Western Europe

Mali mission spurs French interest in purchasing armed UAV

By Pierre Tran, Defense News

From Pierre Tran, Defense News:  France is deepening its interest in acquiring the Reaper UAV from the U.S., a move that would stir political sensitivities over purchasing a weapons-firing UAV, while Paris readies to cut its defense budget, government and industry sources said.

“Let Freedom Live!”

By Julian Lindley-French

Seventy years ago today three young German students were led to a guillotine by the Gestapo in Stadelheim Prison and brutally executed. Siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst faced death with immense courage, something even the Gestapo acknowledged. As the blade began its death fall Hans Scholl shouted out “Let freedom live!” With […]

NATO Afraid Of Russian Snooping At Ulyanovsk?

By Nikolaus von Twickel, Moscow Times

From Nikolaus von Twickel, Moscow Times:  NATO and Russia pride themselves on cooperation over Afghanistan and the fight against terrorists and pirates, but a planned logistics hub to transport military hardware from Afghanistan is not taking off.

Defense minister says France’s lack of drones is ‘incomprehensible’

By Steven Erlanger, New York Times

From Steven Erlanger, New York Times:   “I had always been the boss of regional councils, but not in a situation to decide a war,” he [French Defense Minister  Jean-Yves Le Drian] said.

NATO may hold summit in June for heads of state

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

From Adrian Croft, Reuters:  NATO is considering holding a summit in mid-2013 to mark a milestone in the handover of security responsibilities in Afghanistan to local forces, alliance Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday.

Top U.S. stealth jet has to talk to allied planes over unsecured radio

By David Axe, Danger Room

From David Axe, Danger Room:  For the first time, America’s top-of-the-line F-22 fighters and Britain’s own cutting-edge Typhoon jets have come together for intensive, long-term training in high-tech warfare. If only the planes could talk to each other on equal terms.

Disarmed Europe will face the world alone

By Gideon Rachman, Financial Times

The World from Berlin: ‘It’s Worth Promoting Economic NATO’

By Daryl Lindsey, Spiegel

From Daryl Lindsey, Spiegel:  The European Union and United States say they will soon begin negotiations to create the world’s largest free-trade zone. German editorialists argue a deal is necessary if the West wants to help shape global politics and address the challenge of a rising China.

Nearly 450 British military drones lost in Iraq and Afghanistan

By Nick Hopkins, Guardian

From Nick Hopkins, Guardian:  Almost 450 drones operated by the British military have crashed, broken down or been lost in action during operations in Afghanistan and Iraq over the last five years, figures reveal.