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Open Think Tank Articles
Editorial Team: The additional articles from the second category of “Your Ideas, Your NATO” have been merged into a single “Your Opinion” piece. A recurring theme was that NATO must build civil-military relations and an intercultural youth dialogue, as well as undertake good governance and rule of law initiatives in order to support the long-term transition process underway in partner countries.
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Memo 39: New challenges require new partnerships. NATO must reach out to countries in North Africa by restructuring the Mediterranean Dialogue and partnering with other institutional actors to offer comprehensive assistance aimed at building democratic institutions.
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Alexander Corbeil: Given NATO’s linkages to Arab states through the Mediterranean Dialogue, the Alliance should actively support the transition to democracy in post-Arab Spring countries by utilizing its various resources in the realms of institutional creation, democracy promotion, and security sector reform.
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Josiah Jason Surface: NATO must take concrete steps to strengthen its partnership framework with North Africa. Inviting Libya to join, expanding the topics covered, and tying the dialogue to discussions with the Arab League will help strengthen the Mediterranean community and the ties of partnership.
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Editorial Team: In the second theme week from our current policy workshop, we focus on NATO’s partnerships in North Africa and the Middle East. How can NATO best interact with the new governments forming in the wake of the Arab Spring and what should its role be in furthering security in the region? Read our young writers’ top ideas!
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Sarah Wagner: Although the Arab Spring seems to demand engagement by NATO, this should not occur unless NATO has sufficiently analyzed its involvement in Afghanistan, the demands and realities on the Arab ground, and its opportunities for support. Such an approach could result in more lasting support for NATO.
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Costinel Anuta: Even though the title seems paradoxical, since Libya is not (yet) a member of the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD), a successful aftermath of the Operation Unified Protector is the key for the MD future. Failure in Libya would hurt NATO“s agenda in the entire region.
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Editorial Team: Why doesn’t NATO have a good slogan? The NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security Policy answers this and more in a final set of your questions, including answers about post-Cold War relevance and the strength of the Article 5 guarantee.
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Anita Rebecca Sundarajan: A new division of labor as seen in Operation Unified Protector will allow the alliance to take on increased responsibilities in the peacekeeping arena because the U.S. is no longer forced to assume the majority of the risks, costs, and burdens associated with wars of choice.
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atlantic-community.org: We are excited to announce our newest policy workshop! We want you to tell us your ideas for promoting NATO values, building partnerships, and engaging members in the Smart Defense initiative. Winners receive a cash prize and a trip to Berlin to present their ideas to policymakers!
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Policy Workshop Competition: We are excited to announce our newest policy workshop! We want you to tell us your ideas for promoting NATO values, building partnerships, and engaging members in the Smart Defense initiative. Winners receive a cash prize and a trip to Berlin to present their ideas to policymakers!
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NATO: The Alliance’s job to protect civilians from the threat of attack is done. Surrounded by the devastation that Qadhafi’s troops caused, residents and fighters of the city of Misrata declare their own end to the revolution by celebrating with a victory parade. They promise to hand in their weapons and rebuild their city.
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Editorial Team: Great policy ideas are collaborative, and member comments are a key part of our think tank. Here are some of the best comment debates from the past month, including discussions about Iran’s nuclear intentions, what Libya means to NATO, strategies for better engagement with Russia, and the possibilities of a Eurasian Union.
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NATO: Controlling what people heard, watched and read was key for Qadhafi to keep control over the Libyan people. Now, with the regime gone, Libya Al Hurra TV is playing a big part in the new free media.
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Ira Louis Straus: Despite the constant barrage of anti-NATO rhetoric among Western media and politicians, the alliance has once again scored a victory in Libya. It now needs to learn the lessons of victory and consolidate the gains it has made, both among its members and in the Arab world.
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Stefanie Babst: NATO has embraced the power of social media. The Alliance engages thousands in discussions on defense and security and these open, online debates have already borne fruit. Transatlantic policy is no longer the realm of an isolated elite: all citizens now have a chance to make an impact.
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Felix F. Seidler and Niklas Anzinger: The Arab uprisings have opened new avenues for change in Iran. To slow Tehran’s military and nuclear ambitions, Western leaders must find a resolution to the Syrian conflict, while activists should harness the social power of the internet to force the Iranian regime to reform.
