Western Europe

Europe’s defense capabilities gap

By Thomas Enders and Wolfgang Ischinger, Munich Security Conference

From Thomas Enders and Wolfgang Ischinger, Munich Security Conference:  Demands are growing – as the recent crises in Mali and Libya illustrate – even as defence budgets steadily decline.

France releases Defense White Paper: Hollande to cut 24,000 military jobs

By Greg Keller, AP

From Greg Keller, AP:  France said Monday it will cut another 24,000 military jobs by 2019 as it attempts to maintain a force ready to deal with global threats at the time when the bill for France’s decades of deficit spending is due.

Britain may restore a permanent military presence in the Gulf

By David Blair, Telegraph

From David Blair, Telegraph:  The withdrawal of all British troops from Afghanistan next year will create a unique opportunity to reverse the "East of Suez" decision that formed a landmark in Britain’s retreat from imperial power, the Royal United Services Institute will say in a paper to be published today.

Europe’s Crumple Zone

By Julian Lindley-French

On Wednesday I had the privilege of providing evidence to the House of Commons Defence Select Committee at its first meeting to consider the 2015 British Strategic Security and Defence Review alongside Lord Hennessy and Major-General Mungo Melvin.  Perhaps the most important contribution I made was to suggest to collected British politicians of all shades that […]

Is part-time national defense good enough for Europe?

By Martin Hurt, International Center for Defense Studies

EU says 500 Europeans fighting in Syria

By BBC

From BBC:  The EU’s anti-terror chief has told the BBC that hundreds of Europeans are now fighting with rebel forces in Syria against Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Syria Used Chemical Arms, Israel Says

By Adam Entous, Joshua Mitnick, and Stephen Fidler, Wall Street Journal

From Adam Entous, Joshua Mitnick, and Stephen Fidler, Wall Street Journal:  The Syrian army has used lethal chemical weapons during the country’s civil war, Israel’s top military intelligence analyst said Tuesday

De Maiziere: Germany does not want an EU army

By Nick Hopkins, Guardian

From Nick Hopkins, Guardian:  In defence, the German role is to make France more Nato-minded, and to make Great Britain more European-minded. I have made it quite clear. My first priority in defence is Nato. In all other political aspects, economy and currency, my first priority is the EU.

Germany’s Minister of Defense warns that if Britain left the EU, ‘it would weaken NATO’

By Nick Hopkins, Guardian

From Nick Hopkins, Guardian:  Britain’s standing as a leading military power with the ability to influence events beyond its own borders will be jeopardised if the country leaves the European Union, the German minister of defence has warned.