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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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New Atlanticist

Jun 11, 2009

Europe’s Lunatic Fringe in Charge?

By James Joyner

The Economist says Sunday was “a worrying night for those who believe in a Europe of open borders” noting that, “In many countries, large protest votes went to populist, fringe and hard-right politicians vowing to close borders, repatriate immigrants or even dismantle the European Union in its current form.”

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jun 11, 2009

Africa: Next Steps

By Lynn Roche

In the weeks before President Obama’s July trip to Ghana lies an extraordinary opportunity to set the tone for the U.S. approach to Africa in this administration.  Doing so can take advantage of the enormous amount of experience, expertise and plain-old goodwill that exists in an area that doesn’t often make the front page. 

New Atlanticist

Jun 11, 2009

Why Obama Can’t Reset Relations with Putin’s Russia

By Alexander Motyl

U.S. President Barack Obama wants to “reset” America’s relations with Russia, but the nature of the Russian regime won’t permit much change. Obama can easily reject the style and correct the mistakes of his predecessor, George W. Bush, but doing so will not alter the fact that Putin’s Russia must engage in imperialist rhetoric and […]

Russia United States and Canada

NATOSource

Jun 10, 2009

France names 2 generals to new NATO posts

By Taiwan News

From Taiwan News: “(Associated Press): Sarkozy has proposed Gen. Stephane Abrial to head the NATO transformation command in Norfolk, Va., and Gen. Phillippe Stoltz to lead an operational command of rapid reaction forces in Lisbon. They would succeed two American officers.”

NATO Security & Defense

NATOSource

Jun 10, 2009

Latvia: Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins and German Defence Minister highlight significance of new NATO Strategic Concept

By isria.com

From isria.com: “Mr Riekstins expressed gratitude for Germany’s contribution to date to the airspace patrolling mission in the Baltic states.The minister emphasised that NATO’s airspace patrolling policy is a powerful evidence of the indivisibility of Allied security. Besides, the airspace patrolling mission is a clear and tangible proof of NATO presence that in its turn […]

NATOSource

Jun 10, 2009

Baku hosts NATO Workshop

By apa.az

From apa.az: “The NATO Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council has today kicked off a workshop “Energy Security: Challenges and New Opportunities, bringing together representatives from NATO, Azerbaijan’s relevant bodies and foreign diplomatic services based in Baku.”

New Atlanticist

Jun 10, 2009

Iran’s Election and U.S. Foreign Policy

By Bernard Finel

The Administration of George W. Bush was close to an unmitigated disaster for the image of the United States abroad. His ill-informed, often offensive, and counter-productive public statements and policy preferences set back American national security dramatically. Trying to undo some of the damage of the Bush years is the reason that President Obama has […]

Iran United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Jun 10, 2009

Wars of Necessity and Wars of Choice

By Harlan Ullman

Wars are ultimately about judgment and should be so regarded and defined.

New Atlanticist

Jun 9, 2009

Progress on East-West Energy Corridor Continues

By Alexandros Petersen

These days it seems like the East-West Energy and Transport Corridor is being undermined from almost every direction. The grand idea of the 1990s – which saw the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipedream became an enormously successful reality – seems to be faltering a decade later.

Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Jun 9, 2009

European Parliament Elections in Multimedia

By Deirdre Shannon and Ben Fifield

A number of trends emerged from this weekend’s European Parliament elections: the center-right parties maintained their dominance, voters again used the elections as a mid-term appraisal of their national governments and voter turnout continued its downward trajectory.

European Union International Organizations