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Johnny West: The West has bemoaned the lack of democracy in the Arab world for decades. Now, as the slaughter continues in Syria, it is time for the West to back its values with action. The recent US ban on purchasing Syrian oil has a good chance of debilitating the Assad regime. Europe must do the same.
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Greg Randolph Lawson: The world does not need relics of a bygone era. It needs a robust security architecture capable of confronting the unique circumstances of different regions in ways most suitable to each. It is time to embrace a security architecture based on regionalism, not pretensions to universalism.
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NATO: Can NATO still succeed in Afghanistan before the ISAF mission is set to withdraw in 2014? If so, what will it take? NATO has undertaken a large number of interventions beyond its borders since the Berlin Wall came down; but is it likely to do the same in the future, and what are the lessons learned from Afghanistan that could make these interventions more successful and productive?
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Karl-Heinz Kamp: For decades, NATO favored stability over freedom in the Arab world. Now, the Alliance should support its partner countries with expertise to make their armed forces more effective in a democratic environment, especially in human rights training, international law, defense planning and border security.
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Soeren Keil: It seems as if Merkel is more interested in what is good for Germany in the short-term than what is good for the EU and consequently Germany in the long-term.
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Anders Fogh Rasmussen: The international community has to ensure that the Arab Spring does not turn into a bleak winter. In Libya the question is not if Qadhafi goes, but when. NATO can help North Africa and the Middle East with its democratic transition - complementing support from other international actors, particularly the European Union and the United Nations.
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Editorial Team: “Every day, millions of refugees face murder, rape and terror,” says the UNHCR. Today is World Refugee Day, aimed at increasing awareness about the forcibly displaced worldwide. To commemorate this occasion we are asking you to join the debate on the growing Mediterranean refugee crisis.
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Bernhard Lucke: Developments in Egypt and Iraq show that the process of encouraging regime change is a long-term endeavor. Ignoring the precedent of Afghanistan through risky actions in Libya and Syria will create prolonged civil wars in the region. The West can build trust through student exchanges, well-managed development aid, and general cooperation.
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Dustin Dehez: When President Barack Obama addressed the nation to explain what he hoped the United States would achieve in Libya, he noted: “Some nations may be able to turn a blind eye to atrocities in other countries…” Some nations, it appears, no longer only applies to China and Russia but also to Germany.
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NATO: Group Captain Geoff Booth, who took part in enforcing the No-Fly Zone (NFZ) over Bosnia in the 1990s, outlines what’s needed of an aircrew during this kind of operation.
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Editorial Team: Foreign policy makers and experts around the world criticize Germany’s position on Libya. However the majority of Germans seem to approve it. What do atlantic-community.org members recommend to the German government?
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Felix F. Seidler: Germany has to leave its abstention approach. Commenting with upraised forefinger causes only further damages on relations its partners. Now Berlin has to engage actively for NATO´s success in Libya. Concrete engagement is the only way to heal alliance solidarity´s wounds.
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Anders Fogh Rasmussen: NATO Allies have now decided to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya. We are taking action as part of the broad international effort to protect civilians against the attacks by the Gaddafi regime. We will cooperate with our partners in the region and welcome their contributions.
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Celine Touboul: Before deciding on whether to engage militarily in Libya, NATO should define the strategic objective of such mission, as they may not be consistent with the purpose of the organization. It should also carefully weigh the risks of escalation and failure of such intervention.
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Sarah Redohl: In the wake of uprisings in North Africa, NATO may be forced to make a choice between much-needed reform or stable dictatorships. With a hefty aim to be the world guarantor of security by 2020, NATO will need to reconsider its newest partnerships, beyond the interest of its allies, and start guaranteeing actual security.
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Ivan Kalburov: For the last 40 years Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi has been tantalizing the world. Although he appears to have changed his ways in the past decade, he uses the same old despotic tricks, only dressing as a sheep when necessary. This has been most obvious in the way foreign prisoners have been treated.
