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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

May 31, 2012

With an Eye Towards China, India Approves Arms Deal with the United States

By Ronak Desai

Decision makers in New Delhi have approved the purchase of 145 ultra-light weight howitzers from the United States for an estimated $560 million.

India

MENASource

May 31, 2012

Top News: Egypt Lifts Emergency Law for First Time in 30 Years

By Tarek Radwan

Egypt’s ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) announced Thursday afternoon the lifting of the longstanding state of emergency, adding that the military will continue to secure the country until the 30 June transfer of power following the upcoming presidential elections runoff. 

New Atlanticist

May 31, 2012

Five Questions with Ellen Tauscher at the NATO Summit

By Simona Kordosova

At the NATO Summit in Chicago earlier this month, the Atlantic Council’s Simona Kordosova had the opportunity to interview Ellen Tauscher, US special envoy for strategic stability and missile defense, and vice chair designate of the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security.

NATO Security & Defense

MENASource

May 30, 2012

Egypt’s Election is Replicating the Hamas Scenario / الانتخابات الرئاسية تكرار مبدع لسيناريو حماس

By Magdy Samaan

The first round of Egypt’s presidential election has set the stage for a confrontation between the 60-year old military establishment (represented by Ahmed Shafik) and the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Mohamed Morsi, competing for control over the post-Mubarak system. But don’t be fooled into thinking that the Muslim Brotherhood is aiming to remove the military from […]

MENASource

May 30, 2012

Possible Scenarios for Electoral Alliances in the Run-Off

By Mustafa El-Labbad and Fouad El-Saeed

Political polarization in Egypt has reached new and dangerous heights, after the rejection of all the appeals presented to the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission challenging the first round victory of the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Mohamed Morsi and Mubarak’s former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik.  Due to the elimination of the two candidates most closely associated with […]

NATOSource

May 30, 2012

Flame virus “widely considered as a technological leap” in cyber spycraft

By Ali Akbar Dareini and Brian Murphy, the AP

From Ali Akbar Dareini and Brian Murphy, the AP:  Computer technicians battling to contain a complex virus last month resorted to the ultimate firewall measures – cutting off Internet links to Iran’s Oil Ministry, rigs and the hub for nearly all the country’s crude exports.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

NATOSource

May 30, 2012

U.S. Plans to Arm Italy’s Drones

By Adam Entous, the Wall Street Journal

From Adam Entous, the Wall Street Journal:  The Obama administration plans to arm Italy’s fleet of Reaper drone aircraft, a move that could open the door for sales of advanced hunter-killer drone technology to other allies, according to lawmakers and others familiar with the matter.

Drones Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

May 30, 2012

Expert Offers Calming Words on Iran Nuclear Program

By Barbara Slavin

In the wake of last week’s nuclear talks in Baghdad, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday blasted the process as a waste of time that is allowing Iran to get closer to nuclear weapons.

Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation

New Atlanticist

May 30, 2012

Putin’s Management of Russia’s Governors Reveals Regional Fractures, Fear of Losing Power

By Thomas Liles

Since embarking on his third term as Russia’s president on May 7, Vladimir Putin has pushed the issue of gubernatorial elections to the forefront of his agenda. In contrast to his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev, who made several symbolic concessions to the country’s pro-democracy opposition, Putin has taken a decidedly more “managerial” approach which, unsurprisingly, contradicts […]

Russia

NATOSource

May 30, 2012

NATO: Death by a thousand little spending cuts?

By Luiza Ch. Savage, Macleans

From Luiza Ch. Savage, Macleans:  It has been almost a year since former U.S. defense secretary Robert Gates, who served both Bush and Obama, focused his final speech on blasting NATO allies who are “apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources to be serious and capable partners in their own defence.

United States and Canada