Europe & Eurasia

Danish PM hopes troops can leave Afghanistan by 2015

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

From Adrian Croft, Reuters:  Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Thursday he hoped Denmark could withdraw many of its 700 troops from Afghanistan by 2015, or even earlier.

When Sanctions Work

By David Kramer and Damon Wilson

Almost as soon as the United Nations Security Council voted in June for a new sanctions resolution against Iran, doubters questioned whether it would have any real impact on Iran’s behavior. Indeed, some analysts have argued, sanctions never really work against their intended targets; they only harm average citizens, sometimes inadvertently help the targeted regime […]

Should Turkey Join the EU? The View from Europe

By Scott Bleiweis

During his recent visit to Ankara, British Prime Minister David Cameron made his stance on Turkish accession to the European Union plain and clear. “I will remain your strongest possible advocate for EU membership,” he said. “Together I want us to pave the road from Ankara to Brussels.” The Belgian government also supports such a […]

Macedonia sends anti-Nato ambassador to Nato

By Svetlana Jovanovska, waz.euobserver.com

From Svetlana Jovanovska, waz.euobserver.com:  Martin Trenevski, the newly appointed Macedonian representative to Brussels’ Nato headquarters, has given offence even before his term of office starts on 1 September. The alliance is inflicting “political and economic aggression upon our country” by giving support to Greece in the long-raging dispute between Macedonia and its rival neighbour, he explained to […]

Russian Espionage Targeting New NATO Members

By Gregory Feifer, RFE/RL

From Gregory Feifer, RFE/RL:  The three Czech generals make an impressive roster: the head of the president’s military office, the country’s NATO representative in Europe, and a deputy head of the chief of staff.

Afghanistan Clock Ticking

By James Joyner, the New Atlanticist

From James Joyner, the New Atlanticist:  The Netherlands became the first NATO member to quit Afghanistan Sunday, when it withdrew its 1955 troops.

What’s going on inside David Cameron’s foreign policy?

By Will Inboden, Foreign Policy

Why the U.S. can’t look to NATO or the EU to support its Russia strategy

By Stephen Szabo, Europe's World

From Stephen Szabo, Europe’s World:  America’s foreign policy leaders, both within the U.S. government and elsewhere, are losing patience with Europe.

Britain’s first National Security Advisor stepping down

By David Stringer, the AP

Dutch become 1st NATO member to quit Afghanistan

By  Robert Reid, the AP

From Robert Reid, the AP:  The Netherlands became the first NATO country to end its combat mission in Afghanistan, drawing the curtain Sunday on a four-year operation that was deeply unpopular at home and even brought down a Dutch government. The departure of the small force of nearly 1,900 Dutch troops is not expected to affect […]