International Organizations

Spain: 5 dead, 3 injured in military academy blast

By the AP

From the AP:  A powerful explosion at a Spanish military academy killed five soldiers and wounded three others on Thursday when a bomb disposal drill went awry, the Defense Ministry said.

Commander of NATO Training Mission Afghanistan addresses EU

By William B. Caldwell, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan

From William B. Caldwell, NATO Training Mission Afghanistan:  Police professionals of EU nations have qualities that make them invaluable to the police training mission. Their strength does not lie in their nations’ GDPs…but in their remarkable people. EUPOL possesses and trains the ministerial level expertise in criminal investigation, intelligence-led policing, anti-corruption capabilities, judicial cooperation and coordination, […]

NATO’s military commander visits allied forces in Kosovo

By Allied Command Operations

From Allied Command Operations:  Admiral James Stavridis, Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander United States European Command travelled to Kosovo on Friday, February 18th to visit KFOR troops and receive an update on current operations.

New poll in Turkey reveals support for NATO, but not US

By Christopher Torchia, the AP

Turkey shelves EU reforms as accession hopes fade

By Ercan Yavuz, Zaman

From Ercan Yavuz, Zaman:  With key European Union states showing no sign of relenting in their opposition to Turkey’s accession, the government has postponed dozens of laws required to be passed to achieve harmonization with the 27-nation bloc’s standards until after the June elections, and even beyond.

Germany Feels Some Push Back as It Grows More Euro-Assertive

By Stephen Castle, the International Herald Tribune

From Stephen Castle, the International Herald Tribune:  For decades Germans wanted to become more European and took care not to be seen bossing around their allies on the Continent. But now that the government in Berlin wants Europe to become more like Germany, the temperature is rising.

Europe’s Foreign Policy Chief Faces Criticism on Uprisings

By Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

From Steven Erlanger, the New York Times:  [T]here is growing unease that she [the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton] has not been forceful enough in front of Europe’s nation-states on breaking world events like those in the Middle East and North Africa.

Franco-German “competitiveness pact” sparks opposition

By Charlemagne, the Economist

From Charlemagne, the Economist:  When Germany and France disagree, everybody complains about paralysis in Europe. When they agree, the protest is about unacceptable diktats.

NYT: Europe should not “follow rules made in Germany, for Germany”

By the Editors, the New York Times

From the Editors, the New York Times:  [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel is finally engaging, but the proposals she, and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France, presented to European Union leaders in Brussels on Friday ask too much and do not offer enough in return.