Category: NATOSource

Davutoğlu denies US demanded troops for Afghanistan

By Zaman

From Zaman: Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu has reiterated that the United States has conveyed no special demand for Turkey to send extra troops to war-torn Afghanistan . . . Turkey is readying to assume the leadership of the Kabul Regional Command once again in the near future. Davutoğlu explained that Turkey will dispatch more troops […]

NATO condemns suicide bombing in southern Russia

By AP

From AP: NATO’s secretary-general says the suicide truck bombing that killed 25 people at a police station in Russia’s North Caucasus this week underscores the danger terrorism poses to all nations. Anders Fogh Rasmussen has sent a message of condolence to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that condemns all forms of terrorism and says the alliance […]

NATOSource: SACEUR Priorities

By Admiral James Stavridis at EUCOM

From Admiral James Stavridis at EUCOM: The Naples visit, where I interacted with both groups of hard-working professionals – NATO and U.S. – is a good example of that. Some of the issues that touch both commands are operational planning, Afghanistan, engagement with Russia, the “high North,” cyber activities, logistics, infrastructure in Europe, and many […]

NATO and World Security

By Zbigniew Brzezinski in the New York Times

From Zbigniew Brzezinski in the New York Times: But to remain relevant, NATO cannot — as some have urged — simply expand itself into a global alliance or transform itself into a global alliance of democracies. A global NATO would dilute the centrality of the U.S.-European connection, and none of the rising powers would be […]

New Chapter of Russian Spy Cases Against NATO and its Members.

The Russian news service Interfax announced today that Moscow has expelled two Czech diplomats in an apparent tit-for-tat for yesterday’s reported expulsion of two Russian diplomats by the Czech Republic. A Russian official argued that, “this unfriendly act by the Czech side, which declared two of our diplomats ‘persona non grata’, could not be left […]

Georgia quits ex-Soviet group as Moscow allies rebel

By Reuters

From Reuters: Georgia on Tuesday became the first country to withdraw from the CIS grouping of former Soviet republics in the latest and most blatant sign of rebellion against Moscow in its own backyard. In the wake of its devastating five-day war with Russia last August, Georgia vowed to quit the Moscow-dominated Commonwealth of Independent […]

Russia expels two Czech diplomats in spy row

By Reuters

From Reuters: Russia has ordered two Czech diplomats out of Russia, Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday, in a spying row between two countries at odds over U.S. plans to install an anti-missile system in Europe. The expulsion follows Czech media reports on Monday that two Russians had been ordered out of Prague, including a […]

V Corps to endure as new ISAF command in Afghanistan

By Stars and Stripes

From Stars and Stripes: The renewed war effort in Afghanistan means V Corps, recently headed for oblivion, will live to fight another day. The Heidelberg-based corps would make up the staff of a new command overseeing day-to-day operations in Afghanistan for the next year, and officials said the corps could be staffed there for the […]

Insurgents target NATO HQ in Kabul as vote looms

By AP

From AP: A suicide car bomber struck near the front gate of NATO headquarters in Kabul killing seven people and wounding nearly 100 in a brazen daylight attack less than a week before Afghanistan’s landmark presidential election . . . Brig. Gen. E. Tremblay, the spokesman for the NATO-led force, said some soldiers in the […]

Firing General McKiernan was right, but as for the reasons

By Peter Feaver at foreignpolicy.com

From Peter Feaver at foreignpolicy.com: In other words, McKiernan got the sack because he was unable to get NATO to step up to the plate more smartly. Since McKiernan left, of course, the home-town presses in all of the NATO countries have been replete with stories about how costly their Afghan burden has been. I […]