Category: Blogs

NATO allies have key role in new Pentagon Cyber Security Strategy

By David Ignatius, the Washington Post

From David Ignatius, the Washington Post:   With little fanfare, the Pentagon is putting the finishing touches on a new strategy that will treat cyberspace as a domain of potential warfare — and apply instant "active defense" to counterattacks that, in theory, could shut down the nation’s transportation and commerce.

NATO and Indian Counter-Piracy Task Force Commanders Meet

By Allied Command Operations

From Allied Command Operations:  The Commander of NATO’s counter-piracy task force, Commodore Christian Rune, Royal Danish Navy, met with the Commander of the Indian counter-piracy task group, Captain S. Srikant, Commanding Officer of INS DELHI yesterday. Onboard NATO’s flagship, HDMS ESBERN SNARE, in Salalah, Oman, they discussed developments in counter-piracy tactics and improvements in communications […]

Greek fighter jets collide in mid-air, pilot killed

By AFP

From AFP:  Two Greek fighter jets collided in mid-air on Thursday, the defence ministry said, killing one of the pilots and leaving two other crew injured. The collision between the two F-16 planes, a one- and two-seater respectively, happened south of the island of Crete during training in air fighting involving six aircraft, the air […]

Death of Spanish Troops in Afghanistan Increases Pressure to Withdraw

By Daniel Woolls, Canadian Press

From Daniel Woolls, Canadian Press: The shooting death of three Spaniards at a military base in Afghanistan has prompted renewed calls for the government to declare the war on the Taliban a failure and join other coalition countries in withdrawing.

France Reiterates Commitment to Afghanistan

By AFP via DefenseNews

From AFP via DefenseNews: President Nicolas Sarkozy declared on Aug. 25 that French forces will remain in Afghanistan for as long as they are needed there and enjoy the support of the Afghan people. Two French soldiers were killed this week and Sarkozy faces mounting calls for France’s 3,750 troops to begin withdrawing from a […]

EU Gets Tough on Iran

By Emanuele Ottolenghi

The European Union sometimes earns well-deserved criticism for its foreign policy. But praise should be given where praise is deserved – and the EU’s latest effort to target Iran with tough autonomous sanctions is one such case. Clearly, the measures the EU adopted on July 26 can be further expanded. More can be done. But […]

German Defense Minister Proposal Would Reduce Military Size

By Shant Shahrigian, VOANews.com: Germany’s defense minister has proposed shrinking the country’s military and effectively ending the draft.  The move would dramatically transform the third biggest member of the NATO coalition in Afghanistan.

2008 Attack on CENTCOM Computers Is Confirmed

By Brian Knowlton, the New York Times

From Brian Knowlton, the New York Times:  A top Pentagon official has confirmed a previously classified incident that he describes as “the most significant breach of U.S. military computers ever

Afghan Officials Back Conway: Withdrawal Date “Invigorates” Taliban

By Hamid Shalizi, Reuters: U.S. plans to begin drawing down forces in Afghanistan from next July are "invigorating" insurgents, Afghan officials said on Wednesday, agreeing with a blunt assessment given by the top U.S. Marine.