Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

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New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2009

Obama to Close Guantánamo Prison. Eventually.

By James Joyner

Like his erstwhile opponent for the White House, John McCain, President-elect Barack Obama spent the last two years condemning the existence of the Guantánamo Bay detention camp and promising to close it if elected. Now, however, he’s hedging his bets a bit.

New Atlanticist

Jan 12, 2009

Pakistan Adrift, Washington Afraid

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

Pakistan is adrift, and Washington is gripped with worry over the competence and prospects of Pakistan’s civilian government. The United States and Pakistan are caught in a dangerous spiral where Pakistani inactivity and incompetence lead to more heavy-handed U.S. policies, which stirs up more anti-Americanism among the Pakistani public.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jan 12, 2009

Defeating Pakistan Extremism Requires Regional Strategy

By James Joyner

Shuja Nawaz, head of our new South Asia center, was interviewed by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty yesterday on the Pakistan-Afghanistan nexus.  The entire feature appears below as a courtesy to our readers.

New Atlanticist

Jan 11, 2009

Hamas’ War Crimes

By James Joyner

I’ve joined what seems to be a consensus of Western observers in decrying Israel’s heavyhanded tactics and callous disregard for civilian casualties in its invasion of Gaza.  It’s worth remembering, however, that it’s fighting a terrorist enemy that commits war crimes with casual impunity.

New Atlanticist

Jan 9, 2009

Can Israel Win?

By James Joyner

Time‘s Tim McGirk asks, “Can Israel Survive its Assault on Gaza?”  While rather hyperbolically phrased, it’s a good question.

Israel

New Atlanticist

Jan 9, 2009

Marriot Bombing Planner Killed in CIA Strike

By James Joyner

The head of  al Qaeda in Pakistan was killed last week, Joby Warrick reports on page 1 of today’s WaPo. A New Year’s Day CIA strike in northern Pakistan killed two top al-Qaeda members long sought by the United States, including the man believed to be behind September’s deadly suicide bombing at a Marriott hotel […]

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Jan 8, 2009

U.S. to Head International Piracy Force

By Peter Cassata

A new international antipiracy task force led by the U.S. is set to be operational in the Gulf of Aden by mid-January.  The Fifth Fleet of the U.S. Navy, based in Bahrain, said it will be called Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) and will include a U.S. command ship, two more American warships, and air […]

Somalia

New Atlanticist

Jan 8, 2009

Red Cross Condemns Israel

By James Joyner

Just when you thought Israel’s PR couldn’t get any worse: The International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday that it had found at least 15 bodies and several children — emaciated but alive — in a row of shattered houses in the Gaza Strip and accused the Israeli military of preventing ambulances from reaching […]

Israel

New Atlanticist

Jan 7, 2009

Gaza Backlash Hits Afghanistan

By James Joyner

In my post on the transatlantic divide over Israel’s Gaza operation, I referred to “America’s virtually automatic support of Israel, even for actions that are not only outside the norms of international law but decidedly unhelpful to our own interests.”

New Atlanticist

Jan 7, 2009

Europe’s Gas Supply Cut Off

By James Joyner

The semi-annual gas war between Russia and Ukraine has ratcheted up another notch, with the announcement that all gas headed from to the rest of Europe through Ukraine — which is to say, virtually all Russian gas headed to Europe — has now been halted. Maria Danilova for AP: Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that Russia […]

Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Dec 30, 2008

From Peshawar to Batumi: Time to Realize the East-West Corridor

By David Smith

Hakimullah Mehsud makes an eloquent practical argument for development of the East-West Corridor that runs from the Black Sea to the Caspian, across Georgia and Azerbaijan.  His Taliban guerillas are attacking NATO supply convoys traveling from Pakistan to Afghanistan and they recently struck a major logistics depot in the Pakistani town of Peshawar. 

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Dec 29, 2008

A Marshall Plan for Afghanistan?

By James Joyner

Former Afghan finance minister Ashraf Ghani — a member of the Atlantic Council’s International Advisory Board — calls for a Marshall Plan for his country in an op-ed in today’s Independent.   He argues that “The Obama Presidency provides a second chance to get Afghanistan right” and that the way to turn around this failed state […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Dec 28, 2008

Taliban Shadow Government Nears Kabul

By James Joyner

The Taliban is in de facto control of an increasing part of Afghanistan, Jason Straziuso and Amir Shah report for the AP. The Taliban has long operated its own shadow government in the most dangerous parts of Afghanistan, but its power is now spreading north to the doorstep of Kabul, according to Associated Press interviews […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Dec 28, 2008

Euro at 10

By James Joyner

The euro turns ten with the new year and the tributes are rolling out.    An AP “Euro at a Glance” piece shows the vital statistics: • The euro zone currently encompasses 15 countries with a combined population of 320 million and a 16.4 percent share of world gross domestic product.

New Atlanticist

Dec 27, 2008

Pakistan Readies for War with India

By James Joyner

Pakistan is reportedly moving large numbers of troops to its border with India and canceling leave for soldiers.  At the same time, however, it is signaling that it wishes very much to avoid war.

Pakistan
STOCK India-Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Dec 26, 2008

Pakistan Scales Down Anti-Terrorist Operations

By James Joyner

Pakistan has diverted troops away from anti-terrorist operations in order to safeguard against an attack from India.  Meanwhile, India and Saudi Arabia are calling for “joint action” against terrorists.  BBC: The Pakistani military has scaled down its operations against Islamist militants in the north-west following tensions with India, officials say.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Dec 26, 2008

Bypassing NATO?: Ukraine and Georgia Seek to Strengthen Ties with U.S.

By Peter Cassata

Will the U.S. extend security guarantees to Georgia and Ukraine on a bilateral basis?  With NATO MAPs not on the table for the foreseeable future, pacts with the U.S. are emerging in both countries.  However, Ukraine’s is nonbinding, and as my colleague James Joyner points out, Georgia’s seems largely symbolic.  RFE/RL ran two articles about […]

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Dec 25, 2008

Geogia-U.S. Accord: Better than Nothing

By James Joyner

The United States and Georgia will sign a “strategic partnership treaty” in the New Year, AFP reports. “Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Grigol Vashadze and the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will sign a strategic partnership treaty on January 4 in Washington,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Khatuna Iosava told AFP. 

The Caucasus

New Atlanticist

Dec 24, 2008

Islamic Banks Surge, Thanks to Financial Crisis

By James Joyner

One unexpected byproduct of the global financial crisis has been a boom for Islamic banks.  AP business writer Emma Vandore explains: France is becoming the latest country to woo Islamic banks, which avoided much of the damage from the subprime mortgage crisis by following strict principles laid out in the Quran — as the global […]

STOCK - Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Dec 23, 2008

U.S. Will Fund Militias in Afghanistan

By Peter Cassata

Echoing similar measures used in Iraq, the U.S. will begin funding militias in remote areas of Afghanistan to help fight the Taliban. 

Afghanistan
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