Category: NATOSource

International expectations are high for Germany’s new defense minister

By Deutsche Welle

From Deutsche Welle: Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is setting yet another record. At 37, he is the youngest defense minister ever to be in charge of Germany’s more than 250,000 armed forces and a budget of more than 30 billion euros ($44 billion)… The written agreement that provides the basis for the new center-right government underscores […]

Finnish Air Force tightens cooperation with NATO

By Helsingin Sanomat

From Helsingin Sanomat: Based on a series of tests carried out in Germany in September, the Finnish Air Force has been established as the first NATO Partnership for Peace member to meet the standards set by the military alliance. “In a defence report from 2004, an aim was set for the Finnish Air Force to […]

Norway’s commitments to NATO in danger

By the Norway Post

From the Norway Post: The problems facing the Norwegian Defence have become so great that Norway’s commitments to NATO are threatened, according to a report to Parliament from the National Audit Office… – It says the number of combat ready pilots has been reduced.– 40 per cent of staff positions in the Norwegian Air Force […]

Nato faces dilemma on Russia

By the Financial Times

From the Financial Times: The perception of a continuing Russian threat to its near-abroad – not just to former Soviet republics such as Georgia and the Baltic states but also to former Warsaw Pact members such as Poland – motivates Nato’s new members. They pay lip service to its expeditionary role, but really they want […]

Nato backs McChrystal in snub to Biden plan

By the Independent

From the Independent: Nato defence ministers signalled their backing for the Afghan strategy put forward by the American commander General Stanley McChrystal yesterday in an implicit rejection of the alternative plan proposed by US Vice-President Joe Biden. The general had made an unscheduled appearance at the meeting of ministers in Bratislava, Slovakia, to give a […]

Westerwelle: Germany Must be Free of Nuclear Weapons

By Deutsche Welle

From Deutsche Welle: Foreign Minister-designate Guido Westerwelle has renewed calls for a withdrawal of US nuclear weapons based in Germany, saying he would hold talks with the Obama administration on the issue… His comments came a day after his FDP party reached agreement with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives for a new center-right government scheduled to […]

Russia-NATO Council begins expert regular consultations on Afghanistan – Dmitry Rogozin

By ITAR-TASS

From ITAR-TASS: The Russia-NATO Council on Wednesday began regular expert consultations on practical cooperation between Russia and the alliance in Afghanistan, Russian permanent representative to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said. “The Council is meeting in an expanded format today at the level of ambassadors to discuss solely Afghanistan and security in that region,” he said. (graphic: […]

NATO chief demands greater efforts in Afghanistan

By Reuters

From Reuters: The head of NATO urged member states on Thursday to step up efforts to train and equip Afghan forces, warning that inaction would have serious consequences… “We all have to achieve more in training and equipping the Afghan security forces,” Rasmussen told a security conference before the ministers’ meeting in the Slovak capital, […]

Does Rasmussen’s Speech Reveal New NATO Priorities?

In his first speech as Secretary General (August 3), Anders Fogh Rasmussen identified Afghanistan and relations with Russia as the top two priorities for NATO. Unfortunately, that speech ignored the security concerns of the Central European members of NATO and contributed to the perception that rapprochement with Moscow was more important to the alliance than […]

NATO “a corpse”, fumes former Canada military boss

By Reuters

From Reuters: The splits inside NATO over the Afghan war have turned the alliance into a rotting corpse that will be virtually impossible to revive, says the former head of Canada’s armed forces. General Rick Hillier also said the 28-member alliance was ‘dominated by jealousies and small, vicious political battles’ and bemoaned its “lack of […]