United States and Canada

5 Reasons Why Russia Could Join NATO

By Alexander Kramarenko, the Moscow Times

From Alexander Kramarenko, the Moscow Times:  1.  Russia does have civilian and democratic control over its armed forces, which one could easily confirm by following debates in the country’s media. Some even believe that this control cannot be more civilian than is already the case. Moreover,  in Russia’s history, including during the Soviet period, the […]

Russia expecting NATO answers on leaked defense plan

By Reuters

From Reuters:   Moscow is seeking explanations from NATO after the release of U.S. diplomatic cables by WikiLeaks that say the alliance has drawn up secret plans to defend the Baltic states, news agencies quoted Russia’s foreign minister as saying.

Obama and Komorowski: The Strategic Partnership between Poland and the U.S.

By the White House

From the White House:  Both Presidents applauded the outcomes of the Lisbon NATO Summit, including the allied commitment to reaffirm the primacy of our Article 5 obligations to one another’s security and to adopt territorial missile defense as a core mission.

Leaked memo offers insight to Russian security agencies

By Walter Pincus, the Washington Post

From Walter Pincus, the Washington Post:  New insights into Russia and its security services can be gained from a Nov. 5, 2009, confidential cable written to FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III before his visit to Moscow that month.

Wikileaks cables: Poland furious over getting “potted plants,” not missiles

By Ian Traynor, the Guardian

From Ian Traynor, the Guardian:  It is the biggest single concrete example of US support for Polish security on the ground. But the leaked embassy cables show that a battery of Patriot missiles in the north-east of the country lacked one crucial component – live missiles.

Georgia Arrests More Suspected Russian Spies

By the AP

From the AP:  Georgia has arrested six people suspected of being agents for Russia, accusing them of causing a series of explosions, including one outside the US embassy, officials said. [Deputy Interior Minister Eka] Zguladze said the six suspects are accused of staging an explosion outside the US embassy in Tbilisi in September and several […]

Russia objects to NATO plan to defend Baltics

By Slobodan Lekicby, the AP

Ratify the New Start Treaty

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the International Herald Tribune

From Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the International Herald Tribune:  As a former member of the Danish Parliament, I know better than to tell U.S. senators what to do. But I do want to highlight the importance of the treaty from a NATO perspective.

NATO’s Secret Defense Plans for Baltics Revealed by Wikileaks

By Scott Shane, the New York Times

From Scott Shane, the New York Times:  When fighting broke out between Russia and Georgia in August 2008, a shudder passed through the former Soviet Baltic republics. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had painful memories of Soviet occupation and feared that a resurgent Russia might come after them next. They began lobbying NATO, which they had […]

It will Soon be Too Late to Stop the Cyberwars

By Bruce Schneier, the Financial Times

From Bruce Schneier, the Financial Times:  The world is gearing up for cyberwar. The US Cyber Command became operational in November. Nato has enshrined cyber security among its new strategic priorities.