Category: NATOSource

France announces gradual withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

By Reuters

From Reuters:  French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Thursday he would follow the United States in starting a gradual troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, a move likely to boost him before a 2012 election campaign.

Obama may be sabotaging his own Afghanistan strategy

By the Editors of the Washington Post

From the Editors of the Washington Post:  President Obama failed to offer a convincing military or strategic rationale for the troop withdrawals from Afghanistan that he announced Wednesday night.

Victory Is the Answer in Libya

By Joe Lieberman and Marco Rubio, the Wall Street Journal

From Joe Lieberman and Marco Rubio, the Wall Street Journal:  The deepening confrontation between the White House and Congress over Libya is both counterproductive and unnecessary.

Obama’s Plan Reignites German Withdrawal Debate

By Matthias Gebauer, Spiegel

From Matthias Gebauer, Spiegel:  Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière said it most clearly when he said the Germans feared the US withdrawal would trigger a domino effect.

Update: NATO activities in Libya on June 22

By NATO

Latvia seeking NATO support over Mistral threat

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Latvia will ask NATO for support if Russia deploys French-built Mistral warships in the Baltic Sea because it would change the balance of forces in the region, Defense Minister Artis Pabriks said on Wednesday. Russia and France signed last Friday a $1.7 billion (1.2 bln euro) contract on two French-built Mistral class […]

NATO to reset for the 21st century in Chicago

By Thomas Wright, the Chicago Tribune

From Thomas Wright, the Chicago Tribune:  President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that Chicago will host the NATO and G-8 summits in May 2012.

NATO Secretary General on US Afghan drawdown

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  I have spoken with President Obama. I welcome his announcement to begin the drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan in July.

Obama on Afghanistan, NATO and U.S. leadership in the world

By Barack Obama, the White House

From Barack Obama, the White House:  Thanks to our extraordinary men and women in uniform, our civilian personnel, and our many coalition partners, we are meeting our goals.

NATO Allies Have a Head Start on Afghan Withdrawal

By Rod Nordland, the New York Times

From Rod Nordland, the New York Times: While officials here wait to hear what President Obama has to say about the pace of United States troop withdrawal, some of the NATO allies have a slight head start. Canada, which has 2,922 troops in Afghanistan, the fifth-largest military contingent among the countries contributing forces to the […]