Content

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2010

Ukraine: Containing the Con

By Alexander Motyl

For five years Viktor Yanukovych claimed to be a democratic, moderate, and unifier—everything that the Orange elites presumably were not. In the two months that he has occupied the president’s seat, Yanukovych has shown that he is an authoritarian, radical, and disunifier—everything that the Orange revolutionaries had accused him of being in 2004.

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

May 11, 2010

Tory-Lib Dem Coalition Imminent, Inevitable

By James Joyner

Yesterday, in a bold gambit to secure a progressive Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition, Gordon Brown announced his resignation as prime minister and party leader.  He failed.  All signs point to an imminent power sharing arrangement between the plurality winning Conservatives and the third place Lib Dems.  

United Kingdom

NATOSource

May 11, 2010

Britain’s New Prime Minister and America’s Non Atlanticist President

By the Times (London)

From the Times (London):  Before the election, the Tories spoke of establishing “a new special relationship” — with India. William Hague said that ties with Washington would be “solid but not slavish”. Mr Cameron called for Anglo-US relations to be “rebalanced”, remarking that “Britain should never be frightened of saying no to America.” Nick Clegg, […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

NATOSource

May 11, 2010

Whither Europe (and NATO)?

By Stephen Walt, Foreign Policy

From Stephen Walt, Foreign Policy:  In the past, Euro-optimists like Princeton’s Andrew Moravcsik have argued that crises like this just make Europe stronger, by forcing it to get its house in order and strengthen the relevant supra-national institutions. Maybe, but I’d be more convinced if my friend Andy hadn’t described Europe as being "stronger than […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

May 10, 2010

Trillion Dollar Bet on the Euro

By James Joyner

The Economist‘s Charlemagne sums it up with characteristic pith: "At two in the morning on May 10th, European Union finance ministers agreed a huge increase in their political will to defend Europe’s single currency, backed by a stunning €750 billion in aid for weak links in the 16 member eurozone. Simultaneously, the European Central Bank […]

New Atlanticist

May 10, 2010

End of Ukraine and Future of Eurasia

By Alexander Motyl

For the first time in 20 years, Ukraine’s disappearance as a state is imaginable. Since Ukraine is a pivotal state of great geopolitical significance to the stability of both Europe and Asia, its collapse could have considerable geopolitical consequences.

Europe & Eurasia NATO

NATOSource

May 10, 2010

Gates Concerned over Bloat in US Military Hierarchy in Europe

By the Washington Post

From the Washington Post: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates vowed Saturday to lead an effort to cut as much as $15 billion in overhead costs from the Pentagon’s $550 billion budget and warned that without the savings, the military will not be able to afford its current force.

United States and Canada

NATOSource

May 9, 2010

US Officer: “We Need a NATO Space Operations Control Center”

By  Space News

From Space News: The 40-plus nations taking part in NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan are often in the dark about what space assets are available to them and are too often denied access to space-derived intelligence, according to the former chief of ISAF space operations. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Tom Single, who […]

United States and Canada

NATOSource

May 9, 2010

Outdated, Unwanted, US Nukes Hang On In Europe

By the AP

From the AP: "Relics of the Cold War" is how Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle labeled the bombs as Germany’s new government took office last October. … By early this year, he was joined by the foreign ministers of Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and Luxembourg in calling for the nuclear discussion at Tallinn. Ex-NATO chief Claes […]

United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

May 7, 2010

Britain 2010 and America 2000

By James Joyner

Like the 2000 American presidential elections, the results of the 2010 parliamentary elections are drawing some attention to some oddities in the system and bringing calls for reform.  Most likely, the Brits will follow the lead of their American cousins and make no significant changes. Britain’s hung parliament, the first since 1974, is the result […]

United Kingdom