Tag Archives: NATO

Gates: "Pacification" of Europe threatens security

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has condemned the “pacification” of Europe. Speaking to a meeting of NATO officials and security experts, Gates declared that “The demilitarisation of Europe, where large swaths of the general public and political class are averse to military force and the risks that go with it, has gone from a blessing […]

Five NATO countries want US nukes out of Europe

Five NATO countries plan to call for the removal of all U.S. tactical nuclear weapons from Europe, reports Agence France Presse (Pascal Mallet, “Allied bid for Obama to remove US European nuclear stockpile,” AFP, 19 February 2010). The five–Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway–include three of the four or five European NATO members that […]

Dutch government falls over Afghanistan issue

The Dutch coalition government “collapsed” on Saturday due to differences over how the Netherlands should respond to a NATO request to extend the Dutch mission in Afghanistan past its scheduled end in August (“Dutch cabinet ‘collapses’ in dispute over Afghanistan,” BBC News, 20 February 2010). The nearly 2000-strong Dutch force deployed in Uruzgan province has […]

Civilian deaths mar Afghan offensive

A highly-touted offensive to clear Taliban insurgents from a stronghold in Afghanistan’s Helmand province has been marred by reports of numerous civilian deaths. Over the course of two days, ISAF troops have been involved in as many as five separate incidents with civilians, leaving up to 20 non-combatants dead.  This includes reports of up to twelve […]

Situation in Afghanistan improves; Taliban desperate

2010 “‘After a difficult year in 2009, we now see a new momentum in 2010 and it has already started,’ [NATO Secretary-General Anders] Fogh Rasmussen said Friday.” (Slobodan Lekic, “NATO Chief: Situation improving in Afghanistan after tough year,” Canadian Press, 5 February 2010) 2009 “The insurgents are desperate and they are employing desperate tactics.” Brigadier […]

U.S. moves in Eastern Europe complicate START talks

The Obama administration is planning to station American Patriot surface-to-air missiles in Poland within 60 kilometres of the Russian border, sparking expressions of concern from Russia. The Russians perceive the plan to station the missiles and accompanying troops in Poland as part of a larger build-up of American military infrastructure in Eastern Europe that threatens […]