United States and Canada

Cyprus bails suspect in U.S.-Russia spy case

By Reuters

From Reuters: A man suspected of being the 11th member of a U.S. spy ring allegedly working for Russia has been arrested and released on bail in Cyprus, police said on Tuesday. Robert Christopher Metsos, 55, was arrested at Cyprus’s Larnaca airport as he tried to leave the island for Budapest early on Tuesday, police […]

Nato end date ‘plays into hands’ of Taliban

By James Blitz and Frederick Studemann, the Financial Times

From James Blitz and Frederick Studemann, the Financial Times: Germany’s defence minister insisted on Monday that Nato must resist setting an end date for the international mission in Afghanistan, despite commitments by Canada, the Netherlands and Poland to withdraw forces within the next two years.

10 alleged Russian secret agents arrested in US

By Pete Yost, the AP

From Pete Yost, the AP:  Ten people have been arrested for allegedly serving as secret agents of the Russian government with the goal of penetrating U.S. government policymaking circles . The Justice Department announced the arrests Monday. According to court papers in the case, the U.S. government intercepted a message from Russian intelligence headquarters in […]

Pakistan in the danger zone

By Shuja Nawaz

The Atlantic Council presents the executive summary from its new report, Pakistan in the Danger Zone: a Tenuous U.S.-Pakistan Relationship by Shuja Nawaz, Director of the Council’s South Asia Center. The Afghanistan war may be lost on the battlefields of Pakistan, where a vicious conflict is now being fought by Pakistan against a homegrown insurgency […]

US: Turkey must demonstrate commitment to West

By the AP

From the AP:  The United States is warning Turkey that it is alienating U.S. supporters and needs to demonstrate its commitment to partnership with the West. The remarks by Philip Gordon, the Obama administration’s top diplomat on European affairs, were a rare admonishment of a crucial NATO ally.

Afghanistan withdrawal before 2015, says David Cameron

By Patrick Wintour, the Guardian

From Patrick Wintour, the Guardian: David Cameron today gave the first clear indication of the timing for a full withdrawal of British soldiers from Afghanistan, saying that he wanted troops home within five years. Asked in Canada at the Toronto summit if he wanted UK forces home before the 2015 general election, he said: "I […]

Bulgaria may join NATO missile shield in future: minister

By Xinhua

From Xinhua:  Bulgarian Defense Minister Anyu Angelov indicated Friday that the country may join the NATO missile shield in the future and link its air defense to the bloc’s missile defense system. Angelov told a press conference that he will pay an one-week official visit to the United States starting Saturday. There he will receive […]

Obama’s Fuzzy Deadline: No to “switching off the lights,” Yes to “begin a transition phase”

By Barack Obama, the White House

From Barack Obama, the White House:  Our mission, first and foremost, is to dismantle and destroy al Qaeda and its affiliates so that they can’t attack the United States.  The reason we’re there in the first place is because 3,000 Americans were killed from an attack launched in that region.

White House: Georgia’s security has improved due to the Russian reset

By Josh Rogin, Foreign Policy

British Lt. Gen. Nick Parker acting Commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan

By the White House

From the White House:  Following up on earlier conversations between their national security teams, President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron spoke today on Afghanistan.  The Prime Minister confirmed that U.K. Lieutenant General Nick Parker would serve as the acting Commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force mission until a new U.S. Commander is confirmed by […]