Atlantic Council blogs

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.
View all
of our blogs
Subscribe to our
newsletters

Latest from across our blogs

NATOSource

Mar 3, 2011

NATO apologizes for deaths of 9 Afghan boys

By Alissa J. Rubin and Sangar Rahimi, the New York Times

From Alissa J. Rubin and Sangar Rahimi, the New York Times: Nine boys collecting firewood to heat their homes in the eastern Afghanistan mountains were killed by NATO helicopter gunners who mistook them for insurgents, according to a statement on Wednesday by NATO, which apologized for the mistake.

NATOSource

Mar 3, 2011

Germany’s New Defense Minister

By Judy Dempsey, the International Herald Tribune

NATOSource

Mar 3, 2011

Qaddafi Forces Capture 3 Dutch Marines

By Marlise Simmons and Alan Cowell, the New York Times

From Marlise Simmons and Alan Cowell, the New York Times:  Libyan authorities loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi have captured three crew members of a Dutch naval helicopter who were rescuing European citizens, last Sunday, the Dutch Defense Ministry said on Thursday, the first report of foreigners being by held in Libya’s bloody and unfolding uprising.

NATOSource

Mar 2, 2011

New Deputy SACEUR arrives at NATO

By Allied Command Operations

From Allied Command Operations:  Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Adm. James Starvidis, hosted a Farewell and Welcome Honour Guard Ceremony for the incoming Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Sir Alexander Richard David Shirreff

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2011

Sikorski: West Must Offer Principled, Generous Hand to Freedom Fighters

By James Joyner

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski believes that there are many parallels between the freedom movements spreading across North Africa today and the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe. And he calls on the West should do everything in its power to help those people to achieve the success of his.

Libya Poland

NATOSource

Mar 2, 2011

US begins deploying new missile defense program for Europe

By Lolita C. Baldor, the AP

From Lolita C. Baldor, the AP:  The U.S. is sending a special radar-equipped warship to the Mediterranean Sea next week, the first step in the development of a broad anti-ballistic missile system to protect Europe against a potential Iranian nuclear threat, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

United States and Canada

NATOSource

Mar 2, 2011

Gates: “no unanimity within NATO for the use of armed force”

By Ewen MacAskill and Julian Borger, the Guardian

From Ewen MacAskill and Julian Borger, the Guardian:  Despite the rhetoric of the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, in backing a no-fly zone, French Nato officials are averse to the alliance’s intervention in north Africa, arguing it would discredit the pro-democracy movement and provide an opening for Islamist extremists to exploit the turmoil and declare an […]

International Organizations Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2011

McCain: Libya No-Fly Zones? Of Course!

By James Joyner

Senator John McCain declared tonight that the United States and its democratic partners have a duty to stand with those fighting against tyranny in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Europe. That support must go beyond words to deeds, including an immediate no-fly zone over Libya to prevent further atrocities.

Libya Poland
Transatlantic

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2011

Atlantic Update 3/2/11

By Jason Harmala

France and Germany reshuffle their top cabinet positions, while the U.S., UK, and Russia disagree over the proposal to create a no-fly zone over Libya.

New Atlanticist

Mar 1, 2011

Democracy and Human Rights: Rethinking U.S. Foreign Policy

By Susan Ball

As we craft our responses to rapidly unfolding and changing circumstances in the Middle East and contemplate how best to support the region’s aspirations for basic freedoms and rights, we also need to step back and consider lessons learned for U.S. policymakers going forward. Perhaps more important than asking why we didn’t predict the cascade […]