Category: NATOSource

France launches air strikes in Mali against Islamist rebels

By Elizabeth Pineau and Bate Felix, Reuters

From Elizabeth Pineau and Bate Felix, Reuters:  France carried out air strikes against Islamist rebels in Mali on Friday as it began a military intervention intended to halt a drive southward by the militants who control the country’s desert north.

French troops in Mali; Hollande vows to stop Islamists

By Emily Alpert, Los Angeles Times

From Emily Alpert, Los Angeles Times:  French troops have joined the Malian military in their fight to stop Islamist fighters from extending their reach into central Mali, President Francois Hollande said in a statement Friday.

Top U.S. General: Stopping Assad from using chemical weapons is ‘almost unachievable’

By Lolita C. Baldor, AP

From Lolita C. Baldor, AP:  Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged that it will be nearly impossible to prevent the Syrian government from using its chemical weapons, so the U.S. must rely on deterrence and continue warning Syria that using them would be unacceptable.

Atlanticist nominations offer Europe a valuable opportunity

By Philip Stevens, Financial Times

From Philip Stevens, Financial Times:  Mr Obama’s nominations of John Kerry to the state department and Chuck Hagel to the Pentagon would fill these two top posts with politicians that Europeans should clamour to do business with.

Security issues will test transatlantic co-operation in 2013

By Bruce Stokes, European Voice

From Bruce Stokes, European Voice:  Both Pew and GMF surveys show that Americans and Europeans continue to back NATO, but they want out of Afghanistan, currently a joint US-European military operation. How that disengagement is managed may shape future public support for NATO.

Britain faces intense debate over its nuclear weapons

By James Blitz, Financial Times

From James Blitz, Financial Times:  [A]s London struggles to regain control of its finances, debate is stirring about the affordability of the independent nuclear deterrent.

Parliament: Cyber attack could fatally compromise British military

By U.K. House of Commons

Lt. Gen. Campbell assumes command of U.S. Army Europe

By U.S. Army Europe

From U.S. Army Europe:  Lt. Gen. Donald Campbell Jr. formally assumed command of U.S. Army Europe in a ceremony on Clay Kaserne here, Jan. 9.