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Global Must Read Articles
The assassination of the US ambassador to Libya fits the pattern of a series of attacks carried out by Salafists and directed toward Westerners and other Muslim sects. ++ Although Libya has lingering security problems and local militias are still able to ignore the decree of the central government, the country’s revolution and the foreign intervention in it still count as successful. ++ Libya
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The Euro crisis has been all consuming; German politicians have put all other policy priorities to the side. However, two members of the German parliament have stepped forward into this policy vacuum, and therefore their ideas are highlighted here in the Best of Think Tanks. In a concise nine-page paper, Dr. Andreas Schockenhoff and Roderich Kiesewetter offer concrete proposals for strengthening
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The CIA has recovered a more sophisticated version of the underwear bomb that was meant to be used to destroy a US-bound airline. ++ Officials say that the bomb originated with al-Qaeda’s organization in Yemen, the AQAP. ++ The Obama administration is correct in carrying out drone strikes in Yemen, despite the critics’ claims that drone strikes are “extra-judicial executions” and thus unlawful.
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The Alliance must ensure complete transparency in its military operations. ++ Last August, NATO bombs killed around 34 Libyan civilians in the small village of Majer. ++ NATO however has refused to fully investigate exactly what happened in Majer and other places. ++ In an unacceptable response, NATO rejected cooperating with an expert panel appointed by the UN Human Rights Council. ++ Although
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Despite other problems, the world should not forget about Libya’s transition. ++ The economy is a disaster, and militias remain armed. ++ Eastern Libya’s recent bid for autonomy calls national unity into question. ++ The eastern region contains most of Libya’s oil. ++ The National Transitional Council must first adopt a policy of transparency with regards to oil. ++ At the moment, there is no way
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The Arab revolutions present the EU with a distinct challenge: still embarrassed by their support for the stability offered by the former authoritarian leaders, it now aims at supporting the fledgling democracies and human rights in the region. This is especially complex as the protesters across the southern Mediterranean do not see Europe as a political model and democracy. Whilst they share
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Beijing is dismissive of Western interests in the UN, prioritizing stability, economic benefit and non-interference. ++ Russia is Syria’s largest arms supplier and is attempting to demonstrate an alternative to Western “belligerence”. ++ Domestically, Putin fears bloodshed if public resistance does not subside when he returns to power. ++ The West can do little in Syria since Assad has been
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The successful Libyan mission exhibits the value of US leadership in creating stronger global alliances fit to enforce global security. ++ As a result of US efforts, NATO is realizing its potential as the world’s most effective and cohesive military alliance. ++ Libya represents one of the swiftest and most efficient missions in NATO’s history with an effective command structure and an
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The Libyan intervention has proven NATO’s resilience as a military alliance. ++ While not all NATO members participated in the military operation, a coalition of the willing spearheaded by France and the UK successfully coordinated their efforts to lend critical support to the rebels. ++ The exemplary partnership between the American intelligence community and the European naval and air forces
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Despite cultivating the image of a “peaceful power”, Beijing’s response to the Libyan intervention was a missed opportunity for China to embrace the role of a global leader. ++ Instead of acting as a responsible member of the international community, China was preoccupied with protecting its own national interests in Libya. ++ China should have used its position as a non-NATO member of the UN
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The Arab Spring has significantly weakened the influence of militant jihadist groups and delegitimized the use of violence and terrorism to attain political goals. ++ Following the popular uprisings that led to the overthrow of several dictators in the region, many former terrorist organizations are making the transition towards becoming conventional non-violent political parties.++ A decade
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Libya will have a “tremendous” effect on the Syrian uprising, boosting the morale of protestors and casting doubt on the Assad regime. ++ The EU must intensify pressure by banning oil imports from Syria, while Lebanon should join other Arab states and Turkey in condemning Assad and strive to prevent cross-border trafficking of weapons and money. ++ To seize the momentum, the
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Despite the domestic assault on his Libya policy, President Obama’s strategy to depose Gaddafi has worked, with US support for NATO combat operations proving critical to the rebel forces’ success. ++ The Libyan case shows that US global leadership remains “indispensible” but also that countries with deeper ties to Libya such as France, Italy and Spain must lead in assembling
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With Libya on the verge of ousting Gaddafi, the rebels cannot allow tribal divisions to tear their leadership apart. ++ To support a peaceful transition of power, the outside world should be prepared to send, “at the very least”, military and police advisers and perhaps “several thousand” troops to Libya. ++ This would be “costly and risky”, but far less so
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The conflict in Libya has reached “zero hour”. ++ As rebels infiltrate Tripoli and celebrate Gaddafi’s imminent surrender, the “forward-thinking” Transitional National Council makes plans for post-conflict stabilization. ++ The most important task for the TNC is to ensure that all regions of Libya are adequately represented in the new government, whose seat could be moved
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The “special relationship” between the UK and US has become “a rather pathetic British conceit”. ++ In light of severe defense cuts that will see tanks and artillery cut by 40 percent, Britain no longer has the military “mass” to justify its reputation as a vital US ally. ++ In turn, London has lost confidence in nearly all its European partners besides France.
