Category: NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)

Trump vs. Trump: President’s credibility gap like Grand Canyon

The contradictions in both the president’s rhetoric and his approach to governing were there from the beginning of the speech. He started, somewhat oddly, by conflating the last day of Black History Month with the attacks on Jewish cemeteries and community centers across the country and saying that bigotry had no place in American life.

Leonid Bershidsky:

Donald Trump is not one to mince words: He says he doesn’t care if the European Union breaks up, since it is “basically a vehicle for Germany” and calls the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Europe’s main defense arrangement, “obsolete.” With these statements, the next U.S. president drew sharp battle lines: He, U.K. Brexiteers and other euroskeptics on one side and the rest of Europe on the other.

Trump Signals Support For NATO, Huge Defense Spending Increase

Our eNewspaper network was founded in 2002 to provide stand-alone digital news sites tailored for the most searched-for locations for news. With a traditional newspaper format, more than 100 sites were established each with a newspaper-type name to cover the highest-ranked regions, countries, cities and states.

America First’ will be good for Americans

Today, threats seemingly abound, from China’s rise to Russia’s return; from the growing number of bumptious regional powers, such as Iran and North Korea; and from a range of insurgent and terrorist networks. How will the Pole Star of Donald Trump’s foreign policy, “America First,” fare? Will such a policy court disaster as did its isolationist predecessor 80 years ago in the run-up to World War II? Consider first military intervention.

Trump trying to find his footing on vexing foreign problems

Seven Baltimore police officers who worked together on a firearms crime task force have been charged with stealing money, property and narcotics from people over two years. Seven Baltimore police officers who worked together on a firearms crime task force have been charged with stealing money, property and narcotics from people over two years.

‘Madman Theory’ of foreign policy working – so far

A man watches a TV news program showing a file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with letters reading: “The North fired a missile” at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017. At the heart of Donald Trump’s foreign policy team lies a glaring contradiction.

Trump’s first month augurs stormy trans-Atlantic relations

Europeans have reacted to President Donald Trump’s first month in office with demonstrations, counter-barbs and sheer angst that a century of trans-Atlantic friendship may be sinking. The governments of some traditional allies have gone a step further, uniting with fundraising plans and a special conference to balance the new U.S. administration’s reverse tack from Barack Obama’s presidency on abortion policies.

Pentagon officials: Russian actions a ‘test of the new administration’

Moscow recently deployed a banned land-based cruise missile, dispatched a spy ship up the Atlantic coast and buzzed an American warship in the Black Sea. The developments raise the question of how the new White House occupant will address Russian assertiveness and whether, after complimenting Russian President Vladimir Putin and playing down Russia’s adversarial relationship with the US, Trump will resort to any confrontational responses.

Trump set to hold campaign rally in Florida Saturday

At least 4 people have died after a powerful storm caused flash flooding in southern California.Two people were killed in two separate car accidents in San Di… — Mike Pence affirmed the United States’ support for NATO and urged Russia to deescalate violence in eastern Ukraine while speaking Saturday at the Munich Secu… “We were very pleased to see the Senate finally confirm Scott Pruitt as the new administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency . Our thanks go out to Nebraska Se… Final Day Of State Wrestling Is Underway.

McCain slams Trump in Munich speech without using his name

Republican Sen. John McCain delivered a withering critique of President Donald Trump in a speech Friday that highlighted fractures within the GOP as the new administration struggles to overcome a chaotic start. Speaking in Germany at the Munich Security Conference, McCain didn’t mention the president’s name, according to the prepared text, while he lamented a shift in the United States and Europe away from the ”universal values” that forged the Western alliance seven decades ago.

Why back-channels with Russia cost Michael Flynn his job

Michael Flynn arriving to a swearing in ceremony of White House senior staff in the East Room of the White House on January 22, 2017. President Trump’s national security adviser, retired lieutenant general Michael Flynn, resigned on Monday night after “inadvertently brief[ing] the Vice President Elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian Ambassador [Sergei Kislyak].”

Trudeau can’t afford to just play Trump one-on-one

Canada-U.S. bilateral ties might be today’s story, but Canada’s long game has to be in its multilateral relationships U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participate in a joint news conference in the East Room of the White House on February 13, 2017 in Washington, DC. There was a moment, when Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland paused to answer questions from reporters outside a federal cabinet meeting held in Calgary late last month, when the Liberal government’s strategy for weathering the weirdest U.S. presidency ever seemed suddenly to come into focus.

HIGHLIGHTS-The Trump presidency on Feb. 9 at 1:15 P.M. EST/1815 GMT

Feb 9 Highlights of the day for U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday: TAXES Trump promises a major tax announcement “that will be phenomenal” in two or three weeks. RUSSIA AND NATO Nine senators from his own Republican party are urging Trump to take a “tough-minded” approach to Russia, joining a growing chorus of lawmakers addressing concerns that he might be too conciliatory toward Moscow.

Officials: CIA chief to visit Turkey, discuss security

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, walks to greet Ethiopia’s President Mulatu Teshome Wirtu, at the Presidential Palace, in Ankara Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, walks to greet Ethiopia’s President Mulatu Teshome Wirtu, at the Presidential Palace, in Ankara Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017.

