Atlantic Council blogs

Russian sources disagree on details of spy scandal

By EurActiv.com

From EurActiv.com:  Konstantin Kosachev, president of the foreign affairs committee in the Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, warned Romania that a spiralling spy scandal could have political and economic repercussions, the press in Bucharest wrote yesterday (19 August). … Kosachev said the Romanian diplomat caught red-handed in Moscow had been obtaining sensitive […]

NATO to airlift aid to Pakistan

By NATO

From NATO:  In response to a request by the Government of Pakistan, the North Atlantic Council decided today to provide airlift and sealift for the delivery of aid donated by nations and humanitarian relief organizations. A NATO aircraft will conduct a humanitarian relief mission to Pakistan on Sunday 22 August 2010 in support of the […]

Macedonia Vacillates on NATO Commitment

By Slobodanka Jovanovska, BBC via Investors Business Daily: The pillar of Macedonian foreign policy over the past two decades, that is, the good relations with the United States, has begun to fall apart against the blows of the patriotic fight for the state’s name.

Bulgarian Air Force Commander moves on to NATO position

By novinite.com

From novinite.com:  Brigadier General Stefan Petrov, the current commander of Bulgaria’s helicopter air force base in Krumovo, advances to a position in the NATO air force commandment in Izmir, Turkey. He will be replaced as a commander at Krumovo by Colonel Zlatko Zlatev, the current chief of staff of the detachment. Detachment 32020 in Krumovo […]

Montenegro Sending Troops to NATO Afghanistan Force

By AP via Winnipeg Free Press

From AP via Winnipeg Free Press: Thirty-one soldiers from tiny Montenegro are on their way to replace the country’s NATO-led contingent now serving in Afghanistan. Montenegro Defence Minister Boro Vucinic said Friday the soldiers will serve together with the Hungarian units based in northern Afghanistan under German command.

Europe’s Last Dictator Under Pressure from Moscow

By Benjamin Bidder, der Spiegel

From Benjamin Bidder, der Spiegel:  The 65-year-old [President of Belarus Alexander] Lukashenko has been in office for 16 years, but never before have Moscow and the Belarusian autocrat had such irreconcilable differences. Bilateral relations have never been as bad as they are now, says the Belarusian political scientist Alexander Klaskovski.

When National Security Overlaps with Human Security

By Derek Reveron

For the second time this year, naval forces have been involved in major operations that have little to do with combat at sea. Instead, Sailors and Marines operating from dozens of warships have responded to natural disasters. Earlier this year in Haiti, traditional warships delivered food, water, and medical supplies. On amphibious ships, the large […]

Our Lesser-Known Allies in Afghanistan

By Mark Larson, the New York Times

From Mark Larson, the New York Times:  What do the Greek, Mongolian, Latvian and British Armies have in common? They’ve all been in Afghanistan before: the Greeks under Alexander; the Mongols under Genghis Khan; the Latvians as part of the Soviet Union; and the British more than a few times. They are also current members […]