Content

Poland has made modernization of its armed forces a priority

NATOSource

Aug 16, 2013

Concerned About Allies Cutting Military Capabilities, Poland Strengthens its Defense Forces

By Economist

Having weathered the past five years better than most—the economy has grown by a fifth since 2009—and imposed tight spending limits on most departments, the centre-right government of Donald Tusk, re-elected in 2011, has made modernising the armed forces a priority.

Missile Defense NATO
"The cancellation of an invitation for both the exercise within NATO and the bilateral exercise has been conveyed" to Egypt

NATOSource

Aug 16, 2013

Turkey Blocks Egypt from Joining NATO Naval Exercise

By Today's Zaman

Turkey has canceled two naval military drills with Egypt over the Arab nation’s violent crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood protesters that has killed more than 600. . . .

NATO North Africa

New Atlanticist

Aug 16, 2013

Turkey’s Pivot Away from Democracy

By Kathryn Alexeeff

For the second time in two months, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government is clashing with secularists and opposition forces. The latest clash brings to the fore the question of whether Turkey will remain democratic, or if it is descending into authoritarianism. While the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) rightly emphasizes that it […]

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Aug 16, 2013

Gibraltar–Rock of Rages

By Julian Lindley French

Article X of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht is pretty unequivocal. “The Catholic King does hereby, for himself, his heirs and successors, yield to the Crown of Great Britain the full and entire propriety of the town and castle of Gibraltar, together with the port, fortifications, and forts thereunto belonging; and he gives up the […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Aug 16, 2013

Four Days in Iran in August: Heat, Hijab, and Hope

By Barbara Slavin

What is it about Iran and Western women journalists?   Foreign reporters who got visas to cover last week’s inauguration of Iran’s new president, Hassan Rouhani, were overwhelmingly female and included me as well as correspondents for NBC and CBS. Historically, women such as Christine Amanpour, Robin Wright and Elaine Sciolino have also reported extensively […]

Iran

MENASource

Aug 16, 2013

Gulf State Divisions Reemerge in Reaction to Cairo Crackdown

By Richard LeBaron

Different approaches in the Gulf to the ongoing change in Egypt emerged again in stark relief as the Gulf states began to publicly enunciate their reactions to the massive display of force and loss of life in Egypt on August 14. While some commentators had speculated that Gulf positions regarding political change in Egypt might […]

North Africa

MENASource

Aug 16, 2013

In Egypt, Liberal Hypocrisy Can Kill Democracy

By Faysal Itani

The Muslim Brotherhood’s forced ouster in Egypt is a turning point in the political evolution of the Arab world. The Brotherhood’s military and civilian opponents would prefer to put this difficult chapter to end quickly, and to see the Brotherhood experiment as a mere footnote in Egyptian history. More likely, however, the increasingly violent crackdown […]

North Africa
Scottish delegation travelled to NATO HQ to discuss Scotland's options for joining the Alliance

NATOSource

Aug 16, 2013

NATO Chiefs Deal Blow to SNP’s Anti-Nuclear Strategy

By Guardian and Telegraph

From Severin Carrell, Guardian:  Senior Nato officials have warned Alex Salmond’s government that an independent Scotland would be barred from joining Nato if there were any disputes over the basing of nuclear weapons on the Clyde.

NATO Security & Defense
The SEA claimed that it hacked the Web sites of The Post, CNN and Time magazine “in one strike”

NATOSource

Aug 16, 2013

Syrian Electronic Army Hacks Washington Post Web Site

By Paul Farhi and Hayley Tsukayama, Washington Post

The Washington Post’s Web site was disrupted Thursday morning by a hacker group sympathetic to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad that apparently launched a coordinated wave of attacks on American news outlets.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense
" I call on all sides to exercise restraint and refrain from violence"

NATOSource

Aug 16, 2013

NATO Secretary General Speaks Out on Violence in Egypt

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

Statement by the NATO Secretary General on the events in Egypt

NATO North Africa