Atlantic Council blogs

Turkey Needs NATO Just as Much as NATO Needs Turkey

By Sarwar Kashmeri

Dr. Soner Cagaptay from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy talks about the “New Turkey,” and its pivot to NATO with Sarwar Kashmeri, senior fellow, Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security and adjunct professor, Norwich University. (8 ½ minutes)

Estonia’s Defense Minister Stresses EU-NATO Cyber Cooperation

By Julian Hale, Defense News

From Julian Hale, Defense News:  Estonian Defense Minister Urmas Reinsalu strongly supported EU-NATO cyber defense cooperation at the Jan. 30 Global Cyber Security Conference here.

NATO Chief: Mali shows Europe must work to plug defense gaps

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

From Adrian Croft, Reuters:  France’s need for U.S. help during the Mali operation shows Europe must do more to fill worrying gaps in its defenses, NATO’s chief said on Thursday.

Egypt’s al-Azhar Talks

By Nancy Messieh and Tarek Radwan

At a press conference following the emergency national dialogue meeting held between members of the opposition and Islamist parties, prominent activist and revolutionary figure, Wael Ghonim said, "The aim of this meeting is not political, but rather to launch an initiative to stop the violence. It’s a moral initiative aimed at stopping the bloodshed. That […]

Top News: Clashes Enter Fifth Day in Kafr al-Sheikh; 25 Injured

By Egypt Source

Follow live updates from the anti-Morsi rally on Ahram Online. Clashes between protesters and police in Kafr al-Sheikh reignited for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday night, lasting until the early hours of Friday morning. At least 25 demonstrators were reported injured from tear gas fired by security forces.

Suicide bombing kills guard outside U.S. Embassy in Turkey

By Jonathon Burch, Reuters

From Jonathon Burch, Reuters:  A suicide bomber from a far-left group killed a Turkish security guard at the U.S. embassy in Ankara on Friday, blowing the door off a side entrance and sending smoke and debris flying into the street.

New Draft Law Aims to Criminalize Peaceful Demonstrations

By Ragab Saad

On Wednesday, following increased protests throughout Egypt, the Ministry of Justice announced a draft law that seeks to restrict the right to demonstrate in public places. Since the revolution, Egyptian authorities have spoken of the guaranteed right to peaceful demonstration. In reality, however, all those who have come to occupy positions of power within the […]

Mali: Now What?

By Julian Lindley-French

Oscar Wilde once wrote “One of the many lessons that one learns in prison is that things are what they are and will be what they will be.” As I witness the French, British, and other Europeans rush to offer their very little militaries in support of an expanding Mali mission I am reminded of that […]

Erdogan and his generals

By Economist

For a Better Nuclear Future, Move Beyond Global Zero

By Robert Manning

More than four years after President Barack Obama’s 2009 Prague speech declared the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons worldwide, the nuclear landscape has become more complex and precarious and shows little sign of movement toward abolition. The so-called global zero initiative has arguably been overtaken by countervailing nuclear realities. Yet the administration remains mired in […]