United States and Canada

A Euro-Atlantic free trade zone and economic renewal

By John Vinocur, the International Herald Tribune

From John Vinocur, the International Herald Tribune:  [A]n important initiative could take shape with enough credibility and ambition to make Europe look alive, bolder and in refocus mode: a trans-Atlantic free trade zone.  Advocacy of such a goal by E.U. leaders is a political dare because it exposes the time-wasting hollowness of Europe’s desires concerning […]

‘Twiplomacy’ study says only 30 world leaders send their own tweets

By John Heilprin, the AP

From John Heilprin, the AP:  The governments of almost two-thirds of the 193 U.N. member nations have joined the Twitterverse where President Barack Obama and his tweet on gay marriage are the most popular to date, says a new study Thursday. But the rise in so-called "Twiplomacy" among world leaders resembles something of an echo […]

Iran: US cyber attacks will face ‘teeth-breaking’ response

By Reuters

From Reuters:  The United States will face a "teeth-breaking" response if it continues to carry out cyber attacks against Iran, an Iranian official said Wednesday.

Panetta and Polish Defense Minister working to establish ‘missile interceptor site in Poland by 2018’

By the Department of Defense

Why Reinhold Niebuhr Matters for Transatlantic Relations Today

By William Inboden, German Marshall Fund of the United States

From William Inboden, German Marshall Fund of the United States:   [Reinhold] Niebuhr grounded his Atlanticism on three principles that still resonate today: shared values, shared interests, and shared obligations.

Russian spy ring penetrated U.S. consulting firm

By Devlin Barrett, the Wall Street Journal

From Devlin Barrett, the Wall Street Journal:  A Russian spy ring busted in the U.S. two years ago planned to recruit members’ children to become agents, and one had already agreed to his parents’ request, according to current and former U.S. officials. When the suspects were arrested in 2010 with much fanfare, official accounts suggested […]

Cyber war on Iran may continue

By AFP

Alleged Canadian spy caused ‘massive security breach’ of shared Western intelligence

By Philip Dorling, the Sydney Morning Herald

From Philip Dorling, the Sydney Morning Herald:  An alleged Canadian spy compromised Australian intelligence information in an espionage case that has sent shock waves through Western security agencies.

How Obama lost Europe

By Mark Leonard, Foreign Policy

From Mark Leonard, Foreign Policy:  [President Barack] Obama’s stellar personal ratings in Europe hide the fact that the Western alliance has never loomed smaller in the imagination of policymakers on either side of the Atlantic.

Diplomat: Russia stopped Assad from using chemical weapons two weeks ago

By Samia Nakhoul, Reuters

From Samia Nakhoul, Reuters:  Increasingly under pressure by rebels intent on unseating him, Bashar al-Assad has considered using chemical weapons against his enemies but Washington and Moscow have formed an unlikely alliance to force him to abandon such plans.