Atlantic Council blogs

U.S. and Britain have deployed clandestine forces in Libya

By Mark Hosenball, Reuters

From Mark Hosenball, Reuters:  President Barack Obama has signed a secret order authorizing covert U.S. government support for rebel forces seeking to oust Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi

New Report: “most NATO members have taken sides in what amounts to a civil war”

By the NATO Defense College

NATO in Libya: Why Gaddafi Must Go

By Walter Slocombe

So far, the US as a nation, NATO as an institution, “Europe” as a collectivity, and many of its nations individually have done rather well on Libya. Sure, it took a while, but we now have in the field a military and political coalition led politically and (even after command has devolved on NATO) militarily […]

Europe’s Troubled Neighborhood (Policy)

By Matthew Czekaj

Unlike people, countries cannot choose their own neighborhoods, and the countries of the European Union are surrounded by some pretty turbulent suburbs. Yet, collectively, the EU has not been content to give in to the geographic hand it was dealt. Rather than simply putting up a barbed wire fence – though it has tried some […]

Illusions and Delusions of War

By Harlan Ullman

Wars too often are created by illusions and delusions. This is what is happening in Libya. It is an illusion to believe that if Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi clings to power, the credibility and authority of the United Nations, Arab League, NATO, United States and other states comprising the opposing coalition won’t be dealt a […]

NATO chief: No military solution to Libya crisis

By David Brunnstrom, Reuters

From David Brunnstrom, Reuters:  NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Tuesday he would not guess how long the alliance’s military mission would last in Libya, but there could be no solely military solution.

EU, not NATO, should lead on Libya

By Sarwar Kashmeri, the Foreign Policy Association

Washington in Fierce Debate on Arming Libyan Rebels

By the New York Times

From the New York Times:  The Obama administration is engaged in a fierce debate over whether to supply weapons to the rebels in Libya, senior officials said on Tuesday

Preserving the Coalition

By the Editors of the New York Times

From the Editors of the New York Times:  The United States, its allies and Libyan rebels all want to see Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi out of power and support United Nations-mandated military action to keep him from slaughtering innocent civilians.

White House decision on U.S. force structure in Europe coming soon

By John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes

From John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes:  A Pentagon plan for the U.S. military’s force structure in Europe, which some critics say remains too bloated for a post Cold War world, has been finalized and is now up to the White House to make official.