Atlantic Council blogs

Russia received NATO invitation, but won’t attend Lisbon until questions are answered

By the Kyiv Post

From the Kyiv Post:  Russia has received an official invitation to attend NATO’s summit in Lisbon in November, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. "We received an invitation just as I was about to leave for New York [on September 19]. We are now drafting a report to the president," Lavrov told Rossiya 1 television […]

Gates makes DoD give NATO allies access to secret websites

By Spencer Ackerman, the Danger Room

From Spencer Ackerman, the Danger Room:  It’s been nearly nine years since NATO entered Afghanistan. But it’s only been a few months since the U.S.’ allies in Afghanistan got to log on to a secret website run by the Pentagon’s anti-roadside bomb team to pool information on the war’s signature weapon. Run by the Joint […]

Freedom and Defense Spending

By James Joyner

In a rather odd posting at RealClearWorld‘s Compass blog titled “Defense Spending and Freedom,” Greg Scoblette argues: If I’m reading this op-ed from Danielle Pletka and Thomas Donnelly correctly it sounds like they don’t want the Republican party (or the Tea Party) to cut defense spending. Which is fine, so far as it goes. But they […]

Russia yet to receive invitation to NATO’s Lisbon summit – Kremlin source

By Interfax

From Interfax:  The issue of holding a Russia-NATO summit in Lisbon will be discussed substantively after the Russian side receives an official invitation to this event, sources in Moscow say. "The issue will be discussed in practical terms only after details of this proposal become known to the Russian Foreign Ministry," a Kremlin source said. […]

The rival presidents of the European Union are vying for influence

By Charlemagne, the Economist

From Charlemagne, the Economist:  Last year’s Lisbon treaty, promoted as a means of making the EU more efficient, has in fact made this divide permanent by creating a second figurehead for Europe.

How the Obama team convinced Russia not to sell arms to Iran

By Josh Rogin, the Cable

British Cuts to Military Concern U.S. Officials

By Michael Gordon and John Burns, the New York Times

From Michael Gordon and John Burns, the New York Times:  Plans by the British government to make significant cuts in defense spending have spurred concerns among American military experts about Britain’s ability to carry out its role as the United States’ most dependable ally.

Czechs to send more troops to Afghanistan

By the AP

From the AP:  The Czech Defense Ministry says it’s planning to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan by 200 next year. Spokesman Jiri Grund says the ministry wants to deploy to Afghanistan some of the 400 troops it will withdraw from Kosovo later this year. The 200 would join as many as 535 Czech […]

Petraeus briefs NATO on Afghan transition strategy

By Phil Stewart and David Alexander, Reuters

From Phil Stewart and David Alexander, Reuters:  General David Petraeus said on Wednesday he has completed a draft plan to start thinning NATO forces in parts of Afghanistan next year, but cautioned that the transition process would be slow. Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, told the Reuters Washington Summit that he […]