Western Europe

Ahead of NATO talks, Gates warns on defense cuts

By Phil Stewart, Reuters

From Phil Stewart, Reuters: U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said ahead of talks with NATO allies Thursday that he was concerned by defence spending cuts in Europe that threatened to put more pressure on an increasingly stretched U.S. military.

Nato chief backs defence deal between Britain and France

By Ian Traynor, the Guardian

From Ian Traynor, the Guardian:  Anders Fogh Rasmussen threw his support behind suggestions that London and Paris were exploring a radical departure in defence policy, in seeking a deal under which French engineers maintain British nuclear warheads.

France and Britain discussing nuclear cooperation

By James Blitz and Ben Hall, the Financial Times

From James Blitz and Ben Hall, the Financial Times:  An agreement being negotiated by the UK and France would see British nuclear warheads serviced by French scientists and break with half a century in which neither country has collaborated on its independent deterrent. Ahead of a summit in three weeks, the governments are close to […]

Hague: British defense budget will fall below NATO minimum

By James Kirkup, the Telegraph

From James Kirkup, the Telegraph:  Britain’s defence budget is likely to fall below the Nato minimum as a result of spending cuts, budget will fall below Nato minimum has admitted. It could be less than 2 per cent of gross domestic product, the minimum that alliance members are asked to spend on their militaries, the […]

Pentagon: The global cyberwar is just beginning

By Anna Mulrine, the Christian Science Monitor

From Anna Mulrine, the Christian Science Monitor:  The Pentagon is rapidly preparing for cyberwar in the face of alarming and growing threats, say senior defense officials, who add that sophisticated attacks have prompted them to take the striking step of investigating the feasibility of expanding NATO’s collective defense tenet to include cyberspace.

French arrests expose multinational components of suspected terrorist network

By Reuters

From Reuters:  Anti-terrorist police arrested 11 people in several parts of France early on Tuesday in swoops on suspected Islamic extremists, police sources said. In one operation focused on a network supplying false papers for jihadists returning from Afghanistan, police arrested two men in the Mediterranean port of Marseille and a third in the city […]

UK Foreign Minister: Britain’s role in the world

By William Hague, the Telegraph

British Nukes vs. British Troops

By the Editors of the New York Times

From the Editors of the New York Times:  The pledge by Britain’s coalition government to drastically slash spending is bad economics and bad public policy. Budget tightening is needed, but not this much, this fast or this way.

Bin Laden involved in Europe attack plot: report

By AFP

From AFP:  Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden is involved in an unfolding plot to launch attacks on European cities and may have even targeted the United States, a radio report said. Several months ago, bin Laden sent a directive to Al-Qaeda affiliates and partners that he wanted a Mumbai-style attack on at least three European […]