Category: NATOSource

Medvedev sacks Navy admiral responsible for Mistral talks

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has sacked the senior Navy official who was in charge of talks with France over the purchase of Mistral-class warships. The Russian Defense Ministry says the dismissal of Vice Admiral Nikolai Borisov is not linked with the Mistral deal, which has raised concerns among France’s NATO allies. Borisov […]

Sweden may change its defense forces to counter Russia’s Mistral purchase

By Mike McCormack, atlantic-community.org

From Mike McCormack, atlantic-community.org:  Last year Russia purchased four Mistral-class amphibious assault ships from France

Spanish parliament votes to extend Libya operations

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  The majority of Spanish parliamentary parties voted on Tuesday to extend the country’s participation in NATO’s Libya operation by two months. Spanish Defense Minister Carme Chacon said the international coalition had to continue its "legitimate intervention in the region" to resolve the conflict. . . . Chacon put the cost of Spain’s […]

Britain sending military team to help Libyan rebels

By William Hague, British Foreign Office

From William Hague, British Foreign Office:  The National Security Council has decided that we will now move quickly to expand the team already in Benghazi led by Christopher Prentice to include an additional military liaison advisory team. This contingent will be drawn from experienced British military officers.  These additional personnel will enable the UK to […]

Obama administration plans more US forces in Europe in 2015 than in past decade

By Philip H. Gordon and Alexander Vershbow, the Financial Times

From Philip H. Gordon and Alexander Vershbow, the Financial Times:  We read with interest, but also surprise, Philip Stephens’ comment on America’s presence in Europe.

Update: NATO activities in Libya on April 18

By NATO

Is Somalia experience blocking deployment of ground attack aircraft?

By David Brunnstrom, Reuters

From David Brunnstrom, Reuters:  French officials and military analysts say the U.S. fleet of low-flying ground-attack A-10 aircraft and AC-130 gunships could help break the stalemate

NATO pounds Gaddafi regime command and control centers

By NATO

From NATO:  NATO conducted deliberate, multiple strikes against command and control facilities of the Qadhafi regime last night

“U.S. officials concede that some of their assumptions . . . may have been faulty”

By David Cloud and Ned Parker, the Los Angeles Times

From David Cloud and Ned Parker, the Los Angeles Times:  The failure of the international air campaign to force Kadafi’s ouster, or even to stop his military from shelling civilians and recapturing rebel-held towns, poses a growing quandary

A Core Question of German Foreign Policy

By Ullrich Fichtner, Spiegel

From Ullrich Fichtner, Spiegel:  The German abstention on the evening of March 17 was a mistake in the eyes of many UN observers and diplomats.