Category: NATOSource

Govt scuttles talk of France aircraft carrier share

By Dave Clark, AFP

From Dave Clark, AFP:  France and Britain announced Friday they are talking about sharing the cost of military aircraft programmes, but rejected reports that they plan to merge their aircraft carrier fleets. "In terms of actually being able to share an aircraft carrier, I would have thought that that was utterly unrealistic," Defence Minister Liam […]

Europe and Benign Neglect

By Roger Cohen, the New York Times

From Roger Cohen, the New York Times:  “Europe is the object of benign U.S. neglect,” said Camille Grand, a prominent Paris-based defense analyst. “Obama has not established or re-established a strategic relationship with any single European country or with Europe as a whole.”

U.S. and NATO to discuss details of Afghan transition

By Phil Stewart, Reuters

From Phil Stewart, Reuters:  The United States will start preliminary talks with its allies in Afghanistan soon on next year’s planned "transition," expected to include withdrawal of some U.S. forces, the top NATO commander in the country said on Thursday.

Russian, French warships to exercise in Atlantic

By RIA Novosti

Moscow plays both sides on Nagorno-Karabakh

By the International Institute for Strategic Studies

From the International Institute for Strategic Studies:  Russia is striking a new balance in its relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have long been at loggerheads over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Why is the U.S. anti-war movement losing support?

By Abby Phillip, Politico

From Abby Phillip, Politico:  As President Barack Obama formally declared an end to combat operations in Iraq this week, the anti-war movement that helped sweep him into office — and that worked for seven years to bring U.S. troops home — finds itself struggling for survival. Several factors — war fatigue; a deep, lingering recession; and the presence […]

Report: 2,000 more NATO troops may be Afghan-bound

By Slobodan Lekic, the AP

From Slobodan Lekic, the AP:  NATO may deploy 2,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan to join the 140,000-strong international force already there, an official said Monday. Top U.S. and NATO commander Gen. David Petraeus asked for the additional troops, nearly half of whom will be trainers for the rapidly expanding Afghan security forces, said the official […]

Outgoing NATO deputy rues early optimism on Marjah

By Kimberly Dozier, the AP

From Kimberly Dozier, the AP:  NATO commanders were overly optimistic when they predicted quick success taking the key Taliban-held town of Marjah last winter, the outgoing deputy commander said. There are now fledgling signs of a turnaround, but burned once by Marjah’s unpredictability, the military will be more restrained in forecasting success, British Lt. Gen. […]

Obama to meet with NATO Secretary General

By Press Secretary, the White House

From Press Secretary, the White House:  President Obama will welcome the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to the White House on September 7, 2010.

UK MOD Liam Fox: NATO ‘Bloated’

By Ben Hall, FT

From Ben Hall, FT: Speaking after a meeting in Paris, Liam Fox, UK defence secretary, and Hervé Morin, his French counterpart, said they were discussing with “absolute pragmatism” the scope for closer co-operation or even mutualisation of military capabilities and industrial projects amid tight spending constraints.