Category: Blogs

Morsi: from Backup Candidate to President with Absolute Power / مرسي من مرشح احتياطي لرئيس بصلاحيات مطلقة

By Haitham Tabei

In less than two months, Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi transformed from a ‘backup’ candidate into a powerful president. During his first days in office, it was said that he had no powers and was subservient to the Muslim Brotherhood’s Guidance Office. Now he has become a president with expanded powers that give him control over […]

Intelligence chief: ‘Brussels is one of the big spy capitals of the world’

By Andrew Rettman, EUobserver

From Andrew Rettman, EUobserver:  For many in the age of foreign policy "resets" and "win-win" talks, espionage sounds like a thing of the past.

Turkish Ambassador Calls For NATO to ‘Act Decisively’ in Syria

By James Joyner

In the most powerful call for action yet by his government, Turkish Ambassador Namik Tan declared, “The implosion of Syria is a regional conflagration that threatens international peace and security. What we expect from our partners is a serious engagement and meaningful contribution to the resolution of this conflict.”

Fearing for Islam / الخوف على الإسلام

By Magdy Samaan

‘Innocence of Muslims’, the film that sparked a wave of violent protests across the Middle East is not the first work of its kind, deemed an unacceptable violation of religion by Muslims, while the west defends it as an example of freedom of expression. For the most part, protests of this kind are a simple […]

Latvia joins Nordic military initiative in Afghanistan

By Gerard O'Dwyer, Defense News

From Gerard O’Dwyer, Defense News:  Latvia has joined the new Nordic Transition Support Unit (NTSU) initiative, which will render joint force contributions in support of Afghan security structures ahead of the withdrawal of Nordic and Baltic ISAF forces in 2014.

Air Marshal Sir Christopher Harper chosen to lead NATO’s International Military Staff

By NATO

From NATO:  [T]he Chiefs of Defence of the 28 NATO nations elected Air Marshal Sir Christopher Harper of the United Kingdom as the new Director General of the International Military Staff (DGIMS) at NATO Headquarters.

Top News: More than 70 Detained in US Embassy Protests

By Egypt Source

The Public Prosecution has said 142 people would be indicted for their alleged involvement in storming the US Embassy in Cairo, a spokesperson from the Interior Ministry’s media department said Sunday.

Can NATO Pass the Riga Test?

By Julian Lindley-French

The Riga Conference is a jewel in the crown of security conferences. Yesterday I shared a panel with the Italian, Latvian and Norwegian defense ministers, together with Ambassador Sandy Vershbow, NATO’s US Deputy Secretary-General to discuss “NATO post-Chicago”. Did something happen in Chicago? I must have missed it.

BAE-EADS merger would advance Europe’s military goals

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

From Adrian Croft, Reuters:  Merging Britain’s BAE Systems with EADS to create a global aerospace and defence giant would be a significant boost to European leaders’ ambitions for a more efficient defence industry.

Michele Dunne Discusses Middle East Protests on Al Jazeera

Michele Dunne, Director of the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, appeared on Al Jazeera’s Inside Story discussing the anti-Islam film, Innocence of Muslims and consequent protests that spread across the Muslim world.