Politics & Diplomacy

Who Decides What’s Secret?

By James Joyner

Glenn Greenwald, the civil-liberties columnist who broke the story about the National Security Agency’s massive collection of metadata on U.S. phone and Internet usage patterns, contends that, despite its being classified Top Secret, “There’s not a single revelation that we’ve provided to the world that even remotely jeopardizes national security.”

Will the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty Be Effective?

By Alex Ward and Morgan Timme

Earlier this month, states that participated in the UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty last March were allowed to sign the document. The ATT—designed to curb the sale of small arms and ammunition to terrorists, criminal gangs, and organizations committing human rights violations or genocide—passed a UN General Assembly vote with 154 in favor, […]

Strengthening NATO-EU Interaction

By NATO

From NATO:  NATO International Military Staff (IMS) and European Union Military Staff (EUMS) Directors convened today at NATO Headquarters for the first high-level military conference of 2013.

A Strong Europe for a Strong NATO

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  In my view, the biggest dangers to our security are not cyber-warfare, terrorism, or proliferation. These are challenges. But they are not obstacles. I would say the real obstacles are Europe’s own limited ambitions in today’s world.

NATO-EU Cooperation Saves Indian Ship from Pirate Attack

By NATO Maritime Command

From NATO Maritime Command:  On Wednesday 5th June 2013, the NATO counter-piracy warship HNLMS VAN SPEIJK worked together with the European Union to provide support to an Indian dhow that was being attacked by suspected pirates off the coast of Bosaso (North-eastern Somalia).

Baltic Spirit

By Julian Lindley-French

Having dinner with the Lithuanian Chief of Defense Staff Lieutenant General Pocius was a moving experience. Listening to the story of his family’s struggle for freedom left with me with the profound sense that every NATO and EU leader should visit the Baltic States at least once a year to remind themselves of the importance of […]

Germany, EU Tell Turkey to Show Restraint Amid Protests

By Deutsche Welle

From Deutsche Welle:  Berlin has urged the Turkish government to refrain from heavy-handedness in its treatment of protesters. A senior EU official echoed the comments but said Brussels remained committed to Turkey’s accession to the bloc.

The Economic and Political Decline of France

By Mathieu von Rohr, Spiegel