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“The intervention in Libya will not be remembered as a positive precedent for the Responsibility to Protect (R2P),” concludes Juan Garrigues in his report for the Barcelona Center for International Affairs (CIDOB). His key points are:
The initial legitimacy of the mission in Libya, with the approval of the UN Security Council and regional support, was possible thanks to an extraordinary
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The wars in Afghanistan and Libya have exposed severe deficiencies in NATO and revealed five lessons the US and Europe must heed to preserve the Alliance. ++ Partners on both sides of the Atlantic should take ownership of NATO. Europe should reconsider its crippling defense budget cuts, while the US must stop trying to “lead from behind”. ++ Both sides also need to foster transatlantic
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“Libya is the first NATO war in which the US is taking a back seat, while the European allies take decisive military action. This should be cause for cautious optimism about NATO,” argues Tomas Valasek, director of foreign policy at the Center for European Reform. “In fact, if the war ends well, Libya may yet come to be seen in hindsight as the moment when Europe assumed its rightful share of
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As the eurozone crisis groans on, a German-led Europe regains the stage as America’s most important foreign partner. ++ But this is more a matter of necessity than choice. “Openings to China and India have produced little. Relations with Russia, if improved, remain quixotic. And Obama now plays defense on the Middle East in this season of Arab revolt.” ++ Hoping to avoid a
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The Arab spring has slid into a long, hot summer. After toppling their autocratic regimes, Tunisia and Egypt have yet to show their movement toward democracy is sustainable, while the violent conflicts in Syria and Libya drag on. ++ Some fear Islamists could emerge triumphant from these messy conflicts. But a host of young, dynamic reform groups are also beginning to show a pulse. ++ These
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Atlantic-community.org member Dean Carroll interviewed the President
of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy about the Arab spring, Poland’s emergence as a serious player, nuclear power and
supporting the spread of democracy across the globe.
Are you happy
with the EU’s response to the revolutions and protests we are seeing in North
Africa and the Arab world; there has been a lot of
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The failure of peace negotiations led by the South African president with Colonel Gaddafi coupled with regime’s further international isolation and the success of Libyan opposition give more credits to NATO’s military strategy. ++ The latter includes military assault on Gaddafi, cooperation with and work on behalf of Libyan opposition and “the encouragement of political and
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Franco-British estrangement, caused by opposing lessons from 1956 Suez debacle, ended en route to Benghazi . ++ London realizes relationship with Washington is less special, so needs to prove independence to be noticed. ++ UK and France want to be tough guys on continent where Germany can’t play ball for security; pooling resources through NATO is only solution for Franco-British
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At the London conference on Libya Tuesday, PM Cameron must remind people of the UN mandate and of the major differences from Iraq. ++ Also at stake is the “first trial” of the “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P), which stands to change the basic notion of sovereignty. ++ Operation Odyssey Dawn is made riskier by hesitation from Obama, with the US making up 75% of NATO military spending, Europe
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Moammar Gadhafi, Libya’s erstwhile leader has begun sabotaging oil facilities in an effort to sow chaos. ++ Despite an increase in Saudi production to make up the shortfall, oil analysts are worried about what will happen in the mid term, as the writing is on the wall for many regimes across the region. ++ As we have seen, reform is often a catalyst for revolution rather than a substitute for it.
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Relations between the US and Libya are set to improve again next month when Muammar Kaddafi visits New York to address the UN. ++ Washington is seeking increased cooperation on confronting Al Qaeda in North Africa whilst Kaddafi aims for US arms trade. ++ A “senior State Department official concedes [that] Kaddafi doesn’t run a ‘model government,’ but that better relations make
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When Condoleezza Rice had dinner with Libya’s dictator Moammar Gaddafi on Friday, she became the first US secretary of state to visit Libya since 1953. ++ Recently, Libya has worked with the US to end its nuclear weapons program and helped fight al-Qaeda. ++ US oil interests were also on the agenda for Rice’s visit; however, Gaddafi’s domestic repression was ignored. ++ Sen. Joe Biden is a strong
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