United States and Canada

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.

Statement of National Security Advisor General James Jones on Wikileaks

By the White House

Japan to OK exports of missile interceptors -media

By Reuters

From Reuters:  Japan is set to allow exports of missile interceptors it is developing jointly with the United States, Kyodo news agency said, relaxing its ban on arms exports. Europe is considered a likely destination for the ship-based Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, Kyodo said on Sunday, citing unnamed sources close to Japan-U.S. relations. The advanced […]

Baltic leaders thank US for Cold War stance

By DPA

From DPA:  Leaders of the Baltic states thanked the United States on Friday for refusing to recognize their countries’ annexation by the Soviet Union during and after World War II. The prime ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania sent a joint letter to President Barack Obama expressing their gratitude for the US decision, which was […]

Counterpoint: On Missile Defense

By Richard Weitz, the International Herald Tribune

From Richard Weitz, the International Herald Tribune:  In their thoughtful article published Thursday in the International Herald Tribune, Sam Nunn, Igor Ivanov and Wolfgang Ischinger argue that missile defense cooperation among Americans, Russians and Europeans offers the greatest near-term potential for overcoming NATO-Russian divisions and creating a more inclusive security system in Europe.

The F-35 fighter and Canada’s international commitments

By Andre Gerolymatos, the Vancouver Sun

From Andre Gerolymatos, the Vancouver Sun:  Fundamentally, the Canadian Air Force has not only commitments to NATO but also to Norad (North American Aerospace Defence Command). Beyond the obvious advantages in advanced technology that the sub-contracting of the construction of the F-35 will yield for Canadian companies, Canada’s warplanes must be able to keep up […]