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42. Future Options for NATO Nuclear Policy
- Author:
- Jeffrey A. Larsen
- Publication Date:
- 08-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- NATO released a new Strategic Concept in November 2010 that maintained its traditional call for continued reliance on nuclear weapons as the ultimate guarantor of its security. But finalizing that document was not easy. Several compromises took place at the Lisbon Summit, including a decision by the Alliance to conduct a Deterrence and Defense Posture Review (DDPR) by 2012. In addition, the allies chose not to repeat some key wording that had remained unchanged since it was introduced in the 1991 Strategic Concept that the Alliance would "maintain adequate sub-strategic nuclear forces based in Europe." This may provide a political opening for the Alliance to eliminate forward-deployed US nuclear weapons in Europe, should it decide to do so. This brief examines options for NATO nuclear deterrence and assurance policy if that occurs.
- Topic:
- Security, NATO, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- Europe and North America
43. A US-EU Action Plan for Supporting Democratization: Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia
- Author:
- Danya Greenfield
- Publication Date:
- 11-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- While ownership of the transition belongs to those who initiated and drove the uprisings in Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, the West has a great stake in the outcome. A failure of these revolutions would likely lead to a rise in radicalism across the Arab world, increased threats to the security and stability of the Mediterranean region, potential disruption in energy flows to Europe and beyond, and enhanced pressures on migration to Europe, both legal and illegal.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy and Democratization
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Middle East, Libya, North America, Egypt, and Tunisia
44. NATO Reform: Key Principles
- Author:
- Kurt Volker and Kevin P. Green
- Publication Date:
- 12-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The topic of reforming NATO—and in particular cutting costs and improving efficiencies—has been with the Alliance for decades. Throw-away lines such as "Why does NATO have 400 committees?" or "Cut the International Staff by 10 percent" have often been used to signal a rough determination to streamline NATO and make it more efficient.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, NATO, International Cooperation, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Europe
45. US Lessons for the Eurozone: Restoring Confidence through Transparency
- Author:
- Julie Chon
- Publication Date:
- 12-2011
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- When it comes to resolving financial crises, size matters, but so does transparency. In both the US and European crises, the drive for size—firing off enough public funds to plug the hole in the financial system—has proven to be self-defeating as markets raise ever higher, unrealistic, and inappropriate expectations for government policy. This strategy addresses some of the economics and none of the politics of crisis management. The race to meet the size test distracts policymakers from addressing the real impediment to restoring investor and public confidence: the inherent uncertainty and lack of transparency associated with extraordinary government actions in times of crisis. The absence of transparent decision-making inflicts a costly blow to the credibility of policymakers because markets and citizens cannot see or believe what leaders are doing to stabilize the financial system.
- Topic:
- Debt, Economics, International Trade and Finance, and Financial Crisis
- Political Geography:
- United States and Europe
46. The Challenge: NATO Amidst Geopolitical Realities
- Author:
- Rob de Wijk
- Publication Date:
- 02-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Should NATO remain primarily a collective defense alliance or should it be transformed into a worldwide security provider? This question lies at the core of the debate in allied capitals as NATO develops its next Strategic Concept. New security challenges, as well as NATO's military operations in Afghanistan, suggest that the pressure for change has become irresistible.
- Topic:
- NATO, Climate Change, Economics, Politics, and International Security
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, Europe, and North America
47. The United States, NATO and the European Union : Partnership in the Balance
- Author:
- Robert Hunter and Sven Biscop
- Publication Date:
- 02-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The drafters of the new Strategic Concept for NATO must realize that the transatlantic context in which the Alliance operates has changed fundamentally. Accordingly, in addition to improving NATO-EU relations and streamlining the NATO apparatus, basic changes in the organization of transatlantic relations overall are required, taking into account two major developments.
- Topic:
- International Cooperation and International Security
- Political Geography:
- United States, Europe, and North America
48. NATO Reform and Decision-Making
- Author:
- Kurt Volker and Edgar Buckley
- Publication Date:
- 02-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- How can an organization of 28 sovereign countries act together effi ciently to agree policies, invest in common capabilities, manage crises and conduct military operations based on consensus? Obviously, not at all – unless it is founded on strong fundamental principles and shared values, agreed strategies and a tradition of mutual trust. That has always been the assumption underlying NATO's constitutional approach.
