United States and Canada

Kabul conference communique confirms 2014 as key deadline

By the New York Times

From the New York Times:  The draft communiqué, which will be signed later Tuesday and was obtained by The New York Times, sets 2014 as the date when Afghanistan’s security forces will be in the lead in military operations throughout the country. The document sets the end of 2010 as the date for a more […]

Allies privately differ on defining July date and withdrawal plans

By  Alissa J. Rubin, Richard A. Oppel, Jr. and Mark Landler, the New York Times

From Alissa J. Rubin, Richard A. Oppel, Jr. and Mark Landler, the New York Times:  The United States, European and other foreign leaders met here Tuesday to pledge anew their support for Afghanistan as they committed to complete transition of security and budgeting responsibility to the Afghan government by 2014. They acknowledged that neither the public in their […]

It’s Time to Ratify the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaties

By Jonathan Ruemelin, Damon Wilson, and Jeff Lightfoot

During David Cameron’s first visit to Washington as Britain’s Prime Minister, a new Atlantic Council issue brief calls for the White House and Senate to act to ratify the U.S.-UK and U.S.-Australia Defense Trade Cooperation Treaties. To affirm the U.S.-UK special relationship, and to advance timely military, economic and diplomatic interests, Cameron’s visit is the […]

Who is winning Eastern Europe’s great game?

By Katinka Barysch, the Center for European Reform

From Katinka Barysch, the Center for European Reform:  The US is withdrawing from the former Soviet space; the European Union struggles to be taken seriously there. Does that leave Russia free to strengthen its influence in the countries around its borders? Not necessarily, for the situation in the region is complex. … Although by far […]

Biden verifies Afghan deadline quotation, then interprets it

By ABC

Hungary’s strongest leader targets the media

By the Washington Post

Defense system on NATO ships compatible with new anti-aircraft laser

By the BBC

Warships begin active phase of the Sea Breeze 2010 exercises

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Fifteen Ukrainian, U.S. and Turkish warships sailed out of Ukraine’s Black Sea port of Odessa on Sunday to begin the active phase of the Sea Breeze 2010 exercises, the Ukrainian UNIAN news agency reported. The military drills, focused on the planning and conduct of international anti-piracy operations, began in southern Ukraine on […]

Russia rotates its peacekeepers in Transdnestr

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Russia starts on Monday a regular rotation of its peacekeeping contingent in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transdnestr. The peacekeeping operation in the region is carried out by the Collective Peacekeeping Forces (CPF), comprising 402 Russian, 492 Transdnestrian, 355 Moldovan troops and 10 Ukrainian observers. The peacekeepers man a total of 15 checkpoints […]

Official – Troops out of Afghanistan by 2014

By Jonathan Owen and Brian Brady, the Independent

From Jonathan Owen and Brian Brady, the Independent:  A communiqué containing a blueprint for British troops to pull out from Afghanistan in four years’ time has been leaked ahead of a major international conference this week. British troops are to pull out of Afghanistan by 2014, under a secret blueprint for drawing down coalition forces […]