United Kingdom

Why Is Europe a Dirty Word?

By Nicholas D. Kristof, the New York Times

From Nicholas D. Kristof, the New York Times:  The Republican candidates unleash these attacks on Obama because so many Americans have in mind a caricature of Europe as an effete, failed socialist system.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter ‘unable to land on aircraft carriers’

By Andrew Hough and Thomas Harding, the Telegraph

From Andrew Hough and Thomas Harding, the Telegraph:  The Royal Navy’s multi-billion pound fighter plane programme is under threat amid claims that its new all-purpose jets cannot land on aircraft carriers, it has emerged.

NATO Allies Deny Plans for Syrian No-Fly Zone to Aid Rebels

By Henry Meyer and Ilya Arkhipov, Bloomberg

From Henry Meyer and Ilya Arkhipov, Bloomberg:  NATO and three alliance members said there are no plans for military intervention in Syria after Russia said it has information about preparations for a no-fly zone over the country.

US ranked 13th in security of nuclear material

By William J. Broad, the New York Times

From William J. Broad, the New York Times:  The 32 nations with materials that can fuel atom bombs are typically mum on security, which looks to the public like a closed world of barbed wire and armed guards. Behind the scenes, atomic insiders have long told horror stories of risky practices and security flaws

Russia Says NATO, Persian Gulf Nations Plan to Seek No-Fly Zone for Syria

By Henry Meyer and Ilya Arkhipov, Bloomberg

A new kind of NATO

By Sean Kay, Foreign Policy

From Sean Kay, Foreign Policy:  NATO needs a radical new kind of American leadership if Europe is to be incentivized to assume new responsibilities in effective ways.

Georgia releases new National Security Concept, but no mention of Western European nations

By Joshua Kucera, the Bug Pit

From Joshua Kucera, the Bug Pit:  Georgia has released its new "National Security Concept" document, updating it from the 2005 version which said there was “little possibility of open military aggression against Georgia." Now, unsurprisingly, Russia dominates the document: of the twelve "Threats, Risks and Challenges to the National Security of Georgia" it identifies, ten […]

EU defense spending still outstrips Russia and China combined, but little to show for it

By Peter Apps, Reuters

From Peter Apps, Reuters:  The European Union might appear a military superpower, at least on paper. It has more uniformed personnel than the United States and overall EU defense spending outstrips Russia or China. But as Washington pulls troops back from the continent, two decades after the Cold War ended, and refocuses on Asia, the […]