Atlantic Council blogs

The Gates Speech Aftermath

By Nikolas Gvosdev

The “farewell address” delivered by outgoing Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to the North Atlantic Alliance last Friday was a stark warning that “business as usual” cannot continue much longer.

Who Needs NATO? We All Do

By Ivo H. Daalder, the International Herald Tribune

From Ivo H. Daalder, the International Herald Tribune:  Today, more than 150,000 troops participate in six NATO operations on three continents.

Update: NATO activities in Libya on June 16

By NATO

Gates was far too nice about NATO’s failings

By Constanze Stelzenmüller, the Financial Times

From Constanze Stelzenmüller, the Financial Times:  Last week America’s departing secretary of defence, Robert Gates, gave a valedictory “shock and awe” speech in Brussels in which he excoriated the military weaknesses of Nato’s European members.

Could a Turkish Buffer Enable a New Syria?

By Anna Borshchevskaya

Almost 10,000 Syrian refugees have entered Turkey over the last several days, as the Syrian government escalates its crackdown on protesters. While this is a large number, the Turkish daily Posta suggests Ankara fears much worse—that a civil war in Syria could flood Turkey with 200,000 more refugees. During a recent summit in Ankara, Turkish […]

Libya and the War Powers Act

By the Editors of the New York Times

From the Editors of the New York Times:  It would be hugely costly — for this country’s credibility, for the future of NATO and for the people of Libya — if Congress were to force President Obama to abandon military operations over Libya.

Greece’s Foreign Policy Options and the Fiscal Crisis

By Marios Efthymiopoulos

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has dissolved his government in the wake of 21 days of nationwide protests. The government failed to hold a parliamentary vote that was due on Wednesday morning on the agreement for a new EU deal for another loan and an extension on the payment of the current IMF and EU […]

U.S. and Europe making progress in cyber security

By John D. Banusiewicz, American Forces Press Service

From John D. Banusiewicz, American Forces Press Service:  In cyberspace, the more attack signatures you can see, and the more intrusions you can trace, the better your defense will be,” he [Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III] explained.

Kissinger Offers Mixed Reviews of Obama China Policy

By James Joyner

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wonders whether something like the opening to China he and President Nixon undertook would be possible today. He believes that the U.S. government is "too complex" these days, with "too many urgent things" forcing a focus on the everyday and preventing bold, strategic moves. Furthermore, even if a strategic […]