Category: Blogs

Brzezinski Endorses Obama Missile Decision, Slams Rollout

By James Joyner

Yesterday, I noted that Brent Scowcroft supports President Obama’s missile defense decision.  Another distinguished member of our International Advisory Board,  Zbigniew Brzezinski, has voiced his support as well — albeit in an extremely colorful manner that’s not particularly flattering to the president.

Secretary of State Clinton: Poland Will Get Patriot missiles and the Czech Republic Gets R/D funding

By the Department of State

From the Department of State: We are not reducing our capacity to protect our interests and our allies from Iran. By contrast, we are increasing that capacity and focusing it on our best understanding of Iran’s current capabilities. And most of all, we would never, never walk away from our allies. We have recommitted ourselves […]

Sec. Gen. Rasmussen: “linking the US, NATO and Russia missile defence systems”

By NATO

From NATO: Yesterday, the US announced its plans with regard to a missile defence which can include and can protect all European allies. These plans will involve an even greater role for NATO with regard to missile defence in Europe – and I welcome that as a positive step. In my view, the proliferation of […]

NATOSource: First Strategic Concept Seminar Announced

By NATO

From NATO: the Secretary General is now leading a process that will lead itself to the new strategic concept. There will be a number of events to feed the strategic debate and the deliberations of the group of experts. We will have strategic concepts, seminars which will be attended by the experts as a group […]

Brent Scowcroft Supports Obama’s Missile Defense Decision

By James Joyner

While I remain highly critical of the optics of yesterday’s decision to change course on missile defense in Eastern Europe, timed as it was on the 70th anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Poland and coming after a year of bellicose actions from Moscow, it would be remiss not to point out that General Brent Scowcroft […]

Nabucco and Trans-Caspian Relations

By Alexandros Petersen

This summer’s dispute over undersea Caspian energy resources between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, as well as Ashgabat’s recently stated intention to bolster its maritime military capabilities, have seemingly thrown Trans-Caspian relations into a tailspin, jeopardizing plans for energy cooperation to supply the strategic Nabucco natural gas pipeline.

Obama’s Missile Defense Decision: The View From Europe

By James Joyner

President Obama’s decision to abandon the missile defense systems in Poland and Czech Republic agreed to by his predecessor has created a firestorm of controversy, with quite different reactions in Russia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and domestically.

Turkey, Kurdistan, and Armenia

By David Phillips

Atlantic Council senior fellow David Phillips was interviewed by the Turkish newspaper Today’s Zaman on recent developments in Turkish-Kurdish relations and in Turkey-Armenia relations.

NATOSource: Capital Hill Republicans Announce Opposition to White House Missile Defense Decision

This morning’s announcement by President Obama that the U.S. will abandon its planned missile defense system with Poland and the Czech Republic has produced immediate and negative responses from Congressional leaders. Congressman John Boehner, the House minority leader, told the New York Times that, “[s]crapping the U.S. missile defense system in Poland and the Czech […]

Europe reacts to Obama dropping missile defence shield

By the Guardian

From the Guardian: Ellen Tauscher, the state department’s under-secretary for arms control, and Alexander Vershbow, deputy defence secretary and former US ambassador to Russia and Nato, were in Warsaw and Prague today doing the explaining . . . “The Americans only cared about their interests. They used everybody else,” said Lech Walesa, the former Polish […]