Drop Below 7 to the US Dollar?

By Mohsin Khan and Svetlana Milbert

It is almost a truism that when a minister of finance or a central bank governor says that the currency will not be devalued, it is time to short the currency in question and bet on devaluation. By extension, the same holds when the country’s financial managers specify a floor for the exchange rate when […]

Top News: Conflicting Statements on Egypt Opposition Forces Attending Morsi’s National Dialogue Talks

By Egypt Source

Continuing his work in the Presidency on a voluntary and temporarily basis, former Egyptian vice president Mahmoud Mekki announced that opposition coalition National Salvation Front (NSF) will participate in the next round of National Dialogue. National Salvation Front Spokesperson Hussein Abdel Ghany, however, has denied Mekki’s remarks. GOVERNMENT & OPPOSITION Conflicting statements emerge on Egypt […]

Majority of British polled support pre-emptive cyber attacks

By Tom Whitehead, Telegraph

From Tom Whitehead, Telegraph:  The majority of the public believe pre-emptive strikes are justified if enemy states or hi-tech criminals pose a threat to national security. Earlier this year, a committee of MPs and peers said Britain should declare cyber war on those who target the country through aggressive retaliatory strikes to destroy their operations. […]

Fewer NATO fatalities in Afghanistan during 2012, but insider attacks up

By Denis D. Gray and Rahim Faiez, AP

From Denis D. Gray and Rahim Faiez, AP:  Violence in Afghanistan fell in 2012, but more Afghan troops and police who now shoulder most of the combat were killed, according to statistics compiled by The Associated Press.

NATO Secretary General welcomes progress on Afghan transition

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  I welcome President Karzai’s announcement of the fourth group of Afghan provinces, cities and districts to undergo transition in the coming months. With this decision, the Afghan security forces will be taking the lead for security for 87% of the Afghan population and 23 of the 34 Afghan provinces.

US Ambassador to NATO urges European allies to spend Afghan withdrawal savings on defense

By Nick Hopkins, Guardian

From Nick Hopkins, Guardian:  The UK and other European countries must use the money saved by withdrawing from Afghanistan to re-equip their military and help reverse worrying cuts in defence spending, the American ambassador to Nato will warn on Tuesday.

Cliff Politics

By Julian Lindley-French

First century Roman senator and historian Tacitus railing against the greed of imperial Rome said, “To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace”.