Category: Blogs

Uzbek Leader’s Visit to Brussels Was NATO’s Idea

By Eurasianet.org

From Eurasianet.org:  NATO, not the European Union, initiated the idea of inviting Uzbekistan’s controversial leader, Islam Karimov, to visit Brussels, according to an aide to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.

Bin Laden threatens France in new message

By the AP

From the AP:  Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden called on France to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in exchange for releasing French hostages being held by affiliates of the extremist group, according to a new audio message broadcast on an Arabic news channel Friday. "The exit of your hostages out of the hands of our […]

Is China Trying to Divide U.S. and Europe?

By Banning Garrett

Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with President Barack Obama this week on the heels of Vice Premier Li Keqiang’s charm offensive in Europe early this month. Li, the presumptive future premier, made deals to purchase European government bonds, buy European goods and invest in European countries. Should the United States — and Europe — […]

Jihadists Losing Momentum?

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

The fourth issue of Inspire, al Qaeda’s online English-language magazine, appears to be running out of ideas to provoke mayhem among the heathen nations and the Muslims who do their bidding. Women jihadis are praised for their courage and men chastised for sitting on their hands. Singled out is Roshanara Chaudry sentenced to life in […]

Turkey’s Kissinger

By James Traub, the New York Times

Obama’s Mid-Term Report Card

By James Joyner

Today marks the second anniversary of Barack Obama’s inauguration as president and, thus, the halfway mark of his term.   How’s he doing so far? The easy answer is to give him an Incomplete.  After all, it takes a long time to see the results of policy changes.  Nonetheless, based on what we know so […]

UK-Nordic-Baltic Summit to develop “alliance of common interests”

By George Parker and Andrew Ward, the Financial Times

Hungary’s Media Law Draws EU Protests

By James Joyner

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán was greeted with protests from some EU parliamentarians when he addressed them as its rotating president of the European Council.   Spiegel: Orbán began his speech to the European Parliament at 10:36 a.m. on Wednesday morning. He had hardly had time to greet the assembled deputies before being interrupted by […]

Framing NATO’s Engagement with China

By Walter L. Christman, Atlantic-Community.org

From Walter L. Christman, Atlantic-Community.org:  While transatlantic cooperation, through organizations such as NATO, is the most robust on the planet, it is nevertheless limited in its ability to address the complex and multiplying challenges springing up around the globe

Belarus lashes out over EU Sanctions

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday ordered the government to respond to the European Parliament’s sanctions against him and scores of other officials. "If anybody attempts to impose economic or any other sanctions against the country, we should respond and prepare counter-measures," Lukashenko told a government meeting. … Earlier on Thursday, the […]