Category: Blogs

Russian Black Sea Fleet to join NATO naval drills in 2011

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  The Russian Black Sea Fleet will take part for the first time in NATO’s Bold Monarch exercise next year, its commander said on Friday. "Ahead of us [next year] are tactical drills involving multiple task forces, Russian-Turkish exercises under the Black Sea Partnership program and the NATO drills, Bold Monarch, which the […]

Azerbaijan arms production up 260% year-on-year

By RIA Novosti

Four lawmakers hospitalized after fight in Ukrainian Parliament

By Roman Olearchyk, the Financial Times

From Roman Olearchyk, the Financial Times:  A fight broke out in Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday night between lawmakers from President Viktor Yanukovich’s party and opposition MPs from the party of his rival, Yulia Tymoshenko. Four opposition MPs were taken to hospital after being injured in the fistfight. While skirmishes are common in Ukraine’s messy politics, […]

Ashton Warns Europe it is Losing Influence in US

By Stephen Castle, the New York Times

From Stephen Castle, the New York Times:  In her first major report on foreign policy, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, acknowledged that Washington was focusing less on Europe, and warned that the bloc would need to show more unity if it hoped to change that dynamic.

Germany Will Begin Afghan Exit Next Year

By Judy Dempsey and Matthew Saltmarsh, the New York Times

From Judy Dempsey and Matthew Saltmarsh, the New York Times:  Germany, which has the third largest military force in Afghanistan, will start withdrawing its 4,800 troops as early as next year, ending its mission there by 2014

“Resetting” the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process?

By Don Snow

It comes as no revelation to report that the efforts of the Obama administration to move the on-again, but mostly off-again peace process between Israel and the Palestinians is currently going nowhere.

China Expands Its Influence in Europe

By Wieland Wagner, Spiegel

From Wieland Wagner, Spiegel: [T]he rising superpower is cleverly capitalizing on the euro crisis to extend its long-term political and economic influence in Europe.

Obama’s next big Afghan battle: How many troops to withdraw

By Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Scott Wilson, the Washington Post

From Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Scott Wilson, the Washington Post:  President Obama’s national security team this week revisited the same vexing issues it worked through a year ago in devising the administration’s troop escalation in Afghanistan. This time, one key element was missing: impassioned dissent. While the group concluded that Obama’s counterinsurgency strategy is showing signs […]

NATO success in Kandahar and commitment of troops until 2014 shifting Afghan support

By Carlotta Gall and Ruhullah Khapalwak, the New York Times

From Carlotta Gall and Ruhullah Khapalwak, the New York Times:  As the Obama administration reviews its strategy in Afghanistan, residents and even a Taliban commander say the surge of American troops this year has begun to set back the Taliban in parts of their southern heartland and to turn people against the insurgency — at […]

NATO-Russia differences on a European missile shield

By Podolskaya Nadezhda, the Voice of Russia

From Podolskaya Nadezhda, the Voice of Russia:  The NATO-Russia differences on a European missile shield are essentially as follows: