Category: NATOSource

Update: NATO activities in Libya on July 18

By NATO

Mortars hit near Afghan transition ceremony

By  AFP

From AFP: A mortar attack on Tuesday marred the transition of responsibility from NATO to Afghan officials in Mehtar Lam, the second of seven areas due to be transferred this week.

Afghanistan’s test case: NATO handover in Laghman Province

Tom A. Peter, Christian Science Monitor: After a decade of war in Afghanistan, international forces began handing over responsibility for security to Afghan forces in seven areas across the country this week, marking the first major step toward ending NATO-led combat missions here by 2014.

More attacks as Petraeus hands over command in Afghanistan

By Reuters

From Reuters: General David Petraeus, Washington’s new intelligence chief, handed over command of U.S. and NATO-led troops in Afghanistan Monday, a day after a tentative start was made to a gradual process of transferring security to Afghan forces.   Petraeus, credited with reversing a spiral toward civil war in Iraq, took over in Afghanistan a year […]

NATO hits radar at Tripoli’s civilian airport

By AP

From AP: NATO warplanes destroyed the radar antenna at Tripoli International Airport on Monday, the alliance said, claiming the system was being used for military purposes by Moammar Gadhafi’s regime. A statement said the air traffic control radar at the civilian airport was tracking NATO jets and the providing information to Libyan air defenses. "The antenna, which […]

General John Allen Assumes Command of NATO forces in Afghanistan

By Allied Command Operations

From Allied Command Operations:  U.S. Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus at a change of command ceremony today

Update: NATO activities in Libya on July 17

By NATO

Britain blocks permanent EU military headquarters

By David Brunnstrom and Christopher Le Coq, Reuters

From David Brunnstrom and Christopher Le Coq, Reuters:  Britain blocked a proposal to establish a permanent headquarters for EU defence and security operations, saying it would duplicate NATO structures and be an unnecessary expense. The proposal for a permanent Operations Headquarters (OHQ), put forward by Catherine Ashton, the British EU high representative for foreign affairs […]

Europe regains the stage

By Jim Hoagland, the Washington Post

From Jim Hoagland, the Washington Post:  A spreading financial crisis has accomplished what tradition, habits of alliance management and shared security concerns could not: It has given Europe a central place in President Obama’s view of global affairs.

Britain requests more US support for NATO mission in Libya

By Daniel Dombey and Kiran Stacey, the Financial Times