Category: Blogs

Russia, Turkey and Iran Meet, Posing Test for U.S. Diplomacy

By the New York Times

Turkey’s Clash of Civilizations

By Soner Cagaptay, the Wall Street Journal

The Keys to Britain’s New Policy on Afghanistan

By the Financial Times

From the Financial Times:  [British Prime Minister David] Cameron’s task now is to explain where the strategy is heading. He must emphasise three points. First, the US troop surge needs time to work. There can be no reassessment of policy until June 2011, when the surge will begin scaling down. There will be setbacks ahead. […]

Merkel and Medvedev Support Upgrading Russia-EU Committee on Foreign Policy and Security

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested considering a creation of Russia-EU committee on foreign policy and security at ministerial level. "In particular, the committee could be empowered to become a forum to exchange views on current issues of international politics and security, to develop guidelines for joint civil/military […]

SACEUR Commends Swiss Forces in Kosovo

By Allied Command Operations

From Allied Command Operations:  Admiral James Stavridis, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), visited Switzerland from 3 – 4 June on the invitation of the Chief of the Swiss Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Andre Blattmann. While there he met with the Head of the Federal Department, Mr Ueli Maurer, the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, […]

NATO Trimming Budget to Save 1.5 Billion Euros

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  National budgets are under pressure in all NATO countries.  As a former Prime Minister, I’m well aware that, when health and education and pensions are being cut, it is hard to exempt defence altogether.

NATO SecGen: Allies Making Progress in Afghanistan “the Taliban Don’t Want to See”

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  Last week, the Peace Jirga was held in Kabul.  Despite their best attempt, the Taliban failed to disrupt it.  It concluded with broad agreement among the participants – all Afghans – that there should be a political process leading to peace.

An Aiken Solution in Afghanistan?

By Don Snow

This week marked a dubious watershed in the U.S. military effort in Iraq and Afghanistan, as the number of American forces in Afghanistan passed the troop total in Iraq. The Iraq side of the ledger is the result of the continuing withdrawal of American combat forces from that country, and Admiral Mike Mullen promised today […]