Category: Blogs

What message is Europe sending?

By Gavin Hewitt, the BBC

Empty threats or creeping toward intervention?

By the Editors of the New York Times

From the Editors of the New York Times:  On Monday, the United States said it was moving military ships and planes closer to the Libyan coast, without specifying what they might do.

Germany’s Defense Minister Resigns

By Quentin Peel, the Financial Times

From Quentin Peel, the Financial Times:  Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, Germany’s popular defence minister, resigned on Tuesday in the face of overwhelming evidence of plagiarism in his doctoral thesis, in a big blow to the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Iran trying to buy nuclear missile parts: Norway

By Walter Gibbs, Reuters

From Walter Gibbs, Reuters:  Iran has been trying without success to obtain Norwegian missile technology for possible use in delivering nuclear weapons, Norway’s security chief said on Monday. Janne Kristiansen, general director of the Norwegian Police Security Service, told Reuters Iran had approached small Norwegian companies that sell "special components that can … be used […]

Libya No-Fly Zone: An Idea That Won’t Fly

By Magnus Nordenman

With the crisis in Libya moving at a breakneck speed, some have begun to call for the U.S. and NATO to do more to assist the opposition and halt human rights abuses perpetrated by the Gaddafi regime. The measures being proposed include a no-fly zone, which would prevent the regime from using airpower to suppress […]

Bonded in Blood: The U.S.-Afghan Relationship

By Derek Reveron

Afghanistan’s senior national security leaders were in Washington, D.C. last week for bilateral meetings. At the Pentagon on February 23, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed Afghanistan’s ministers of defense and interior for the first of what officials expect to be regular meetings to sustain a long-term military-to-military relationship. The message is consistent with what […]

Turkey rules out NATO intervention in Libya

By Zaman

From Zaman:  PM Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday firmly ruled out any NATO intervention in the Libyan crisis, while he strongly criticized European countries due to their “double-standard” approach towards developments in North Africa.

Accuser in psyops scandal admits he is not a psyops officer

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran, the Washington Post

From Rajiv Chandrasekaran, the Washington Post:  A spokesman for [Lt. Gen. William] Caldwell, Lt. Col. Shawn Stroud, said the general is not commenting on the allegations because of the ongoing investigation.

Why is the West Missing the Wave in the Middle East?

By Kurt Volker

One of the great challenges in intelligence analysis is predicting big changes. The safest analysis is nearly always that the forces that have shaped things until now will continue. A continuation of the status quo is thus the most likely outcome – right up to the moment that status quo disappears. This makes policymakers cautious. […]

Obama tells Merkel that Gaddafi needs to leave

By the White House

From the White House:  Readout of President Obama’s Call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany