United States and Canada

US expects more from its partners

By Philip Stevens, the Financial Times

From Philip Stevens, the Financial Times:  Nicolas Sarkozy and David Cameron put themselves in the vanguard of diplomacy to stop Libya’s Muammer Gaddafi. When Mr [Barack] Obama eventually consented, he attached a condition: you want it, you can own it.

Juppe praises Clinton diplomacy: “Bravo, Hillary”

By MSN India

From MSN India:  "[I]t was a four-way call with the French foreign minister, the British, the Turk, and Secretary [of State Hillary] Clinton, during which time they hammered out the deal that was later announced," said the [senior administration] official.

Coalition command compromise: small war council, plus broader assembly

By Ian Traynor and Nicholas Watt, the Guardian

From Ian Traynor and Nicholas Watt, the Guardian:  The US, Britain, France and Turkey agreed to put the three-pronged offensive – a no-fly zone, an arms embargo, and air strikes – under a Nato command umbrella

Libyan crisis exposes gaps in Europe’s military capabilities

By Philip Stevens, the Financial Times

From Philip Stevens, the Financial Times:  Above all, however, the Libyan venture has betrayed the paucity of Europe’s military capability.

Allies flying more air patrol missions over Libya than US

By Philip Ewing, Morning Defense

From Philip Ewing, Morning Defense:  “We flew a total of 130 coalition sorties, 49 of which were strike-related, meaning they were designed to hit a designated target. Of those total sorties, roughly half were flown by pilots from partner nations,” he [Adm. Gortney] said. “In fact, nearly all, some 75 percent of the combat air patrol […]

Turkey puts F-35 order on hold over US refusal to share technology

By Emre Soncan, Zaman

From Emre Soncan, Zaman:  Turkey has announced that it is putting the planned purchase of 100 F-35 fighter jets from the US on hold because the Pentagon refuses to share the source code used in the software designed for the aircraft

German leaders criticize Merkel’s split with NATO and European allies

By Steven Erlanger and Judy Dempsey, the New York Times

From Steven Erlanger and Judy Dempsey, the New York Times:  Driven by electoral pressures and Germany’s postwar aversion to war and nuclear power, Chancellor Angela Merkel has deeply strained relations with allies in the European Union and the NATO alliance

NATO’s top military commander in Turkey

By the AP

Allied leaders speak out: “This command-and-control business is complicated”

By Mark Landler and Steven Erlanger, the New York Times

From Mark Landler and Steven Erlanger, the New York Times:  “This is complicated,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said to reporters with him in Moscow.

Day 6 of NATO’s Political Impasse: “No decision on anything”

By David Brunnstrom, Reuters