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Atlantic Council blogs provide short-form analyses from Council experts and a wider community of global voices on the world’s most important news stories.
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MENASource

Oct 11, 2012

The Dismissal of Abushagur and Libya’s Leadership Crisis

By Karim Mezran

The dismissal of prime minister-elect Mustafa Abushagur by the General National Congress (GNC) on October 7 came as a shock. Just days earlier, the prime minister had revealed his much-delayed list of cabinet nominees – an unwieldy twenty-five in total – to the congress and public at large. The proposed government was widely scorned, and […]

Libya

NATOSource

Oct 11, 2012

Canadian naval officer admits to spying for Russia

By AP

From AP:  A former Canadian Navy intelligence officer who pleaded guilty to espionage on Wednesday was selling secrets to the Russians for about $3,000 a month.

United Kingdom United States and Canada

NATOSource

Oct 10, 2012

Turkish F-16s force Syrian plane to land in Ankara and be inspected for carrying arms

By Suzan Fraser, AP

From Suzan Fraser, AP:  State-run TRT television said an Airbus A320 coming from Moscow was intercepted by F16 jets as it entered Turkish airspace and escorted to the capital’s Esenboga Airport. The station said authorities grounded the plane on suspicion that it was carrying heavy weapons. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Selcuk Unal confirmed to the Associated […]

New Atlanticist

Oct 10, 2012

Unintended Consequences

By Harlan Ullman

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld coined the phrase “unknown unknowns,” a snappier way to describe “unintended consequences.” Both refer to events that are unanticipated, unexpected and unpredictable.

Russia Syria

NATOSource

Oct 10, 2012

EU and NATO to overhaul Kosovo security after German criticism

By Angelika Stricker and Sebastian Moffett, Reuters

From Angelika Stricker and Sebastian Moffett, Reuters:  NATO plans to refocus its security operation in Kosovo on a mostly Serb northern border region after major contributor Germany said the EU’s police force was "on the wrong track" and placing too great a burden on NATO forces there, officials said on Wednesday.

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Oct 10, 2012

Italian radar passes NATO missile defense test

By NATO Communications and Information Agency

From NATO Communications and Information Agency:  A successful ‘Ensemble Test 2’ conducted by the NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency confirmed the compatibility of a new Italian sensor with the Alliance’s ballistic missile defence architecture.

United States and Canada

MENASource

Oct 10, 2012

Maspero Massacre: The Turning Point in Post-Revolution Egypt

By Abdel-Rahman Hussein

Of the many dark days Egypt has witnessed post-revolution, because of an archaic, failed state whose back is to the wall, lashing out at all and sundry, the Maspero massacre would most probably count as the darkest of them all.

MENASource

Oct 10, 2012

Top News: New Poll Puts President Approval Rating at 78 Percent

By Egypt Source

A public opinion poll released Wednesday gives President Mohamed Morsy a 78 percent approval rating during his first 100 days in office, much higher than some others conducted recently. 

NATOSource

Oct 10, 2012

NATO leaders unanimously vote for Gen. Allen to be new Supreme Allied Commander in Europe

By NATO

From NATO:  The North Atlantic Council has approved the appointment of General John Allen, currently the commander of the NATO-led ISAF mission in Afghanistan, as the new Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (SACEUR).

NATO Security & Defense

NATOSource

Oct 10, 2012

U.S. military task force sent to help Jordan with crisis in Syria

By Michael R. Gordon and Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times

From Michael R. Gordon and Elisabeth Bumiller, New York Times:  The United States military has secretly sent a task force of more than 150 planners and other specialists to Jordan

United States and Canada