United States and Canada

US to offer secret missile defense data to Russia

By Bill Gertz, Inside the Ring

From Bill Gertz, Inside the Ring:  The Obama administration is set to offer more concessions to the Russians on missile defense, the latest one a proposal to share secret technical data on the U.S. military’s most effective anti-missile interceptor.

Obama says Europe’s problem is lack of political will

By Laura MacInnis, Reuters

From Laura MacInnis, Reuters:  President Barack Obama said on Wednesday he was deeply concerned about the continued euro zone crisis, blaming it on a lack of political will, and that market turmoil would continue until Europe has a concrete plan to deal with its debt woes. Obama praised French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor […]

The Finance Crisis: Lessons Learned from Canada and the Way Forward

By Adrienne Chuck

On November 16, the Atlantic Council, Thomson Reuters, the Rotman School of Management, and The Embassy of Canada hosted a conference on the future of global finance and economic growth. Featured confirmed speakers include Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes, former Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, former Secretary of the US […]

U.S. joining NATO’s fight against cyber threats

By John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes

From John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes:  The United States will join the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence during a formal ceremony scheduled for Thursday at the center’s headquarters in Estonia, a country that experienced a massive cyber attack that disabled websites of numerous government institutions in 2007.

Robert Simmons appointed policy coordinator for upcoming NATO summit in Chicago

By the State Department

From the State Department:  The United States will host back-to-back G8 and NATO Summits May 19-21, 2012, in Chicago.  The White House has the overall lead for summit planning through various working groups chaired by the National Security Staff.

Russian envoy visiting NATO capitals to warn of retaliatory “military steps” against missile defense system

By Kim Sengupta, the Independent

Russia Can Be a NATO Ally

By Steven Pifer, the Moscow Times

From Steven Pifer, the Moscow Times:  The major obstacle blocking missile defense cooperation stems from Moscow’s demand for a legal guarantee that U.S. interceptors would not be directed against Russian strategic missiles.

US purchasing entire fleet of British Harrier jets

By Christopher P. Cavas, Vago Muradian and Andrew Chuter, Marine Times

From Christopher P. Cavas, Vago Muradian and Andrew Chuter, Marine Times:  The Navy and Marine Corps have agreed to buy Britain’s entire decommissioned fleet of 74 Harrier jump jets, along with engines and spare parts

Fleet of U.S. drones now based in Turkey

By Greg Jaffe, Checkpoint Washington

From Greg Jaffe, Checkpoint Washington:  The U.S. military has begun flying unarmed Predator drones out of a Turkish air base as part of a joint Turkish-American counterterrorism operation in northern Iraq, according to a senior defense official.