United States and Canada

Two-Track Syria? Western allies continue diplomacy while regional powers arm the rebels

By Michael Peel and Roula Khalaf, the Financial Times

From Michael Peel and Roula Khalaf, the Financial Times:  “It doesn’t matter if [the intervention] is Nato or the Arab League – anything to protect civilians,” says Firas, a member of a co-ordinating committee in Zabadani.

Turkey And NATO Sixty Years On – Analysis

By Süreyya Yiğit, Eurasia Review

From Süreyya Yiğit, Eurasia Review:  In fact the past six decades have been quite eventful witnessing both strong cooperation as well as deep disagreement between Turkey and fellow NATO members.

Turkey and the Bomb

By Sinan Ülgen, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

From Sinan Ülgen, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace:  Though most states that want a nuclear weapon can get one through determined effort, the fact remains that most choose not to proliferate. Turkey is no exception.

Beginning of the End in Afghanistan

By the Editors of the New York Times

From the Editors of the New York Times: Like most Americans, we are eager to see an end to the war in Afghanistan.

Syria and the lessons from delayed military intervention in Bosnia

By Douglas Hamilton, Reuters

US defense spending on cyber, special ops stays flat

By Lolita C. Baldor, the AP

From Lolita C. Baldor, the AP:  Spending on two of the Pentagon’s top priorities, cybersecurity and special operations forces, would largely remain flat or dip slightly in 2013

Will Qatar or Turkey have biggest impact on Syria’s future?

By Steve Coll, the New Yorker

From Steve Coll, the New Yorker:  Early on during the NATO intervention in Libya, air-traffic controllers in Cyprus received an unexpected call from two armed fighter jets.

Conservatives call for Obama to intervene in Syria

By Josh Rogin, the Cable

From Josh Rogin, the Cable:  Fifty-six leading conservative foreign-policy experts wrote an open letter Friday to U.S. President Barack Obama calling on him to directly aid the Syrian opposition and protect the lives of Syrian civilians.

NATO tests its forces in Arctic

By the Voice of Russsia

From the Voice of Russsia:  NATO forces prepare themselves for Cold Response 2012 – military games, up to 16 thousand people as well as fighting ships and aviation from Great Britain, Denmark, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, France, Sweden and the USA are to take part.