Category: NATOSource

France may be the first in a stampede for the exits in Afghanistan

By the Editors of the Wall Street Journal

German Angst as U.S. troops bid “Auf Wiedersehen”

By Alexandra Hudson, Reuters

From Alexandra Hudson, Reuters:  Walter Brunner, a lively 82-year old whose blue baseball cap matches the color of his eyes, leans across a red leather booth at the American-style diner in this southern German town and tries to make light of the looming pullout of U.S. troops.

Militia chaos in Bani Walid raises danger of civil war in Libya

By Nick Meo, and Hassan Morajea, the Telegraph

From Nick Meo, and Hassan Morajea, the Telegraph:  Bani Walid, about 100 miles south-east of the capital Tripoli, was a Gaddafi stronghold, fighting defiantly to the bitter end under the direction of his son Saif al-Islam.

Russia Must Be Ready for Space, Cyber Wars

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Russia must be ready for wars in space and in networks, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Nikolai Makarov said on Saturday.

The Presidential Campaign and America’s Strength Abroad

By David Ignatius, the Washington Post

From David Ignatius, the Washington Post:  The foreign policy theme that should dominate this year’s presidential campaign is “American renewal.”

Coalition leaders respond to Sarkozy’s new timetable for Afghanistan

By the AP

From the AP:  In a gentle rebuke to France, British Prime Minister David Cameron said in London on Saturday that withdrawals should be dependent on security conditions on the ground.

NATO will settle for political declaration instead of concrete Smart Defense projects at Chicago Summit

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  I hope we will be in a position to adopt a political declaration on smart defence as a framework, as a political framework, for, I would call it a new way of doing business, in the coming years.

NATO Secretary General urges France to stick to “agreed plan” for Afghanistan

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  First of all, let me stress that obviously I understand very well that recent events, where French soldiers were killed, have created a lot of concern in France.

Sarkozy and Karzai want faster NATO exit from Afghanistan

By Jamey Keaten, the AP

From Jamey Keaten, the AP:  President Nicolas Sarkozy says France and Afghan President Hamid Karzai will ask NATO to hand over all combat missions in Afghanistan to Afghan troops in 2013 — a year earlier than planned.

Two combat brigades in Germany being disbanded, not moved back to US

By Lolita C. Baldor, the AP

From Lolita C. Baldor, the AP:  Gen. Raymond Odierno, the Army chief of staff, says the Pentagon will take two heavy armor brigades out of Europe in 2013 and 2014 and eliminate them.