Category: Blogs

Syria and the lessons from delayed military intervention in Bosnia

By Douglas Hamilton, Reuters

US defense spending on cyber, special ops stays flat

By Lolita C. Baldor, the AP

From Lolita C. Baldor, the AP:  Spending on two of the Pentagon’s top priorities, cybersecurity and special operations forces, would largely remain flat or dip slightly in 2013

Will Qatar or Turkey have biggest impact on Syria’s future?

By Steve Coll, the New Yorker

From Steve Coll, the New Yorker:  Early on during the NATO intervention in Libya, air-traffic controllers in Cyprus received an unexpected call from two armed fighter jets.

Rasmussen: ‘New NATO – New Turkey’

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  Turkey has been a vital member of NATO for 60 years. Many things have changed in that time. But our commitment to each other has not.

Putin vows to ‘overcome’ NATO missile shield

By Deutsche Welle

From Deutsche Welle:  In the run up to Russia’s election, presidential candidate and sitting Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that he will increase military spending, claiming that NATO plans for a missile shield leave Moscow no choice.

Britain and France plan joint expeditionary force and carrier group

By defensemanagement.com

From defensemanagement.com:  The UK and France are to deepen defence cooperation efforts, speeding up work on a new joint expeditionary force and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programmes, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced.

Nicolas Sarkozy admits David Cameron was right to veto European treaty

By Rowena Mason, the Telegraph

From Rowena Mason, the Telegraph:  David Cameron was right to “defend Britain’s national interest” when he vetoed the new European treaty, Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, has admitted.

Britain and France ‘Will continue to increase their engagement with the Syrian opposition’

By the Foreign Ministry of Great Britain

From the Foreign Ministry of Great Britain:  Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy met in Paris for the UK-France Summit on 17 February. Syria was one of the areas discussed.

German President Resigns in ‘Favors’ Scandal

By Nicholas Kulish and Melissa Eddy, the New York Times

From Nicholas Kulish and Melissa Eddy, the New York Times:  Germany’s beleaguered president, Christian Wulff, announced his resignation on Friday after prosecutors asked Parliament to strip him of his immunity from prosecution over accusations of improper ties to businessmen.

NATO to stay out of Syria even if U.N. mandate emerges

By Simon Cameron-Moore and Tulay Karadeniz, Reuters

From Simon Cameron-Moore and Tulay Karadeniz, Reuters:  NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the Western alliance had no intention of intervening in Syria even in the event of a U.N. mandate to protect civilians, and urged Middle East countries to find a way to end the spiraling violence.