United States and Canada

US informs Europe: “We don’t feel the need to profess love”

By Daniel Dombey, the Financial Times

Is Obama improving security in Central and Eastern Europe?

By the Economist

From the Economist:  Listen to critics of Barack Obama’s administration and the story of American policy in eastern Europe is of a grand betrayal, featuring the binning of a promised missile-defence system, the freezing of NATO enlargement and the headlong pursuit of better ties with Russia. The facts are rather different. The single biggest security […]

EU envoy to US flaunts new powers

By Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver

From Andrew Rettman, the EUobserver:  The EU’s new ambassador to the US, Joao Vale de Almeida, has underlined the new powers conferred on EU envoys by the Lisbon Treaty while taking up his post in Washington. In a series of interviews to US-based press on Tuesday (10 August), the ambassador noted that he is empowered […]

Pentagon seeks information on deployment of Russian missiles in Abhazia

By Dmitry Solovyov, Reuters

From Dmitry Solovyov, Reuters:   Russia said on Wednesday it had deployed high-precision air defence missiles in the breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia, sending a defiant signal to Tbilisi and the West two years after a war with Georgia.

White House reveals “two-year rule” and its impact on withdrawal from Afghanistan

By Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and David Sanger, the New York Times

From Eric Schmitt, Helene Cooper and David Sanger, the New York Times:  American military officials are building a case to minimize the planned withdrawal of some troops from Afghanistan starting next summer, in an effort to counter growing pressure on President Obama from inside his own party to begin winding the war down quickly.

ISAF trains 240,000 Afghan troops three months ahead of schedule

By Jim Michaels, USA Today

From Jim Michaels, USA Today:  NATO has reached its goal of expanding the size of Afghanistan’s army and police to 240,000 three months ahead of schedule, achieving a key measurement that will be used to gauge progress in the war. The size and quality of Afghan security forces will be a central part of a […]

U.S. to establish training center for Kyrgyz security service, not military base

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  The United States does not plan on opening another military base in Kyrgyzstan, but will likely set up a training center for Kyrgyz security services instead, U.S. Ambassador to Kygyzstan, Tatiana Gfoeller said on Wednesday. On August 7, Washington Post said the United States is planning to move ahead with construction of […]

Statement of President Barack Obama on Secretary Gates Reform Agenda

By the White House

From the White House:  Today, Secretary Gates advanced our effort to invest in the defense capabilities that we need in the 21st century, while being responsible and accountable in spending taxpayer dollars.  I have long said that we need to change the way that Washington works so that it works better for the American people. […]

Russia, U.S. and Canada chase jet in first-ever joint hijack drill

By Dan Elliott, the AP

From Dan Elliott, the AP: In a historic first for Cold War adversaries, U.S., Canadian and Russian military officers directed fighter jets and ground controllers to test how well they could track an international terrorist hijacking over the Pacific Ocean. A chartered American jet code-named Fencing 1220 sent a mock distress signal shortly after taking […]

Secretary of Defense to close Joint Forces Command

By Josh Rogin, Foreign Policy

From Josh Rogin, Foreign Policy:  In Washington, you know a decision is controversial when the pushback comes before the announcement. Such is the case with Defense Secretary Robert Gates‘s Monday bombshell that he wants to close Joint Forces Command. The AP broke the news this morning that Gates would announce at a press conference his […]