U.S. NATO Commitments Are Not Optional
The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania share borders with Russia to the east and south. After witnessing Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Baltic states are increasing defense spending—in...
View ArticleWhat Exactly Is Going On in Ukraine?
The Ukrainian territories that have been occupied by Russia since 2014 are taking their turn in the spotlight. While violence in the east of the country—the so-called Lugansk and Donetsk Peoples...
View ArticleWarning from the Sahel: Al Qaeda’s Resurgent Threat
The combination of al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)’s objectives, close ties to al Qaeda, support from aggrieved populations, and ability to field and regenerate advanced attack capabilities make...
View ArticleBaltic Echoes of the NATO Warsaw Summit
In the Baltics, the NATO Warsaw Summit is viewed as a momentous event, marking a shift to a deterrent stance vis-à-vis Russia with the decision to deploy the four multinational battalions to Eastern...
View ArticleReport Confirms Russia’s Responsibility for Shooting Down Malaysian Airliner
The interim report findings should serve as a reminder to Americans that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Russia is not a friend that can be bargained with, rather it is a brutal regime that has...
View ArticleThe United States Should Not Back a European Union Army
The belief that a stronger European Union (EU) role in defense matters will encourage European countries to invest more in defense is based on the false premise that the EU will be able to achieve what...
View ArticleBurden-Sharing with Allies: Examining the Budgetary Realities
America’s global alliance system has for decades provided the foundation for peace, security, and prosperity. One important contribution of key allies in Europe and Asia is hosting U.S. military bases....
View ArticlePoland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic: The Security Record of “New Europe”
In the run-up to the Iraq War, the governments of France and Germany stated that they did not support an American-led war against Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. When asked at a press event in January 2003 what...
View ArticleIs New Europe Backsliding? Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic...
The Visegrád countries have seen an extraordinary amount of economic and social progress since 1989, but their political institutions and rule of law remain fragile. In some cases, the problem of...
View ArticleThe Economics of NATO Expansion
After the last expansion in 2009, NATO’s defense expenditures per capita increased 2 percent, and spending per square kilometer decreased by 11 percent: The organization currently has 50 cents to spend...
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