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New Atlanticist

Mar 3, 2010

Lord Robertson: Time for Grown-up Argument on NATO Resources

By James Joyner

Lord Robertson believes that it is time for NATO to take "a less gentlemanly approach to capabilities" and to "be honest and brutal" that much of the current defense budgets are "a pure waste of taxpayer’s money."

New Atlanticist

Mar 3, 2010

Lord Robertson: If We Lose in Afghanistan, They Will Be Back Over Here

By James Joyner

Asked by Atlantic Council president Fred Kempe to explain to Europeans why they should continue fighting and dying in Afghanistan, Lord Robertson replied that the initial case was "If we don’t go to Afghanistan it will come to us."  Now, it’s, "If you lose there, they will be back over here again" as they were […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 3, 2010

Lord Robertson: NATO on Edge of a Precipice

By James Joyner

Lord George Robertson, NATO Secretary General from 1999 to 2004, says that the Alliance and its constituent members are "on the edge of a precipice looking down on a world of growing disorder and discontent and only blunt talk and straight language will save us from falling over."

NATOSource

Mar 2, 2010

NATO Future in Question As Afghanistan Role Dwindles

By Time

From Time: [A] call for 3,200 additional NATO soldiers to help train the fledgling Afghan army was answered with commitments for only half that number. "Training and advising the security forces of other nations needs to become a key alliance mission," Gates said. "In Afghanistan, the alliance has struggled to field the trainers and mentors needed […]

United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2010

Erdogan vs the Generals: Turkey’s Political Future in the Balance

By James Joyner

The ongoing clash between the Erdogan government and the military brass has spotlighted longstanding tensions in Turkey’s political and social culture and even has some wondering whether a military coup remains a possibility in a country with one foot in the West and one in the East.  Thankfully, early signs point to a victory for […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2010

Estonia in NATO

By Kurt Volker

A small country has its advantages, if it knows how to use them. With less bureaucracy and fewer actors, most of whom have known each other for years, a small country can sometimes be more nimble and strategic than a large one. Of course there can be disadvantages and vulnerabilities as well – but that’s […]

NATOSource

Mar 2, 2010

Partners in Decline

By  Foreign Policy

From Foreign Policy:  Perhaps the end of the Cold War was an opportune time to kill off NATO, but the Balkan crises of the 1990s and post-9/11 security challenges proved that the alliance was still needed. The same is true today. The alternative — to replace NATO with an ad hoc ABCD alliance (America, Britain, Canada, […]

European Union International Organizations

NATOSource

Mar 2, 2010

NATO Air Forces to Train Over Baltic Countries

By the AP

From the AP: NATO said Tuesday that its air forces will conduct an exercise this month over the Baltic states, which have been alarmed by the fast-improving ties between the alliance and neighboring Russia. The training March 17-20 over Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia will involve French Mirage 2000 and Polish F-16 fighters and U.S. aerial tankers, […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 1, 2010

French Burqa Ban Widely Supported in Europe

By James Joyner

As France goes ahead with its ban on the wearing of the burqa, a new FT-Harris poll shows majority support for doing the same in the UK, Italy, Spain, and Germany — and strong opposition in the United States.

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Mar 1, 2010

The Ukrainian ‘W’

By Alexander Motyl

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych bears a striking resemblance to former President George W. Bush. Although Bush was born rich and Yanukovych poor, both were rowdy as youths, with the former drinking and carousing and the latter serving two jail terms for hooliganism.

Ukraine
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