NATO

NATO’s Baltic Air Policing Mission Becomes Permanent

By Ott Tammik, Estonian Public Broadcasting

From Ott Tammik, Estonian Public Broadcasting: NATO has decided to make permanent its Baltic air policing mission, in which larger member states patrol the region with their fighter jets on a rota basis.

Afghanistan: End Game or No Game?

By Harlan Ullman

Last week was another roller coaster ride for international politics. Violence in Egypt; looming civil war in Syria; and threats and counter-threats over Iran’s nuclear intentions reverberated around the international security community intensifying the gathering sense of impending disaster. In Brussels at the NATO Defense Ministers’ meeting followed by the Munich Security Conference the next […]

Divisions within Obama administration growing over how to end Afghan war

By Karen DeYoung, the Washington Post

NATO clears funding hurdle to buy five Global Hawks

By Stephen Trimble, Flight Global

Cost drives NATO bid for smaller Afghan army

By David Brunnstrom and Justyna Pawlak, Reuters

From David Brunnstrom and Justyna Pawlak, Reuters:  Afghanistan could end up fighting Taliban insurgents with a national army and police force two-thirds the size envisaged

German Defense Minister: ‘Europe remains the biggest base for US soldiers abroad’

By Bernd Riegert, Deutsche Welle

From Bernd Riegert, Deutsche Welle:  During the NATO summit in Brussels, US Defense Secrety Leon Panetta once again briefed his partners on Washington’s military plans.

Panetta on Afghanistan 2013: ‘We will engage in combat operations as necessary’

By Leon Panetta, the Department of Defense

From Leon Panetta, the Department of Defense:  First, as an alliance, obviously we are fully committed to the Lisbon framework:  in together, out together.

A Leaner NATO Needs a Tighter Focus

By Hans Binnendijk

U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have an opportunity this weekend as they address the Munich Security Conference to suggest ways to stabilize NATO’s ailing defense capabilities. European nations have slashed their defense budgets to record low levels without much regard for NATO’s overall defense requirements. And last week […]

NATO defence ministers achieve breakthrough on Baltic air patrol mission

By the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania

From the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania:  On February 2, Thursday, Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė while at the NATO Defence Ministers meeting in Brussels noted that a breakthrough had been achieved in the effort to have a prolonged Baltic Air policing mission