United States and Canada

China Expands Its Influence in Europe

By Wieland Wagner, Spiegel

From Wieland Wagner, Spiegel: [T]he rising superpower is cleverly capitalizing on the euro crisis to extend its long-term political and economic influence in Europe.

NATO success in Kandahar and commitment of troops until 2014 shifting Afghan support

By Carlotta Gall and Ruhullah Khapalwak, the New York Times

From Carlotta Gall and Ruhullah Khapalwak, the New York Times:  As the Obama administration reviews its strategy in Afghanistan, residents and even a Taliban commander say the surge of American troops this year has begun to set back the Taliban in parts of their southern heartland and to turn people against the insurgency — at […]

NATO chief appoints US defense official as deputy

By the AP

From the AP:  NATO’s secretary-general says he will appoint Alexander Vershbow, the current U.S. assistant secretary of defense for international security, as his next deputy.

Command and Control Questions Divide NATO-Russia Missile Defense Plans

By Fred Weir, the Christian Science Monitor

From Fred Weir, the Christian Science Monitor:  Media reports that the two sides reached a deal at the Lisbon summit were premature, if not wrong.

Change of Command in NATO Counter Piracy Task Force

By Allied Command Operations

Police probe Stockholm blasts as act of terrorism

By Mia Shanley and Niklas Pollard, Reuters

From Mia Shanley and Niklas Pollard, Reuters:  Police said on Sunday they were treating bomb blasts in Stockholm as an act of terrorism by a lone attacker that followed an emailed threat referring to Sweden’s troops in Afghanistan and to cartoons of Mohammad. Police stopped short of calling Saturday afternoon’s blasts, which killed the suspected […]

A Coming Sino-Turkish Axis?

By Michael Auslin, the Wall Street Journal

From Michael Auslin, the Wall Street Journal:  [T]he current downturn in relations is made even worse by Mr. [Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip] Erdogan‘s decision to reach out to yet another authoritarian power, one that currently has a tense, if not troubled, relationship with the United States and many of its neighbors. That power is […]

Georgia pressing US for NATO membership prospectus

By the AP

From the AP:  The former Soviet republic of Georgia wants the United States to outline the steps necessary for it to join NATO. Deputy Prime Minister Georgia [sic] Baramidze was raising the issue in Washington this week with the Obama administration. He said in an interview with The Associated Press that Georgia wants a "road […]

Poland: “We got tired of being the one country to stand up to Russia”

By Marcin Sobczyk, the Wall Street Journal

From Marcin Sobczyk, the Wall Street Journal:  According to analysts, the thaw in relations helps both sides as Poland’s previous Russophobic image wasn’t helping to build the country’s position within western structures

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 […]