Western Europe

FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

New British Government Sets Up “US-style National Security Council”

New Atlanticist
Oct 2, 2024

A man in a hurry: Keir Starmer’s early approach is making waves at home and abroad

By
Ed Owen

The new UK prime minister’s much-anticipated speech at the Labour Party’s recent gathering in Liverpool is a window into where the country may be headed.

Economy & Business
Elections

New Atlanticist
Oct 2, 2024

Three state elections have backed Germany into a corner

By
Jurek Wille and Friedrich Conradi

The recent successes of populist parties in Germany’s state elections could signal an imminent shift in Berlin’s policies on climate, immigration, and aid for Ukraine.

Elections
Germany

New Atlanticist
Sep 26, 2024

France’s new government aims to calm the political storm. What will it mean for foreign policy?

By
Léonie Allard, Jean-Loup Samaan

Prime Minister Michel Barnier is likely to follow the path of President Emmanuel Macron, but the big question is whether the delicate political context in Paris will allow ministers to focus on crises in Ukraine and Lebanon.

Europe & Eurasia
France

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NATOSource

May 13, 2010

New British Government Sets Up “US-style National Security Council”

By AFP

From AFP: Britain’s new foreign minister said Wednesday that Afghanistan would be his top priority, ahead of the first meeting of the new coalition government’s US-style National Security Council (NSC). … One of Cameron’s first tasks since taking office was to set up a National Security Council to coordinate the work of the foreign, defence, […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2010

Cameron, Clegg, and the Special Relationship

By James Joyner

After more than a year of British hand-wringing over the status of the Special Relationship under President Obama, the shoe is now on the other foot, with some Americans wondering whether the new occupants of No. 10 Downing Street will be quite as Atlanticist. Cameron and Clegg: Rhetoric vs. Reality It’s true that both David […]

United Kingdom

NATOSource

May 12, 2010

Obama: “the United States has no closer friend and ally than the United Kingdom”

By President Obama, White House

From President Obama, White House: Today, I was pleased to call David Cameron to extend my personal congratulations for the successful campaign that he ran and for becoming the new British Prime Minister. As I told the Prime Minister, the United States has no closer friend and ally than the United Kingdom

United Kingdom United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

May 11, 2010

Tory-Lib Dem Coalition Imminent, Inevitable

By James Joyner

Yesterday, in a bold gambit to secure a progressive Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition, Gordon Brown announced his resignation as prime minister and party leader. He failed. All signs point to an imminent power sharing arrangement between the plurality winning Conservatives and the third place Lib Dems.

United Kingdom

NATOSource

May 11, 2010

Britain’s New Prime Minister and America’s Non Atlanticist President

By the Times (London)

From the Times (London): Before the election, the Tories spoke of establishing “a new special relationship” — with India. William Hague said that ties with Washington would be “solid but not slavish”. Mr Cameron called for Anglo-US relations to be “rebalanced”, remarking that “Britain should never be frightened of saying no to America.” Nick Clegg, […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

May 7, 2010

Britain 2010 and America 2000

By James Joyner

Like the 2000 American presidential elections, the results of the 2010 parliamentary elections are drawing some attention to some oddities in the system and bringing calls for reform. Most likely, the Brits will follow the lead of their American cousins and make no significant changes. Britain’s hung parliament, the first since 1974, is the result […]

United Kingdom

NATOSource

May 5, 2010

NATO’s Fleet of E3A AWACS Grounded

By Allied Command Operations

From Allied Command Operations: The NATO AWACS fleet operating out of Geilenkirchen stayed on the ground Thursday 29 April after corrosion was found on the nose wheel landing gear door mechanism. The corrosion has the potential to prevent proper deployment of the landing gear and was identified after a minor problem was experienced by one of […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

May 5, 2010

World Needs Strong, Independent Britain — And the Special Relationship

By Kurt Volker

It has become disturbingly fashionable to vow that Britain must not “slavishly follow America.” David Cameron has said it. Nick Clegg has said it. And I agree. Nor should Britain “slavishly follow” Luxembourg. Or Burma. Or even the Galapagos Islands, green as they may be. These latter examples are, of course, throw-aways. It is the […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

May 5, 2010

Tough Choices Make for Bad Governance

By Harlan Ullman

Well over a century ago, Karl Marx announced that a specter of communism was haunting Europe. Tragically, he was correct as 70 years of Bolshevism proved. Today, another specter is haunting the world with possibly a greater vengeance.

United Kingdom

NATOSource

May 3, 2010

Europe Lacks Plan on Nuclear Arms

By Judy Dempsey, the New York Times

From Judy Dempsey, the New York Times: The European Union, which includes the nuclear powers France and Britain, goes into the major United Nations conference reviewing nuclear nonproliferation on Monday having failed to unite on how to reduce its nuclear weapons. Diplomats involved in the negotiations called the stance a disappointment for the bloc’s ambitions […]

European Union International Organizations

Experts

Staff

Torrey Taussig

Director

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Transatlantic Security Initiative

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia