United States and Canada

Russian spying at cold war levels, say experts

By James Blitz, the Financial Times

From James Blitz, the Financial Times:  The widespread mockery of Russian spies after this week’s arrests in the US has angered well-placed British intelligence experts, who believe it would be foolish to underestimate the espionage efforts of the heirs of the KGB.

Poland welcomes Russian inspection of new missile defense system, “on a reciprocal basis”

By the State Department

From the State Department:  SECRETARY CLINTON:  Today, by signing an amendment to the ballistic missile defense agreement, we are reinforcing this commitment. The amendment will allow us to move forward with Polish participation in hosting elements of the phased adaptive approach to missile defense in Europe.

Clinton: “the doors to NATO remain open” for Ukraine

By Hillary Clinton, the State Department

NATO’s Cyber Threat

By James Joyner, the National Interest

US Afghanistan policy not working: French general

By AFP

Biden’s Influence on Obama’s Afghanistan Policy

By Glenn Thrush, Politico

Petraeus answers why we are in Afghanistan and how to define success in 2011

By Gen. Petraeus, NATO

From Gen. Petraeus, NATO:  It is important periodically for all of our populations to recall that the Coalition went into Afghanistan in late 2001 because the 9/11 attacks were planned in Southern Afghanistan, the initial training of the attackers was carried out in training camps in Afghanistan by Al Qaeda

Prosecutors: Suspect in Russian spy ring confessed

By Tom Hays, the AP

From Tom Hays, the AP:  One of the suspects in an alleged spy ring has confessed to federal agents that he worked for Russia’s intelligence service, federal prosecutors said Thursday. The revelation came on a day when several defendants in the case were making court appearances, and prosecutors announced that they had discovered $80,000 in […]

NATO intensifies attacks on Taliban leaders

By Deb Riechman, the AP

From Deb Riechman, the AP:  U.S. and Afghan troops seized a key Taliban figure after a four-hour gunbattle – part of a strategy that NATO officials said Thursday had eliminated more than 100 insurgent leaders in the past four months. The campaign to disrupt the Taliban’s midlevel command structure is moving into high gear just as […]

Poland foresees U.S. interceptors in place by 2018

By Reuters

From Reuters:  The United States will deploy SM-3 interceptor missiles in Poland between 2015 and 2018 under its plan to defend NATO allies in Europe from possible Iranian attack, a Polish official said on Thursday.