Americas

Russian president orders military to prepare countermeasures against US missile shield

By Vladimir Isachenkov, the AP

Four conditions for a NATO invasion of Syria

By Daniel Byman, Michael Doran, Kenneth Pollack, and Salman Shaikh, Brookings

From Daniel Byman, Michael Doran, Kenneth Pollack, and Salman Shaikh, Brookings:  One variant on the invasion option that bears separate consideration because it could prove to be an attractive alternative is for NATO to invade Syria with Arab League diplomatic support and ideally some Arab military participation.

Russian Anti-Terror Troops Arrive in Syria

By Kirit Radia and Rym Momtaz, ABC News

From Kirit Radia and Rym Momtaz, ABC News: A Russian military unit has arrived in Syria, according to Russian news reports, a development that a United Nations Security Council source told ABC News was "a bomb" certain to have serious repercussions.

U.S. accelerating cyberweapon research

By Ellen Nakashima, the Washington Post

From Ellen Nakashima, the Washington Post:  The Pentagon is accelerating efforts to develop a new generation of cyberweapons capable of disrupting enemy military networks even when those networks are not connected to the Internet, according to current and former U.S. officials.

UN sanctions panel investigates reports of French/Qatari arms transfers to Libya’s rebels

By Colum Lynch, Turtle Bay

From Colum Lynch, Turtle Bay:  A U.N. panel set up last year to enforce an arms embargo in Libya has opened an inquiry into allegations that France and Qatar armed Libyan rebels

The Pentagon’s cold feet on Syria

By Max Boot, the Washington Post

From Max Boot, the Washington Post:  Today, in the case of Syria, any military action needs to be carefully thought through, but we should not refuse to act simply because of the worst-case scenarios being raised by the Pentagon.

Obama and Karzai discuss future of NATO troops in Afghan villages

By the White House

From the White House:  President Obama called President Karzai early this morning to offer his best wishes and congratulations to President Karzai and his wife on the birth of their daughter.

NATO’s top commander says Montenegro militarily ready to join alliance

By the AP

From the AP:  NATO’s top commander said Wednesday that Montenegro will soon fulfill the military requirements to become a member of the Western alliance.

Russia May Let NATO Use Airfield as Afghan Hub

By David M. Herszenhorn, the New York Times

From David M. Herszenhorn, the New York Times:  The Kremlin expressed willingness on Wednesday to allow NATO to use an airfield in the heart of European Russia, in a city best known as Lenin’s birthplace, as a transit center for moving troops and “nonlethal” cargo into Afghanistan.