- Topic:
- NATO, International Cooperation, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Europe and North America
49. NATO's Nuclear Policy in 2010
- Author:
- Annette Heuser and Walter Slocombe
- Publication Date:
- 03-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- A critical question for the new Strategic Concept is whether NATO's nuclear policy as outlined in 1999 needs to be altered and, if so, how. This issue brief outlines the questions that will need to be addressed and offers recommendations for addressing nuclear policy in the new Strategic Concept.
- Topic:
- Arms Control and Proliferation, International Cooperation, Nuclear Weapons, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Europe and North America
50. NATO Initiatives for an Era of Global Competition
- Author:
- Franklin D. Kramer
- Publication Date:
- 03-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The transatlantic partnership has historically been at the heart of U.S. foreign policy, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been at the heart of the partnership. But the factors that long made "transatlantic" the dominant foreign policy construct have fundamentally changed – and with it has come a need for concomitant strategic and operational changes to meet new requirements.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Economics, International Cooperation, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan, United States, Europe, and North America
51. Bulgaria Energy Sector
- Author:
- Boyko Nitzov, Ruslan Stefanov, Valentina Nikolova, and Dobromir Hristov
- Publication Date:
- 04-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Energy security in Central-Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region is fraught with risks. By virtue of its geography, Bulgaria finds itself in a difficult nexus, drawn into Eurasia's contentious energy geopolitics and as a European Union member, involved in the Union's fragmented energy policy and complex regulatory, energy efficiency and climate change objectives. That position is challenging, but it also presents decision-makers in Sofia with opportunities.
- Topic:
- Economics, Energy Policy, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Central Asia, and Bulgaria
52. NATO, Terrorism and Irregular Threats
- Author:
- Julian Lindley-French and Sebastian Gorka
- Publication Date:
- 06-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Today's NATO is not the NATO of the Cold War. Nor is it even the NATO of just a decade ago. If the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact and then the USSR were not enough to fundamentally alter the geopolitical reality the Alliance found itself in, then the events of September 11, 2001 should be considered an evolutionary marker in the development of modern history's "most successful" alliance.
- Topic:
- Cold War, Terrorism, and Non State Actors
- Political Geography:
- Europe and North America
53. Deploying Knowledge: Reforming and Modernizing NATO Defense Education
- Author:
- Julian Lindley-French and Harlan Ullman
- Publication Date:
- 06-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- NATO must do more with less. The only way this can work is to exercise our intellects and brainpower. That leads to the absolute need for a continuous learning process in which knowledge and understanding are the goals. The complexity of the strategic environment demands no less. This applies to all ranks and services.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Defense Policy, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Europe and North America
54. It's Time to Ratify the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaties
- Author:
- Damon Wilson, Jonathan Ruemelin, and Jeff Lightfoot
- Publication Date:
- 07-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- This week, David Cameron will visit Washington for the first time as Prime Minister to reaffirm Great Britain's 'special relationship' with the United States. Cameron will look to build on his June meeting with President Obama in Toronto as well as the recent visit of UK defense secretary Liam Fox by returning to Great Britain with concrete deliverables in exchange for London's long-standing staunch support of U.S. foreign policy goals. Despite his criticism of former PMs Blair and Brown's handling of the relationship with Washington, Cameron has vowed early in his tenure as prime minister to continue the UK's strong engagement in Afghanistan and to put a priority on relations with Washington. His ministers have nonetheless cautioned that London would not "slavishly" follow Washington's lead. A successful visit, as judged by the British public and media, will help end the unhelpful debate in the UK on the health of the 'special relationship.'
