Category: Blogs

Political Gridlock at NATO

By Con Coughling, the Wall Street Journal

From Con Coughling, the Wall Street Journal:  Many European powers, such as Germany, insist the NATO mission should be confined to the humanitarian objectives set out in U.N. resolution 1973, namely to protect innocent civilians and establish a cease-fire.

Atlantic Update 6/10/2011

By HuiHui Ooi

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressed his views on NATO’s dim future and Europe’s lack of commitment to NATO. Russia is making deals to secure its energy security whereas the European Central Bank continues to assist Greece in tackling its financial crisis. Europe also takes the lead in buiding a UN resolution against Syria instead of […]

Military Attack on Iran Recedes, but Tensions Remain High

By Barbara Slavin

The likelihood of a U.S. or Israeli military attack on Iran’s nuclear installations seems miniscule during the remaining months of the Barack Obama administration’s first term. The U.S. is focused on domestic economic problems, winding down wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, and stabilising emerging democracies in Egypt and Tunisia. Israel is preoccupied with Arab […]

The Other Side of COIN

By James Joyner

While most of the media attention to NATO’s Afghanistan operation has been on the kinetic operations, the war has no chance of ending successfully unless Afghans can provide their own security.  Largely neglected until two years ago, that "other side of COIN" is showing promise. Yesterday, the Atlantic Council hosted a delegation from NATO Training […]

Is the Two-State Solution in Palestine Dead?

By Don Snow

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Washington last week with a tremendous tactical victory. By skillfully marshaling sympathetic Americans through AIPAC, he managed to deflect the speech by President Obama two days before he arrived that had argued for–even demanded–the resumption of Israeli-Palestine peace talks aimed at creating separate Jewish and Arab states (the 1948 […]

Update: NATO activities in Libya on June 8

By NATO

Canada dropping out of NATO AWACS program

By CBC News

From CBC News:  The government of Canada intends to cut its participation in a NATO air surveillance program, CBC News has learned.

NATO aims to close 4 bases

By David Brunnstrom, Reuters

From David Brunnstrom, Reuters:  NATO officials also declined to provide details, but the reforms proposed by Rasmussen aimed to cut the number of major NATO bases to seven from 11.

Details of NATO’s new agency structure

By NATO

From NATO:  NATO has currently 14 NATO Agencies and they all provide essential capabilities and services to NATO Armed Forces. With the reform agreed today, NATO agencies will achieve greater synergy between similar functions.

Defense Ministers approve NATO reforms

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  NATO Defence Ministers have just approved a set of important reforms. They will make NATO leaner, more flexible, and better able to deal with future challenges.