United States and Canada

U.S. planning to keep 6,000 to 20,000 American troops in Afghanistan after 2014

By Elisabeth Bumiller and Eric Schmitt, New York Times

From Elisabeth Bumiller and Eric Schmitt, New York Times:  Gen. John R. Allen, the senior American commander in Afghanistan, has submitted military options to the Pentagon that would keep 6,000 to 20,000 American troops in Afghanistan after 2014, defense officials said on Wednesday.

McAffee: Destructive, Stuxnet-level cyber attacks will increase in 2013

By John Reed, Killer Apps

From John Reed, Killer Apps:  IT security firm McAfee has just released a report on what it thinks will be the biggest trends in cyber for the new year.

Fewer NATO fatalities in Afghanistan during 2012, but insider attacks up

By Denis D. Gray and Rahim Faiez, AP

From Denis D. Gray and Rahim Faiez, AP:  Violence in Afghanistan fell in 2012, but more Afghan troops and police who now shoulder most of the combat were killed, according to statistics compiled by The Associated Press.

Going Over the Decency Cliff

By Harlan Ullman

The looming fiscal cliff has received almost as much publicity as the Mayan prediction of the end of the world. This column has warned that the nation also faces a strategic cliff that could pose even greater jeopardy than from the fiscal woes. But there is a third and possibly more precipitous cliff.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and thank you to everyone that supported NATOSource during 2012.

Turkey and NATO disclose Patriot missile sites

By  Seda Sezer, Reuters

From Seda Sezer, Reuters:  Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday Patriot missiles being sent by NATO members to bolster Turkey’s defenses against a possible missile attack from Syria will be deployed near the southeastern cities of Adana, Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras. . . . "We made our application to NATO and they gave us six batteries […]

Georgian Soldier in NATO Afghan Force Is Missing

By Graham Bowley, New York Times

From Graham Bowley, New York Times:  A soldier from Georgia belonging to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan has been missing since Wednesday in the southwest of the country, the coalition said on Friday.

NATO confirms that Syria has fired more Scud missiles

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  I can confirm that we have detected the launch of Scud-type missiles. We strongly regret that act. I consider it acts of a desperate regime approaching collapse.

Syria Fires More Scud Missiles at Rebels, U.S. Says

By Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt, New York Times

From Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt, New York Times:  Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria have resumed firing Scud ballistic missiles against rebel positions in recent days, American officials said on Thursday.