Trump speaks with Afghan leader, U.S. commander calls for more troops

U.S. President Donald Trump and his Afghan counterpart discussed security in a phone call on Thursday, officials said, hours after the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said thousands more troops were needed to break a stalemate with the Taliban. Trump and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani also spoke about opportunities to strengthen ties, counterterrorism cooperation and economic development, the White House said in a statement.

NATO troops deploy in Lithuania, underscoring commitment to defense

Netherlands’ soldiers attend a ceremony to welcome the German battalion being deployed to Lithuania as part of NATO deterrence measures against Russia in Rukla, Lithuania February 7, 2017. German soldiers attend a ceremony to welcome the German battalion being deployed to Lithuania as part of NATO deterrence measures against Russia in Rukla, Lithuania February 7, 2017.

Trump’s wall – ” the US’ growing protectionist stance

United States President Donald Trump announced last week that he was going ahead with his campaign promise to build a wall along the country’s southern border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants. He blames immigrants from all over South and Central America for getting jobs which, he said, should go to Americans.

Czech ministry suffered cyber-attack possibly from foreign state

Hackers possibly working for a foreign state breached the e-mail accounts of dozens of employees of the Czech Foreign Ministry in a cyber-attack similar to that conducted against the U.S. Democratic Party, the country’s top diplomat said. No classified data was stolen during the attacks, which took several weeks, Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek said Tuesday.

Putin visit to Hungary reveals regional divide over Russia

” A visit by President Vladimir Putin to Hungary this week reveals the vastly different reactions to Putin’s Russia in countries formerly under Moscow’s yoke, and highlights the very different challenges those countries will face in working with the new U.S. administration. On one end of the spectrum is Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government is treating Putin’s visit Thursday as a major event, and where a refurbished memorial to Soviet soldiers who died in World War II was unveiled ahead of his visit.

The Latest: Official says ruling will not affect travel ban

President Donald Trump bars all refugees from entering the United States for four months _ and those from war-ravaged Syria indefinitely _ declaring the ban necessary to prevent “radical Islamic terrorists” from… A federal judge in New York has issued an emergency order temporarily barring the U.S. from deporting people from nations subject to President Donald Trump’s travel ban President Donald Trump’s first conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin since taking office is sparking concern among European allies and fellow Republicans about the future of U.S. sanctions on Moscow.

Hungary set on closer ties with Russia, U.S. – foreign minister

Hungary favours closer ties with Russia and also expects links with the United States to improve markedly under President Donald Trump, whose criticism of NATO’s strategy on terrorism it endorses, its foreign minister said on Friday. In an interview with Reuters days before Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Budapest to discuss closer energy ties, Peter Szijjarto also said the European Union’s sanctions regime against Moscow was ineffective and should be scrapped.

Donald Trump and Theresa May: Another ‘special relationship’?

The close relationship between US and British leaders dates back to Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt, but how the long-standing “special relationship” will fare under US President Donald Trump’s isolationist administration and UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit Britain is still in question. May will be the first foreign leader to meet with President Trump on Friday.

More

President Donald Trump bars all refugees from entering the United States for four months _ and those from war-ravaged Syria indefinitely _ declaring the ban necessary to prevent “radical Islamic terrorists” from… A federal judge in New York has issued an emergency order temporarily barring the U.S. from deporting people from nations subject to President Donald Trump’s travel ban President Donald Trump’s first conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin since taking office is sparking concern among European allies and fellow Republicans about the future of U.S. sanctions on Moscow.

White House opens door to military cooperation with Moscow, but it would be illegal

The White House indicated Monday that President Donald Trump would be open to military cooperation with Russia to fight Islamic State, a move that would be a big policy change for the U.S. government, and one that would run afoul of current law. “I think if there’s a way that we can combat ISIS with any country, whether it’s Russia or anyone else, and we have a shared national interest in that, sure, we’ll take it,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters, using an acronym for the militant group.

White House opens door to military cooperation with Moscow, but it would be illegal

The White House indicated Monday that President Trump would be open to military cooperation with Russia to fight Islamic State , a move that would be a big policy change for the U.S. government, and one that would run afoul of current law. “I think if there’s a way that we can combat ISIS with any country, whether it’s Russia or anyone else, and we have a shared national interest in that, sure, we’ll take it,” White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters, using an acronym for the militant group.

Canada, NATO to finalize Latvia mission

President Donald Trump is joined by the Congressional leadership and his family before formally signing his cabinet nominations into law, Friday, Jan. 20, 2107, in the President’s Room of the Senate on Capitol Hill in Washington. From left are, Vice President Mike Pence, the president’s wife Melania Trump, their son Barron Trump, and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis.

Questions Over A Helluva of Transition, by Femi Mimiko

Eight years ago, as Barack Obama glided into the White House with some incredible 83% approval rating at home, and much excitement abroad, I made some projections in a piece titled ‘What Africa Expects From Obama.’ In the fullness of time, I intend to return to this same theme and attempt the semblance of a balance sheet on the Obama presidency from the point of view of Africa’s expectations and take-home.

Canada will have to do more in NATO if U.S. backs out

Canada will have to contribute more to NATO if the U.S. follows through on president-elect Donald Trump’s musings on withdrawing from the alliance, says the head of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee. Liberal MP Bob Nault cautions that Canada and its NATO partners need to see how U.S. foreign policy formally takes shape after Trump’s Friday inauguration.