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Afghan Announcement Delayed for Germany’s Elections

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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New Atlanticist

Sep 11, 2009

Afghan Announcement Delayed for Germany’s Elections

By Stephen Smith

Obama plans to shift 45,000 troops from Iraq to Afghanistan, enlisting more help from the United States’ European allies, but he will delay this until after Germany’s general election later this month, Spiegel reports.

Afghanistan Germany

New Atlanticist

Sep 10, 2009

Does France Deserve NATO Command Role?

By James Joyner

Nile Gardiner, a former researcher for Margaret Thatcher who heads up a center named in her honor at Heritage Foundation, writes in the Telegraph that “The French do not deserve a command role in NATO.” He calls the news that French general Stéphane Abrial will be head Allied Command Transformation “a further weakening of the […]

France NATO

New Atlanticist

Sep 10, 2009

Gordon Brown Right on Afghanistan

By Harlan Ullman

Last Friday, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown delivered a major address on Afghanistan here in London. The speech was to mark a major change in British policy meant to refocus British efforts in this war and bring more resources across government to bear. The media did not favorably review the speech in part because it […]

Afghanistan United Kingdom

NATOSource

Sep 9, 2009

NATOSource: NATO Troops Rescue NYT Reporter

By the New York Times

From the New York Times: Stephen Farrell, a New York Times reporter held captive by militants in northern Afghanistan, was freed in a military commando raid early Wednesday, but his Afghan interpreter, a British commando and an Afghan woman were killed in the raid. Gunmen seized Mr. Farrell and his interpreter, Sultan Munadi, on Saturday […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Sep 9, 2009

Germany is ISAF’s Weakest Link

By Joshua Foust

The Bundeswehr has evolved from refusing to kill known militants to calling in air strikes based on flimsy evidence. The German deployment has been a complete failure. The Bundeswehr is consistently undermining the allied tasks in Afghanistan and should either reevaluate or withdraw.

Germany

NATOSource

Sep 7, 2009

Merkel, Brown call for Afghan conference this year

By Reuters

From Reuters: Germany and Britain called on Sunday for a U.N. conference on Afghanistan this year to set new targets for transferring security responsibilities to the Afghan authorities as a prelude to reducing NATO troop levels. Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Gordon Brown told a news conference in Berlin they were launching the initiative […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

NATOSource

Sep 4, 2009

PM Gordon Brown speech on Afghanistan

By the Office of the Prime Minister (UK)

From the Office of the Prime Minister (UK): When the stability of this volatile region, spanning the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, has such a profound impact on the security of Britain and the rest of the international community we cannot just do nothing and leave the peoples of Pakistan and Afghanistan to struggle with these global problems […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

NATOSource

Sep 4, 2009

Nato’s mission impossible

By the Guardian

From the Guardian: The question of Nato’s role in Afghanistan is certain to loom large. Hinting at potentially cooling relations between Washington and the transatlantic military alliance, McChrystal’s predecessor was reportedly excused from his post due to a perceived over-deference to Nato, among other concerns. General David McKiernan had initially seemed like an ideal choice […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

NATOSource

Sep 4, 2009

Scots MP quits defence role after hitting out over war in Afghanistan

By the Daily Record (UK)

From the Daily Record (UK): LABOUR MP Eric Joyce last night quit as an aide to the Defence Secretary over Afghanistan. In a letter to Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Falkirk MP claimed the public would not accept for “much longer that our losses can be justified by simply referring to the risk of greater […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Sep 2, 2009

U.S., UK Err on Security Decisions

By Amanda Bowman

In the late 80s, Margaret Thatcher warned George H.W. Bush “not to go wobbly” on her; in the past week both the Scottish Justice Secretary and the government of the United States have “gone wobbly” in the fight against terrorism.

United Kingdom United States and Canada