International Organizations

Syria: Between Sarajevo and Baghdad

By Julian Lindley-French

Thucydides, the great-great grandfather of unforgiving International Relations, once said, “The strong do what they have to do and the weak accept what they have to accept”.  British Foreign Secretary Hague’s announcement last week in Parliament that Britain will send armored vehicles and bullet-proof vests to support the Syrian National Coalition came just at the moment when […]

Britain to train Syrian rebels

By James Blitz and Joshua Chaffin, Financial Times

From James Blitz and Joshua Chaffin, Financial Times:  Britain announced on Wednesday that it would train Syrian rebels in the tactics they must use to hold territory seized from the Assad regime

Moldova’s Pro-Western Government Falls

By Andrew Roth, New York Times

From Andrew Roth, New York Times:  The pro-Western government of Moldova fell on Tuesday when Parliament passed a no-confidence motion

Russia invites US military chief to missile defense talks

By RIA Novosti

Why is NATO still needed?

By Charles A. Kupchan, Council on Foreign Relations

From Charles A. Kupchan, Council on Foreign Relations:  NATO remains valuable to its members for a number of reasons. The expansion of the alliance has played an important role in consolidating stability and democracy in Central Europe

Promoting the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

By Garrett Workman

With both the United States and Europe mired in economic stagnation, removing the remaining barriers to trade—both tariffs and divergent regulations—is critical to maintaining the leadership position the West has grown accustomed to. President Obama made clear in his State of the Union address that pursuing a comprehensive agreement with the European Union will be […]

UK-France defense cooperation seen as ‘entente frugale’

By Mohammed Abbas and Mark John, Reuters

From Mohammed Abbas and Mark John, Reuters:  Dubbed the "entente frugale" by wags and criticised by some as a dangerous dilution of military sovereignty, Franco-British defence cooperation is nonetheless growing stronger.

Kwasniewski: Ukraine Must Choose Between West and Russia

By James Joyner

Former Polish President Aleksander Kwaśniewski declared Ukraine must choose between the West and Russia–and urged the United States and Europe to work to nudge them in our direction.