United States and Canada

Afghan president asks why allies won’t act on Pakistan

By David Fox, Reuters

From David Fox, Reuters:  Afghan President Hamid Karzai questioned on Thursday the willingness of his Western allies to strike insurgent bases in Pakistan given the strong evidence of Islamabad’s support for the Taliban. "The war against terrorism is not in the villages or houses of Afghanistan … but in the sanctuaries, sources of funding and […]

Sweden Developing Greater Regional Defense Role

By Magnus Nordenman, the Atlantic Council

From Magnus Nordenman, the Atlantic Council:  In August the sunny calm and quiet that is a Swedish summer will be shattered by the impact of Joint Direct Attack Munitions dropped by F-16CM Fighting Falcons from US Air Force Europe.

NATO’S enlargement policy in the post-Cold War era

By Vahit Redem, Hürriyet

From Vahit Redem, Hürriyet:  NATO’s expansion and global cooperation policies following the Cold War can be divided into three categories. The first category includes countries that have begun the accession process for full membership in NATO. Countries that initiate this relationship by indicating their political will for membership and fulfill the criteria required in the […]

GOP Senators connect Wikileaks to Obama’s withdrawal date

By Josh Rogin, Foreign Policy

From Josh Rogin, Foreign Policy:  Senior Republican senators continued to criticize the leakers and WikiLeaks for publishing the reports, while moving to tie the incident to their long held criticism of Obama’s July 11, 2011, date to begin the withdrawal of U.S. troops. "We need Pakistan’s help to rid the region of the Taliban, but […]

Report finds Russians may not be in compliance, could sink new START pact

By Walter Pincus and Mary Beth Sheridan, the Washington Post

From Walter Pincus and Mary Beth Sheridan, the Washington Post:  The United States believes Russia is not fully complying with international pacts involving chemical and biological weapons, although Moscow has settled most questions about violations of a nuclear arms treaty with the United States, according to a State Department report to be made public Wednesday. […]

Turkey to follow UN sanctions on Iran, not tougher EU or US bans

By Hürriyet

Cyprus official: US will get Russian spy’s laptop

By the AP

From the AP:  The justice minister in Cyprus says a confiscated laptop and other items belonging to an alleged Russian spy who vanished will be turned over to U.S. authorities. Loucas Louca said on Tuesday that he will agree to a U.S. request for the laptop, 3 USB memory sticks and a digital camera belonging […]

Why NATO Matters to the USA

By Adm. James Stavridis, U.S. European Command

From Adm. James Stavridis, U.S. European Command:  First, before we decide we don’t think NATO matters, let’s do a little “comparative shopping.”  Practically speaking, NATO has the best pool of partners we will have in the world for the foreseeable future.

Admiral says Russia will not buy Mistral without ‘transfer of key, fundamental technologies’

By Bloomberg

From Bloomberg:   A Russian admiral told a Moscow radio station the country won’t buy a French helicopter carrier without technology transfers, putting in doubt a contract French President Nicolas Sarkozy said was “certain.” Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy that there was no point buying the ship unless it came with […]

Cameron backs Turkey joining the EU

By Alex Barker and Delphine Strauss, the Financial Times

From Alex Barker and Delphine Strauss, the Financial Times:  David Cameron will express his “anger” on Tuesday at Turkey’s European Union membership bid being “frustrated” by the bloc’s leaders, as he heaps praise on an emerging power increasingly at odds with Britain, the US and Europe on the world stage.