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Treaties and Agreements, and Bilateral Relations
- Political Geography:
- United States, United Kingdom, Europe, and North America
55. Save NATO: Merge it with CSDP
- Author:
- Sarwar A. Kashmeri
- Publication Date:
- 11-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- General Brent Scowcroft, dean of the American foreign policy establishment, has proposed a deceptively simple test to determine whether NATO is still relevant. His test is a question: "What is NATO for? "
- Topic:
- Defense Policy and Reform
- Political Geography:
- United States, Europe, and North America
56. Missile Defense in NATO: A French Perspective
- Author:
- Bruno Gruselle
- Publication Date:
- 11-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- In France, missile defense comes with a long and complicated history. When the U.S. Congress passed the "National Missile Defense Act of 1999," which called for the development and deployment of a U.S. national missile defense system, Paris reacted negatively. At that time, France still considered missile defense to be both unnecessary and destabilizing. French policy makers still considered the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty and the doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction to be the cornerstones of strategic stability. French thinkers viewed missile defense as jeopardizing both the doctrine and the Treaty, as well as risking a new arms race with Russia.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Arms Control and Proliferation, and Nuclear Weapons
- Political Geography:
- Russia, United States, Europe, France, and North America
57. NATO Missile Defense: Is Europe Ready?
- Author:
- Edgar Buckley
- Publication Date:
- 11-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- No wonder everyone looks forward to a positive decision on making territorial missile defense a NATO task at the upcoming Lisbon Summit. Allies will breathe a collective sigh of relief for two reasons. First, proliferation of missile technology has exposed Europe to real future risks and threats, which can only be countered defensively through early preparation and deployments. Second, absent such a decision, the United States' Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA) – to be deployed in Europe whatever the summit decides – is a fundamental challenge to NATO, detracting from its overall responsibility for collective defense and raising acutely uncomfortable issues, such as the prospect of U.S.-commanded defenses operating in parallel with Article 5 defense of NATO.
- Topic:
- Defense Policy, Nuclear Weapons, Terrorism, and International Security
- Political Geography:
- Europe
58. Adapting the U.S.-EU Summit for a Globalized World
- Author:
- Annette Heuser and Frances G. Burwell
- Publication Date:
- 11-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The U.S.-EU Summit has lost its moorings. The Obama administration's decision on January 31, 2010 to postpone the May 2010 U.S.-EU Summit was a tacit recognition that the Summit lacks clarity of purpose and strategic vision. Neither side had successfully articulated any particular reason to meet. While Obama's decision was largely based on domestic political calculus, the move prompted some deep soul-searching in Brussels. Confidence in Brussels about the new administration's commitment to the U.S.-EU Summit process, and to working with the EU in general, reached a low point when Anne-Marie Slaughter, the Director of Policy Planning at the U.S. State Department, said that the Summit should take place “only when necessary.”
- Topic:
- NATO, Globalization, and International Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- United States, Europe, and North America
59. Central Europe and the Geopolitics of Energy
- Author:
- Franklin D. Kramer, John R. Lyman, and Mihaela Carstei
- Publication Date:
- 12-2010
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Energy security presents quintessential geopolitical challenges. In Central Europe, achieving energy security can be a critical element for a continent seeking to resolve vestigial Cold War complexities with Russia and toward meeting 21st century challenges including balanced economic development, energy diversity and climate change. Central Europe, utilizing both European Union support and Western European national assistance and enhanced by United States technical assistance, can take five key steps that will go far toward resolving energy security challenges and help to reframe the geopolitics of the continent.
- Topic:
- Security, Economics, Energy Policy, Oil, and Natural Resources
- Political Geography:
- Russia, United States, and Europe
60. New Transatlantic Compact for NATO
- Author:
- Kurt Volker
- Publication Date:
- 12-2009
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Twenty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, NATO stands at a crossroads. Will it reinvent itself yet again, to serve as the foundation for the security and defense of Europe and North America in a world of diverse, non-conventional threats, many of which come from outside of Europe? Will it return to a passive, geographically defined approach of protecting the territory of European Allies against armed attack? Will it merge these visions into a new hybrid? Will it retain the political will and resource commitments of its members, whether in Europe or North America?
- Topic:
- NATO, International Cooperation, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Europe and North America
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