Atlantic Council blogs

While Europe Scrimps, European Union Spends

By Stephen Castle, the New York Times

From Stephen Castle, the New York Times:  In Brussels, meanwhile, the bureaucracy that runs the European Union is haggling over how much to increase next year’s budget. In 2011, the European Union will pour billions more euros into the Continent’s regions for infrastructure and other projects. Spending on justice and security is set to rise […]

NATO seeks over a billion dollars for key security projects

By NC3A

From NC3A:  At the Industry Conference, NC3A officials have announced that during the next two years a range of potential business opportunities of up to as much as EUR 930 Million may be available, pending the approval of the Nations.  These opportunities range from re-competing the Afghanistan operational communications backbone, cyber defence, and improving NATO’s counter […]

Rebuilding Central Europe

By Kurt Volker

Central Europeans are known for their persistent pessimism. An old Hungarian joke sums it up well: "We know that next year is going to be an average year – because it’s going to be worse than this year, but better than the year after that." That glass-half-empty mentality was on public display in July 2009, […]

Kyrgyzstan’s Historic Elections: A Guide

By Meerim Abdieva and Ross Wilson

Kyrgyzstan’s political drama that began with the overthrow of President Bakiyev in April, violent ethnic clashes in the country’s south in June, and a constitutional referendum two weeks later reaches it next pivot point in parliamentary elections that take place on Sunday.

NATO reform key issue at upcoming meeting

By James Appathurai, NATO

From James Appathurai, NATO:  One element, reform of the command structure. There are quite well developed discussions now on reforming the command structure to make it more flexible, more cost effective, without diminishing the level of ambition or the capability.

German militants training in Pakistani border area

By David Rising, the AP

From David Rising, the AP:  Between 15 and 40 Germans and a smaller contingent of other Europeans are believed to be getting militant training in Pakistan’s lawless border region, intending to join the Taliban’s fight against NATO forces in neighboring Afghanistan or return to Europe and strike at the soft underbelly of those countries.

Hague: British defense budget will fall below NATO minimum

By James Kirkup, the Telegraph

From James Kirkup, the Telegraph:  Britain’s defence budget is likely to fall below the Nato minimum as a result of spending cuts, budget will fall below Nato minimum has admitted. It could be less than 2 per cent of gross domestic product, the minimum that alliance members are asked to spend on their militaries, the […]

The Case Against the Case Against NATO

By James Joyner, the New Atlanticist

From James Joyner, the New Atlanticist:  I share [Daniel] Larison’s skepticism of the value of many of the post-Cold War military adventures in which the United States has engaged.

Why a Terrorist Strike on Europe Risks Geopolitical Meltdown

By Tony Karon, Time

The Case Against the Case Against NATO

By James Joyner

 Daniel Larison‘s "The Case Against NATO"  makes compelling reading.  Here’s why it’s wrong. Larison charges: In the end, the main argument for perpetuating the NATO relic is that it provides the support structure for projecting power into remote parts of the globe where American interests are even less clearly defined. In other words, what once was […]