FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

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The Europe Center promotes the transatlantic leadership and strategies required to ensure a strong Europe.

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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

New Atlanticist

Aug 31, 2009

Will Germany Remain Part of the West?

By Hans Kundnani

In a sense, the central question of Germany’s post war identity is of whether it constitutes a part of the West or not. As the historian Heinrich August Winkler tells it, Germany has completed its long westward journey. However, the reality is more complicated considering the increasing shift of the Federal Republic’s foreign policy towards […]

Germany

NATOSource

Aug 28, 2009

Looking for Leadership: Europe fears Obama’s ignoring it.

By Newsweek

From Newsweek: The one policy Obama is firm on is his desire to see the U.S. and NATO allies emerge successfully from the conflict in Afghanistan. But he now faces the liberal FDP in Germany calling for the withdrawal of German troops as it appeals for votes in September’s elections. In Britain, opinion polls show […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Aug 27, 2009

Sarkozy and Merkel: Limit Banker Bonuses

By James Joyner

Germany chancellor Angela Merkel is backing French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to curb executive bonuses at next month’s G20 summit.  The EU is finalizing a plan to implement similar rules among its member states.

European Union Germany

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