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New Atlanticist

May 31, 2012

Five Questions with Ellen Tauscher at the NATO Summit

By Simona Kordosova

At the NATO Summit in Chicago earlier this month, the Atlantic Council’s Simona Kordosova had the opportunity to interview Ellen Tauscher, US special envoy for strategic stability and missile defense, and vice chair designate of the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security.

NATO Security & Defense

MENASource

May 30, 2012

Egypt’s Election is Replicating the Hamas Scenario / الانتخابات الرئاسية تكرار مبدع لسيناريو حماس

By Magdy Samaan

The first round of Egypt’s presidential election has set the stage for a confrontation between the 60-year old military establishment (represented by Ahmed Shafik) and the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Mohamed Morsi, competing for control over the post-Mubarak system. But don’t be fooled into thinking that the Muslim Brotherhood is aiming to remove the military from […]

MENASource

May 30, 2012

Possible Scenarios for Electoral Alliances in the Run-Off

By Mustafa El-Labbad and Fouad El-Saeed

Political polarization in Egypt has reached new and dangerous heights, after the rejection of all the appeals presented to the Supreme Presidential Electoral Commission challenging the first round victory of the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Mohamed Morsi and Mubarak’s former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik.  Due to the elimination of the two candidates most closely associated with […]

NATOSource

May 30, 2012

Flame virus “widely considered as a technological leap” in cyber spycraft

By Ali Akbar Dareini and Brian Murphy, the AP

From Ali Akbar Dareini and Brian Murphy, the AP:  Computer technicians battling to contain a complex virus last month resorted to the ultimate firewall measures – cutting off Internet links to Iran’s Oil Ministry, rigs and the hub for nearly all the country’s crude exports.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

NATOSource

May 30, 2012

U.S. Plans to Arm Italy’s Drones

By Adam Entous, the Wall Street Journal

From Adam Entous, the Wall Street Journal:  The Obama administration plans to arm Italy’s fleet of Reaper drone aircraft, a move that could open the door for sales of advanced hunter-killer drone technology to other allies, according to lawmakers and others familiar with the matter.

Drones Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

May 30, 2012

Expert Offers Calming Words on Iran Nuclear Program

By Barbara Slavin

In the wake of last week’s nuclear talks in Baghdad, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday blasted the process as a waste of time that is allowing Iran to get closer to nuclear weapons.

Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation

New Atlanticist

May 30, 2012

Putin’s Management of Russia’s Governors Reveals Regional Fractures, Fear of Losing Power

By Thomas Liles

Since embarking on his third term as Russia’s president on May 7, Vladimir Putin has pushed the issue of gubernatorial elections to the forefront of his agenda. In contrast to his predecessor Dmitry Medvedev, who made several symbolic concessions to the country’s pro-democracy opposition, Putin has taken a decidedly more “managerial” approach which, unsurprisingly, contradicts […]

Russia

NATOSource

May 30, 2012

NATO: Death by a thousand little spending cuts?

By Luiza Ch. Savage, Macleans

From Luiza Ch. Savage, Macleans:  It has been almost a year since former U.S. defense secretary Robert Gates, who served both Bush and Obama, focused his final speech on blasting NATO allies who are “apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources to be serious and capable partners in their own defence.

United States and Canada

MENASource

May 30, 2012

Top News: Brotherhood Communicating with ElBaradei on Possible Leadership of Coalition Government

By Mara Revkin

Sources close to the Muslim Brotherhood confirm communication between Mohammed Morsi and founder of the al-Dostour Party Mohamed El-Baradei in an effort to coordinate activities for the presidential elections and afterwards. The Morsi campaign denied any official offer for El-Braradei to lead a coalition government in exchange for his support in the runoff elections.

New Atlanticist

May 30, 2012

The Mother of All (Fiscal) Tsunamis

By Harlan Ullman

Imagine you are aboard a palatial huge cruise ship — longer than three football fields and more than 100,000 tons in displacement. You are in the Atlantic. You receive an urgent text message. A giant tidal wave is headed in your direction and will hit the ship in about 2 hours. A satellite photo of […]

Elections Politics & Diplomacy