United States and Canada

Czech Republic hosting exercise for NATO air forces in September

By CTK

From CTK:  Seventeen NATO countries have confirmed participation in an extensive air force exercise to be held in the Czech Republic in September, the sole such event the Alliance holds this year, Defence Ministry spokeswwman Jana Zechmeisterova has told CTK.

Cyber Command seeks permission for cyber attacks against extreme or imminent threats

By Ellen Nakashima, the Washington Post

From Ellen Nakashima, the Washington Post:  The Pentagon has proposed that military cyber-specialists be given permission to take action outside its computer networks to defend critical U.S. computer systems — a move that officials say would set a significant precedent.

Ramstein spy linked to Russia

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  A NATO civilian worker arrested last week on suspicion of espionage in western Germany has been linked to Russian intelligence, The Times reported on Monday.

The Folly of Forgetting the West

By Simon Serfaty, the Hoover Institution

From Simon Serfaty, the Hoover Institution:  The trip into a new, post-Western order will be more chaotic if the West loses its assurance and cohesion.

‘Spillover may force Washington’ to intervene in Syria

By Kenneth M. Pollack, the Washington Post

From Kenneth M. Pollack, the Washington Post:  If Washington does choose to intervene, however, there are ways to reduce these risks. First, America could start providing lethal assistance, particularly more advanced anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons

Poland wants to build missile defense system with France, Germany

By RIA Novosti

From RIA Novosti:  Poland wants to cooperate with France and Germany on the establishment of its own missile defense system, Polish Press Agency reported on Saturday, quoting Polish Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak as saying.

Obama’s Europe Pivot

By John Vinocur, the International Herald Tribune

Romney’s Not Obama Doctrine

By Julian Lindley-French

All American presidents like to establish a doctrine; a coherent set of foreign and security policy goals that underpin US leadership in the world. What does Mitt Romney’s recent foreign tour say about a future President Romney’s foreign and security policy? Can the beginnings of a Romney Doctrine be discerned?

The US has ‘neither the money, nor the forces, nor the will, nor the concepts’ for new interventions

By Paradigm Cure

From Paradigm Cure:  The idea of putting in tens of thousands of troops to enforce order, generating a “civilian surge” of development and state building experts, and otherwise launching ourselves into yet another “stability operation” of indeterminate length has zero appeal, and for good reason. 

U.S. and Gulf Allies Pursue a Missile Shield Against Iranian Attack

By Thom Shanker, the New York Times

From Thom Shanker, the New York Times:  The United States and its Arab allies are knitting together a regional missile defense system across the Persian Gulf to protect cities, oil refineries, pipelines and military bases from an Iranian attack, according to government officials and public documents.