Atlantic Council blogs

House panel blocking Pentagon’s retirement of Global Hawk drones

By Zach Rosenberg, Flightglobal

From Zach Rosenberg, Flightglobal:  The House Armed Services Committee has made the first move to reverse the US Air Force’s controversial decision to retire the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30 fleet.

An Incomplete Justice

By Peter Pham

The verdict delivered Thursday against Charles G. Taylor for crimes against humanity ends a saga that began on Christmas Eve 1989, when Mr. Taylor and a group of Libyan-trained followers invaded Liberia, igniting a regional conflagration that eventually engulfed parts of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast. Although Mr. Taylor’s conviction, by a special tribunal […]

Republicans eye missile-defense site on US East Coast

By Jim Wolf, Reuters

From Jim Wolf, Reuters:  Republicans who control the House of Representatives’ Armed Services Committee called on Wednesday for studies on what could become a third missile-interceptor site in the United States, this one on the East Coast.

US confident of France’s commitment to NATO

By AFP

From AFP:  The United States is confident of France’s commitment to NATO regardless of who wins the upcoming presidential election, White House officials said Thursday.

Argentina before the Law

By Ana Palacio

Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s decision to renationalize the energy company YPF has raised a virtual tsunami of political diatribes, threats from unexpected places and players, heated commentary from journalists worldwide, and public outrage in Argentina, Spain, and many other countries. But Fernández is not likely to care about the complaints; renationalization is playing […]

Afghanistan Victory Not in Sight

By James Joyner

In a speech to the Atlantic Council this week, Major General John Toolan, just returned from a year commanding NATO forces in southwestern Afghanistan, both highlighted the tremendous progress coalition forces have made since the beginning of the Afghan surge and candidly acknowledged how much work remains to be done.

US and Russia discuss hotline for cyber incidents

By Ellen Nakashima, the Washington Post

Rubio: “We need to re-energize and lead a united coalition with European nations”

By Marco Rubio, the Office of Senator Rubio

From Marco Rubio, the Office of Senator Rubio:  [I]f we still have to lead, can’t we at least be equal partners with someone else? In fact, shouldn’t we rely on other nations to carry more of the burden?

Can Western Women Tame Iran’s Nuclear Negotiators?

By Laura Rozen and Barbara Slavin

Photos of the high-stakes Iran nuclear talks held in Istanbul earlier this month tell their own story.

Georgian president Saakaskvili offers to resign if Russia pulls out from separatist regions

By the AP

From the AP:  The president of Georgia said Thursday he’s willing to resign if Russia withdraws its troops from two separatist Georgian regions that split off in the 2008 war between the two countries.