Atlantic Council blogs

Libya No-Fly Zone: An Idea That Won’t Fly

By Magnus Nordenman

With the crisis in Libya moving at a breakneck speed, some have begun to call for the U.S. and NATO to do more to assist the opposition and halt human rights abuses perpetrated by the Gaddafi regime. The measures being proposed include a no-fly zone, which would prevent the regime from using airpower to suppress […]

Bonded in Blood: The U.S.-Afghan Relationship

By Derek Reveron

Afghanistan’s senior national security leaders were in Washington, D.C. last week for bilateral meetings. At the Pentagon on February 23, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed Afghanistan’s ministers of defense and interior for the first of what officials expect to be regular meetings to sustain a long-term military-to-military relationship. The message is consistent with what […]

Turkey rules out NATO intervention in Libya

By Zaman

From Zaman:  PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday firmly ruled out any NATO intervention in the Libyan crisis, while he strongly criticized European countries due to their “double-standard” approach towards developments in North Africa.

Accuser in psyops scandal admits he is not a psyops officer

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran, the Washington Post

From Rajiv Chandrasekaran, the Washington Post:  A spokesman for [Lt. Gen. William] Caldwell, Lt. Col. Shawn Stroud, said the general is not commenting on the allegations because of the ongoing investigation.

Why is the West Missing the Wave in the Middle East?

By Kurt Volker

One of the great challenges in intelligence analysis is predicting big changes. The safest analysis is nearly always that the forces that have shaped things until now will continue. A continuation of the status quo is thus the most likely outcome – right up to the moment that status quo disappears. This makes policymakers cautious. […]

Obama tells Merkel that Gaddafi needs to leave

By the White House

From the White House:  Readout of President Obama’s Call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany

Cyberspace Wars

By Joseph Nye, Jr., the International Herald Tribune

From Joseph Nye, Jr., the International Herald Tribune:  The costs of developing multiple carrier taskforces and submarine fleets create enormous barriers to entry and make it possible to speak of U.S. naval dominance.

New Foreign and Defense Ministers in France

By Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

Atlantic Update 2/28/11

By Jason Harmala

The resignation of President Sarkozy’s foreign minister prompted a cabinet reshuffle, and British PM Cameron debates the need for a military no-fly zone over Libya.

Italy suspends treaty with Libya

By Alessandra Rizzo, the AP

From Alessandra Rizzo, the AP:  Italy has effectively suspended a treaty with Libya that includes a nonaggression clause, amid turmoil in the North African nation, the foreign minister said Sunday.