Atlantic Council blogs

Central Asia: Reset Won’t Fix It

By David Smith

Cyber Attacks and Article 5

By James Joyner

As the North Atlantic Treaty Organization completes its new Strategic Concept, it should be resist expanding its guarantee of automatic response to include cyber and other unconventional attacks. Otherwise, it may fracture the alliance while, perversely, decreasing security against said actions. In a February speech to the Atlantic Council, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton strongly suggested that […]

Emerging Power among Europe’s Leaders: Herman Van Rompuy

By Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

From Steven Erlanger, the New York Times:  [T]he new European president of the council of national leaders, Herman Van Rompuy, an economist and former Belgian prime minister, has moved more quickly than others to establish a powerful staff.

Two Competing Visions of a European Economy

By Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

From Steven Erlanger, the New York Times:  The market storm over the fate of the euro has calmed to prevailing winds, but there is considerable nervousness here over the economic health of Spain, the impact of austerity on long-term growth and continuing differences between France and Germany over the economic direction of the European Union.

U.S.-EU Bank-Data Transfer Deal Explained

By Kurt Volker

The United States and the European Union have signed a bank data-transfer agreement that will give U.S. authorities access to EU bank transfer data, under EU supervision, in an effort to combat terrorism. In an e-mail interview, Kurt Volker, Atlantic Council senior adviser, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and managing director of the Center on […]

NATO chief hopes Afghan handover to start in November

By Barry Hatton, the AP

From Barry Hatton, the AP:  NATO’s secretary-general hopes the alliance can begin handing over control of some Afghan provinces to local authorities beginning in November.

Biden’s Influence on Obama’s Afghanistan Policy

By Glenn Thrush, Politico

Petraeus answers why we are in Afghanistan and how to define success in 2011

By Gen. Petraeus, NATO

From Gen. Petraeus, NATO:  It is important periodically for all of our populations to recall that the Coalition went into Afghanistan in late 2001 because the 9/11 attacks were planned in Southern Afghanistan, the initial training of the attackers was carried out in training camps in Afghanistan by Al Qaeda

Prosecutors: Suspect in Russian spy ring confessed

By Tom Hays, the AP

From Tom Hays, the AP:  One of the suspects in an alleged spy ring has confessed to federal agents that he worked for Russia’s intelligence service, federal prosecutors said Thursday. The revelation came on a day when several defendants in the case were making court appearances, and prosecutors announced that they had discovered $80,000 in […]

Taliban to NATO: “Why should we talk if … foreign troops are considering withdrawal?”

By  John Simpson, the BBC