Category: Blogs

At the U.N., Turkey Asserts Itself in Prominent Ways

By Mark Landler, the New York Times

U.S. Lauds Russia on Barring Arms Delivery to Iran

By David Sanger and Andrew Kramer, the New York Times

From David Sanger and Andrew Kramer, the New York Times:  The White House praised Russia’s president, Dmitri A. Medvedev, on Wednesday for publicly barring the shipment of an advanced antimissile system to Iran, even as American diplomats here discussed a plan to reopen negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program.

NATO’s communication strategy and public support

By Stefanie Babst, atlantic-community.org

From Stefanie Babst, atlantic-community.org:  Most citizens find the policy- makings of large international organisations like the EU or UN too complex and far away from their day-to-day concerns. Where does the Transatlantic Alliance fit in this, in particular now that NATO approaches another Summit that will take place in Lisbon at the end of the […]

Russia bans sales of S-300 missiles to Iran

By the Office of the President of Russia

From the Office of the President of Russia:  Dmitry Medvedev signed the Executive Order on Measures to Implement UN Security Council Resolution 1929 on Iran, adopted on June 9, 2010. The executive order prohibits, in particular, transit via Russian territory (including air transport), export from Russian territory to Iran, and also transfer to Iran beyond […]

Bomb Explodes Near U.S. Embassy in Georgia

By the Voice of America

From the Voice of America:  Georgian authorities say a bomb has exploded near the U.S. embassy in the capital, Tbilisi, without causing injuries. Officials say the blast took place in a cemetery about 100 meters from the embassy before dawn Wednesday, damaging a cemetery building. Georgian authorities found another suspicious device in the cemetery and […]

Muddling Through to 2025

By James Joyner

Global Governance 2025, a joint effort of the Atlantic Council and its global partners, offers a wide range of trajectories for the international system depending on whether we adequately address known threats.

Afghanistan: “Without a doubt this is an information war”

By Bryan Sparling, U.S. European Command

From Bryan Sparling, U.S. European Command:  The enormity of the mission here is hard to comprehend.  It is truly audacious.  We are simultaneously transforming a government and attempting to connect it to remote constituencies who deeply distrust central authority.

Woodward Book Says Afghanistan Divided White House

By Peter Baker, the New York Times

From Peter Baker, the New York Times:  The book, “Obama’s Wars,” by the journalist Bob Woodward, depicts an administration deeply torn over the war in Afghanistan even as the president agreed to triple troop levels there amid suspicion that he was being boxed in by the military.

Please Fence Me In

By Harlan Ullman

Many decades ago, cowboy actor-singer Gene Autry made famous the tune, “Don’t Fence Me In.”   Today, in the diaphanous territory between Afghanistan and Pakistan, a better song could well be “Please fence me in.”  Indeed, that may be one of the few alternatives left if that region is ever to be stabilized and made more […]

US expects closer Russia-NATO ties

By Slobodan Lekic, the AP

From Slobodan Lekic, the AP:   A planned summit between NATO leaders and Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev will significantly boost cooperation on the Afghan war, missile defense and fighting drug trafficking and piracy, a senior U.S. official said Tuesday.