British Doubts on Afghan War Show Big Transatlantic Splits on NATO Strategy

Amid the daily reports of deepening military problems in Afghanistan, NATO operations there are at risk not just because of the mounting tempo of the Taliban but also because allied capitals are papering over deep disagreements about the strategy and the conduct of the campaign. The command structure is afflicted by the simultaneous presence in the field of many three and four-star generals from different countries and their divergences have damaged morale among troops and officials on the ground and spread pessimism in the Western media, especially in Europe. The U.S. feeling of political concern has become acute now that Britain is showing signs of becoming lukewarm about its Afghan commitment. If Britain, the key U.S. ally in the campaign, were to pull its forces out of Afghanistan, it would be easy to see other European governments following the British lead to the exit.

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US Intelligence is Pessimistic about Long-Term Outlook for Europe as a Power

Europe risks losing political, military, and economic importance in a multi-polar world that will emerge over the next two decades. That view emerges in “Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World” a report issued by the National Intelligence Council.

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Russia’s Claim of Comparison Between Georgia and Serbia is “Red Herring”

Russia is stepping up its campaign to impose a moral equivalence between its military action against Georgia over South Ossetia last summer and NATO’s intervention against Serbia over Kosovo in 1998-1999.

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