Category: NATOSource

McCain urges US to sign Strategic Partnership Agreement with Karzai at NATO summit

By Carlos Munoz, DEFCON Hill

From Carlos Munoz, DEFCON Hill:  The U.S. military "will remain a fact on the ground" in Afghanistan long after a White House deadline to have all American troops out of the country expires, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said today.

Russian president orders military to prepare countermeasures against US missile shield

By Vladimir Isachenkov, the AP

Volunteer army wins hearts, minds of young Germans

By Alice Baghdjian, Reuters

From Alice Baghdjian, Reuters:  Voluntary military service has exceeded expectations in Germany, which continues to struggle to define its international and military role in the historical wake of past aggression.

France on highest terror alert in shooting region

By CBS News

From CBS News:  French President Nicolas Sarkozy says authorities are raising the terrorism alert to its highest level across a swath of southern France where a gunman opened fire on a Jewish school before fleeing. Sarkozy said Monday’s attack in Toulouse, which killed three children and a rabbi, was the worst-ever school shooting in France. […]

Four conditions for a NATO invasion of Syria

By Daniel Byman, Michael Doran, Kenneth Pollack, and Salman Shaikh, Brookings

From Daniel Byman, Michael Doran, Kenneth Pollack, and Salman Shaikh, Brookings:  One variant on the invasion option that bears separate consideration because it could prove to be an attractive alternative is for NATO to invade Syria with Arab League diplomatic support and ideally some Arab military participation.

Russian Anti-Terror Troops Arrive in Syria

By Kirit Radia and Rym Momtaz, ABC News

From Kirit Radia and Rym Momtaz, ABC News: A Russian military unit has arrived in Syria, according to Russian news reports, a development that a United Nations Security Council source told ABC News was "a bomb" certain to have serious repercussions.

U.S. accelerating cyberweapon research

By Ellen Nakashima, the Washington Post

From Ellen Nakashima, the Washington Post:  The Pentagon is accelerating efforts to develop a new generation of cyberweapons capable of disrupting enemy military networks even when those networks are not connected to the Internet, according to current and former U.S. officials.

UN sanctions panel investigates reports of French/Qatari arms transfers to Libya’s rebels

By Colum Lynch, Turtle Bay

From Colum Lynch, Turtle Bay:  A U.N. panel set up last year to enforce an arms embargo in Libya has opened an inquiry into allegations that France and Qatar armed Libyan rebels

The Pentagon’s cold feet on Syria

By Max Boot, the Washington Post

From Max Boot, the Washington Post:  Today, in the case of Syria, any military action needs to be carefully thought through, but we should not refuse to act simply because of the worst-case scenarios being raised by the Pentagon.

Obama and Karzai discuss future of NATO troops in Afghan villages

By the White House

From the White House:  President Obama called President Karzai early this morning to offer his best wishes and congratulations to President Karzai and his wife on the birth of their daughter.