Category: Blogs

Panetta on cyber threats to the US: ‘ This is a pre-9/11 moment’

By Leon Panetta, Department of Defense

From Leon Panetta, Department of Defense:  [T]he greater danger facing us in cyberspace goes beyond crime and it goes beyond harassment.  A cyber attack perpetrated by nation states are violent extremists groups could be as destructive as the terrorist attack on 9/11.

U.S. task force in Jordan seen as prep for possible ‘operation to secure Syria’s chemical stockpiles’

By Jamal Halaby, AP

From Jamal Halaby, AP:  From the edge of a steep mountain overlooking a desert compound built into an old rock quarry, machine gunfire echoes just outside hangars where U.S. special operations forces are training Jordanian commandos. The Americans, who arrived in the kingdom a few weeks ago at the request of the Jordanians, are helping […]

Germans still have a uniquely complicated relationship with their soldiers

By the Economist

From the Economist:  Germany nowadays joins its allies in sending troops to trouble spots such as Kosovo or Afghanistan. Last year it ended the draft in favour of an all-volunteer army like America’s. It is also undertaking a big reform of the Bundeswehr, which consists largely of shrinking the army from 250,000 soldiers in 2010, […]

The Biden Doctrine

By James Traub, Foreign Policy

Russia won’t renew pact on nuclear weapons with U.S.

By David M. Herszenhorn, New York Times

Denmark criticizes NATO’s Libya operation

By Politiken

From Politiken:  A Danish Air Force Tactical Command (FTK) report criticises NATO for its inability to direct bombing raids in Libya last year.

Prime Minister of Turkey: Intercepted Russia-Syria plane carried ‘ammunition’

By BBC

Ongoing violations against NGOs in Egypt – Is there a way out?

By Mostafa Shaat

For the past year and a half, Egypt’s NGOs have been targeted through a systematic chain of repressive violations, culminating in an orchestrated smear campaign led by the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) and its interim cabinets. During this transitional period, the prospects of civil society and human rights advocacy in Egypt faced several […]

Top News: Egypt’s Draft Constitution Unveiled Amid Political Divisions

By Egypt Source

The Constituent Assembly released an early incomplete draft of Egypt’s constitution for public discussion on Wednesday as it rebutted growing criticism by secularists, liberals and Salafists. The draft is incomplete, and does not include chapters on judicial authority or the military.