Category: NATOSource

Lithuania’s “Steel Magnolia” defends maverick approach to foreign policy

By the AP

From the AP:  [Lithuania’s] President Dalia Grybauskaite has goaded the United States — unsuccessfully — to share information on two CIA prisons she says were set up in Lithuania, openly disagreed with the U.S. on missile defence and in perhaps the most shocking move, snubbed U.S. President Barack Obama at a dinner in Prague last […]

Denmark preparing F-16s for potential NATO no-fly zone

By the Copenhagen Post

From the Copenhagen Post:  Lene Espersen, the foreign minister, told parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday that the Air Force is preparing four F-16 fighter jets [and 90 crew] to take part in an internationally-backed no-fly zone over Libya, should Nato high command decide to act.

Libya a reminder that Europe matters

By Clayton M. McCleskey, the Dallas Morning News

From Clayton M. McCleskey, the Dallas Morning News:   [T]he on-going crisis in Libya and the unrest across the region are reminders that the U.S. cannot solve every problem on its own.

Would a Kosovo-level intervention succeed in Libya?

By Max Boot, the Wall Street Journal

Russia, France struggle over Mistral contract

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  A Russian-French contract on the construction of Mistral class helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy is unlikely to be signed in the near future, a Russian deputy defense minister said.

A regional strategy for democracy in the Middle East

By   Zalmay Khalilzad, the Washington Post

From  Zalmay Khalilzad, the Washington Post:  President Obama has reportedly settled on a country-specific strategy for the Middle East uprisings.

French FM: Arab nations willing to join military operation in Libya

By AFP

From AFP:  Several Arab nations are prepared to take part in a military operation in Libya to stop the advance of leader Moamer Kadhafi’s forces, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe wrote on his blog on Wednesday. "Only the threat of force can stop Kadhafi. It is by bombarding, with the few dozen planes and helicopters […]

The United States watches as Moammar Gaddafi gains

By the Editors of the Washington Post

From the Editors of the Washington Post:  Two weeks ago, when Mr. Obama flatly decreed the end of the Gaddafi era – "So let me just be very unambiguous about this," Mr. Obama said then.

The impact of US defense cuts on the transatlantic alliance

By Tomas Valasek, the Center for European Reform

From Tomas Valasek, the Center for European Reform:  The US defence budget seems set to fall as Washington begins to restore order in its finances.