Atlantic Council blogs

NATO Defense Ministers Reaffirm Support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic Aspirations

By NATO

From NATO:  On the morning of 11 June, the NATO-Georgia Commission met at the level of Defence Ministers for a discussion about the current security situation in the country and about NATO-Georgia cooperation. Georgian Defence Minister Bachana Akhalaia briefed his counterparts on the country’s ongoing reform efforts. NATO Ministers of Defence reaffirmed the Alliance’s continued […]

NATO SecGen: “The Bottom Line Is this, There will Be Less Money for Defense for Quite Some Time”

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  I was encouraged by the discussion today. Because there was a shared sense around the table on three very important points: First: we must cut fat and not muscle. While seeking savings, we must nevertheless preserve our ability to deter attacks against us and to carry out essential operations. We […]

Defending the Afghanistan Experts

By James Joyner

Some anonymous attendees of Central Command’s Af-Pak conference have penned highly critical blog posts, which have appeared at two pre-eminent national security blogs, Christian Bleuer’s  Ghosts of Alexander and Andrew Exum’s Abu Muqawama.

NATO a Permanent Alliance: Introduction

By Stanley Sloan

It has become popular in recent years to argue that NATO is no longer serving the interests of either the Europeans or the Americans.  Many of these arguments end with the suggestion that the European Union should take over responsibility for defense of European interests, variously accomplished by the United States withdrawing from NATO and […]

Turkey’s Finance Minister: “We Are No Longer Puppets”

By the Economist

Italian Minister Backs Gates on Turkey Moving “Eastwards”

By AFP

From AFP:   Italy’s foreign minister indicated Thursday he agreed with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates that the European Union’s refusal to embrace Turkey had pushed Ankara "eastwards.

Turkey Calls Charges Turning from West “Dirty Propaganda”

By AFP

Dutch Voters Split, and Right Surges

By Stephen Castle and Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

From Stephen Castle and Steven Erlanger, the New York Times:  After the first election in a euro-zone country since the European economic crisis, Dutch voters found themselves divided politically on Thursday and surprised by the surge in popularity of an anti-immigrant party.

Collaboration in Space for International Global Maritime Awareness (C-SIGMA)

By George Guy Thomas

National Security Presidential Directive-41/Homeland Security Presidential Directive-13 establishes U.S. policy for enhancing our national security and protecting our interests in the maritime domain. Specifically, it directs that maritime domain awareness (MDA) efforts be undertaken "to develop an enhanced capability to identify threats to the maritime domain as early and as distant from our shores as […]

World Collapse Explained in 3 Minutes

By James Joyner

The Australian comedy team of John Clarke and Bryan Dawe present a hilarious and yet informative take on the Euro debt crisis. This duo, likely unfamiliar to our American and European readers, have been appearing together on Australian television doing satirical interviews since 1989, first on "A Current Affair" and on "The 7:30 Report" since […]