Category: Blogs

Secrecy and Strategy in Afghanistan

By Bernard Finel

I don’t condone leaking secrets. But nor do I condone a policy that can only work in secret. Yes, there are some narrow tactical initiatives that make sense as covert action. But, even then, secrecy is a wasting asset, and any strategy that requires secrecy in the long-term is likely doomed to failure. Our strategy […]

Moscow Uses Anti-Iran Sanctions as Bargaining Leverage on Washington

By Vladimir Socor

To hinder Iran’s uranium-enrichment program, the US has introduced sanctions that bar deliveries of gasoline and other refined oil products to Iran. The European Union is following the US lead in this case. Russia’s initial response is calculated to suggest that it does not consider itself bound

EU commission called upon to go after corrupt defence deals

By Valentina Pop, the EUobserver

From Valentina Pop, the EUobserver:  Munich-based investigators in March opened a case against the German engineering group Ferrostaal, suspected of paying bribes to secure defence contracts in Portugal and Greece and of organizing bribery payments on behalf of other firms for a fee. The investigation has meanwhile spread to Portugal and Greece, and touches on […]

Ukraine’s new NATO mission head upbeat on ties with alliance

By Interfax-Ukraine

A NATO Rep and two other Generals forced to leave Czech army over Russian spy

By Reuters

From Reuters:  Three Czech generals, including a presidential staff member and a NATO representative, were forced to leave the army in 2009 after a Russian spy’s contact with their offices, a Czech newspaper reported on Tuesday. Czech military and counter-intelligence agents have increasingly highlighted Russian agents’ presence in the central European NATO and European Union […]

Turkey to follow UN sanctions on Iran, not tougher EU or US bans

By Hürriyet

Cyprus official: US will get Russian spy’s laptop

By the AP

From the AP:  The justice minister in Cyprus says a confiscated laptop and other items belonging to an alleged Russian spy who vanished will be turned over to U.S. authorities. Loucas Louca said on Tuesday that he will agree to a U.S. request for the laptop, 3 USB memory sticks and a digital camera belonging […]

PM says France “at war” with al Qaeda

By Paul Taylor, Reuters

From Paul Taylor, Reuters:  France said on Monday it was at war with al Qaeda’s North African branch and will intensify military support for governments in the region combating the Islamist fighters who killed an elderly French hostage. But Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Paris would continue to negotiate with hostage-takers whenever possible to save […]

NATO: military ties with Russia improving steadily

By the AP

From the AP:  NATO’s top officer says military-to-military relations between Russia and the alliance are "definitely improving." Italian Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola, who heads the alliance’s military committee, says cooperation with Moscow is expected to deepen further in 2011 because of shared concerns over Afghanistan, and the threats posed by terrorism and maritime piracy. … […]

Why NATO Matters to the USA

By Adm. James Stavridis, U.S. European Command

From Adm. James Stavridis, U.S. European Command:  First, before we decide we don’t think NATO matters, let’s do a little “comparative shopping.”  Practically speaking, NATO has the best pool of partners we will have in the world for the foreseeable future.