Category: Blogs

Goldilocks and Afghanistan: How Big a Withdrawal?

By Don Snow

President Obama’s stated promise to begin the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan by July 2011, a commitment he made when he committed 30,000 additional troops to the war early in his presidency, is coming near. The major question is how large a withdrawal he will order, and what the consequences of whatever size drawdown […]

Atlantic Update 6/13/2011

By HuiHui Ooi

Is Erdogan’s win in Turkey good for its future? NATO is in a dilemma about its future after the critical speech by U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Private creditors in Europe are assuming some burden to the Greek financial crisis whereas Germany seeks to attach strings to bailout packages. 

NATO using Twitter to help target air strikes in Libya

By AFP

From AFP:  A NATO official said Libyans have been tweeting from the rebel-held city of Misrata, Ajdabiya and Tripoli, providing information ranging from movements of troops and tank columns to shellings of towns and fleeing refugees. "Twitter is a great source," the official said on condition of anonymity. The official stressed that any information gleaned […]

Update: NATO activities in Libya on June 12

By NATO

‘Collective Military Irrelevance’

By the Editors of the Wall Street Journal

From the Editors of the Wall Street Journal:  Defense Secretary Robert Gates is leaving office with a bang, and yesterday his target was a NATO alliance that he said is risking "collective military irrelevance" by spending so little on defense that it can’t defeat a two-bit dictator like Moammar Gadhafi

Erdogan wins election in Turkey, but falls short of two-thirds majority

By Deutsche Welle

The 24th anniversary of Reagan’s “Tear down this wall” speech in Berlin

By Ronald Reagan, the Reagan Foundation

From Ronald Reagan, the Reagan Foundation:  We hear much from Moscow about a new policy of reform and openness.

NATO 2.0: Reboot or Delete?

The West is still waiting for its Libya gamble to pay off

By Doyle MacManus, the Los Angeles Times

From Doyle MacManus, the Los Angeles Times:  Hope isn’t a strategy. But it was a major part of NATO’s decision to launch an air war against Libya’s Moammar Kadafi almost three months ago.

Update: NATO activities in Libya on June 11

By NATO