Western Europe

UK urges Germany to pull its weight more on defense

By Gareth Jones, Reuters

From Gareth Jones, Reuters:  Britain urged Germany on Wednesday to beef up its contribution to European defence and security, in line with its economic might, as the United States focuses increasingly on the Asia-Pacific region.

UK Defense Minister: Germany can make biggest impact on NATO capabilities

By Philip Hammond, British Ministry of Defense

From Philip Hammond, British Ministry of Defense:  The responsibility of European nations to defend their citizens can no longer be discharged by a strategy of homeland defence and a Fortress Europe.

Why We Need a Smart NATO

By Julian Lindley-French, the New Atlanticist

From Julian Lindley-French, the New Atlanticist:  The simple fact of strategic life is this. We live in a world of some seven billion plus souls all with legitimate needs and aspirations organized unevenly into more unstable and failing states than at any time since 1648

If Socialist Wins France, European Union Will Be ‘Irrelevant’

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Award-winning journalist Arnaud de Borchgrave tells Jim Meyers and John Bachman of Newsmax that French President Nicolas Sarkozy will “squeak through” his upcoming election and remain in office, but a Sarkozy loss would lead to a decline of the European Union that could render it “irrelevant.”

NATO Members Spar over Post-Withdrawal Financing for Afghanistan

By Spiegel

From Spiegel:  After the almost total withdrawal of ISAF troops at the end of 2014, according to the strategy, NATO members don’t want to leave the country entirely to its own fate.

American Decline and the Future of Interventionism

By Nicholas k.Gvosdev, World Politics Review

From Nicholas k.Gvosdev, World Politics Review:  For the past 20 years, the United States has shown a willingness to use its armed might, but only in cases where the overwhelming American economic, military and technological advantages could be leveraged to reduce substantially the risk of loss to both people and equipment.

Presuming President Hollande

By Nicholas Dungan

If François Hollande, the Socialist Party challenger to Nicolas Sarkozy, is elected president of France on May 6, he will face an immediate sizing-up of his leadership at the G8 and NATO summits on the morrow of his taking office on May 17.  He should be expected to arrive at those summit meetings as a […]

Pentagon expanding international partnerships to address “global cyber arms race”

By Cheryl Pellerin, Armed Forces Press Service