United States and Canada

Clinton in Libya to Meet Leaders and Offer Aid Package

By Steven Lee Myers, the New York Times

From Steven Lee Myers, the New York Times:  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton landed here on Tuesday to demonstrate support for Libya’s new transitional government, even as a senior administration official expressed concern that Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi remained a “lethal nuisance.

West must keep Pakistan ties, says NATO chief

By Peter Spiegel and James Lamont, the Financial Times

From Peter Spiegel and James Lamont, the Financial Times:  The west must continue to co-operate closely with Pakistan despite US claims that Pakistan’s intelligence agency is assisting Islamist insurgents fighting allied troops in Afghanistan, Nato’s secretary-general has said.

U.S. Debated Cyberwarfare in Attack Plan on Libya

By Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker, the New York Times

From Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker, the New York Times:  Just before the American-led strikes against Libya in March, the Obama administration intensely debated whether to open the mission with a new kind of warfare: a cyberoffensive to disrupt and even disable the Qaddafi government’s air-defense system, which threatened allied warplanes.

Russia’s response to US missile defense plans

By Anisimov Sergey and Igor Siletsky, the Voice of Russia

From Anisimov Sergey and Igor Siletsky, the Voice of Russia:  Russia did set the US an ultimatum but only after years of unsuccessful talks on missile defense cooperation.

China surpasses U.S. as EU’s top trade partner: MOC

By Xinhua

From Xinhua:  Trade between China and the European Union (EU) totaled 35.6 billion euros (49.4 billion U.S. dollars) in July, allowing China to overtake the United States as the EU’s largest trade partner

U.S.: Terrorists seeking missing Libya missiles

By Slobodan Lekic, the AP

From Slobodan Lekic, the AP:  Terrorist groups have expressed interest in obtaining some of the thousands of shoulder-launched missiles that have gone missing in Libya and the issue has become a priority for the Obama administration, a senior U.S. official said Friday.

Spain’s Aegis Frigates Could Join Europe’s Missile Defense Shield

By Lajos F. Szaszdi, Heritage Foundation

 From Lajos F. Szaszdi, Heritage Foundation: The four Navy destroyers will be based permanently in Naval Station Rota, regarded as “the Gateway of the Mediterranean,” to provide Europe with missile defense in the Mediterranean region and in the eastern Atlantic.

NATO Secretary General attends Special Forces joint exercise in Denmark

By NATO