Atlantic Council blogs

US-Russia Relations: Reset—Fahgettaboudit; Get a New Hard Drive

By David Smith

American Vice President Joseph Biden whisked through Moscow and Chisinau last week, promoting the Obama Administration’s “reset” of US-Russian relations. Ushering Russia into the World Trade Organization, the VP said, is an American priority. He ticked through the accomplishments attributed to reset, leveled some unvarnished criticisms at his Russian hosts and exited through Moldova, an itinerary that […]

Kabul Spring: The End of the Beginning of NATO Operations in Afghanistan

By Derek Reveron

Spring officially began this week and the nice weather ushered in a new year (1390) in Afghanistan. If the blooming fruit trees and budding roses are indicative, the spring looks promising. To be sure, NATO and Afghan forces anticipate the challenges of a new fighting season. But NATO and Afghan military and police have also […]

Day 7 Partial NATO Breakthrough: “There will still be a coalition operation and a NATO operation”

By Slobodan Lekic, the AP

From Slobodan Lekic, the AP:  NATO agreed late Thursday to take over part of the military operations against Libya – enforcement of the no-fly zone – after days of hard bargaining among its members.

Diplomats mourn “death” of EU defence policy over Libya

By the DPA

Libya: The View from Germany

By Natascha Braumann

Almost a week after Germany’s abstention in the UN Security Council, the domestic political debate is as heated as ever. Lothar Rühl, writing in Wednesday’s Frankfurter Allgemeiner Zeitung, summarizes the confusion and disharmony among NATO allies over the establishment and enforcement of a no-fly zone over Libya. And, almost as an afterthought, he claims that […]

Turkey puts F-35 order on hold over US refusal to share technology

By Emre Soncan, Zaman

From Emre Soncan, Zaman:  Turkey has announced that it is putting the planned purchase of 100 F-35 fighter jets from the US on hold because the Pentagon refuses to share the source code used in the software designed for the aircraft

German leaders criticize Merkel’s split with NATO and European allies

By Steven Erlanger and Judy Dempsey, the New York Times

From Steven Erlanger and Judy Dempsey, the New York Times:  Driven by electoral pressures and Germany’s postwar aversion to war and nuclear power, Chancellor Angela Merkel has deeply strained relations with allies in the European Union and the NATO alliance

Libya and Africa

By Peter Pham

As Western-led operations against forces loyal to Libya’s Colonel Muammar Gaddafi continue, most analysis in the media has situated events in the context of the developments in the Middle East and its impact on it. Largely forgotten, however, is that Libya is an African power whose fate has significant implications for the rest of the […]

Putin visits Serbia and commemorates anniversary of NATO bombing campaign

By Henry Meyer, Bloomberg

NATO’s top military commander in Turkey

By the AP