Backgrounder posted January 5, 2012 by Sally McNamara
The Failure of the “Russia Reset”: Next Steps for the United States and Europe
Abstract:
The policies of the United States and the European Union should encourage and support Russian civil society and Russia’s democratic modernizers. And, if Russia continues to abrogate its international commitments to basic freedoms and human rights, the U.S. and the EU must stand up for democratic values and make it clear that Russian aggression will not…
WebMemo posted September 6, 2011 by Sally McNamara
European Parliament Should Back EU–U.S. Passenger Name Record Agreement
The EU–U.S. passenger name record (PNR) agreement—implemented in the wake of 9/11—is an information-sharing program requiring that key pieces of data on travelers to the U.S. be provided to American authorities prior to their arrival in the U.S. This information must be provided under U.S. law, and in May 2004, the EU and the U.S. entered into a formal agreement stating…
WebMemo posted August 23, 2011 by Sally McNamara
Why the United States Should Be Concerned about France’s Banking Crisis
After a wave of panic gripped French financial markets late last week, President Nicolas Sarkozy interrupted his summer vacation to call an emergency cabinet meeting and reassure the world that French banks were not on the “brink of disaster.”[1]
Although it looks as if France’s major banks are not in imminent danger of collapse, the undercapitalization of major…
WebMemo posted June 16, 2011 by Sally McNamara
Training Afghanistan’s Security Forces: NATO Has Made Solid Progress
Speaking in Brussels last week, outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates predicted a “dim, if not dismal future for the transatlantic alliance.” He stated:
The blunt reality is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.S. Congress…to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary…
WebMemo posted June 8, 2011 by Sally McNamara, Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
Turkey after the Elections: Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is on course to secure a third consecutive victory in parliamentary elections this weekend. Polls are predicting that the AKP could secure up to 48 percent of the vote. However, a two-thirds majority of the 550-seat assembly is needed for the prime minister to realize his ambition of…
WebMemo posted May 25, 2011 by Sally McNamara, Morgan Lorraine Roach
President Obama Should Advance the Polish–American Relationship
President Obama will conclude his eighth visit to Europe this week in Poland, where he will attend a summit of leaders of Central and Eastern Europe including the new President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga. This visit will be particularly significant as the Administration attempts to correct a series of missteps it has made in the region since taking office. The President’s…
Special Report posted May 16, 2011 by Sally McNamara
Swaying American Opinions: Congress Should Investigate EU Advocacy in the United States
Abstract:
The European Union is pouring enormous amounts of money into the United States. Regular multimillion-dollar payments to individuals and organizations in the U.S. raise important questions over Brussels’ interference in U.S. political and social debates—including climate change, the death penalty, and membership of the International Criminal Court. It is…
WebMemo posted May 11, 2011 by Sally McNamara, Morgan Lorraine Roach
After bin Laden: NATO’s Resolve Against Terrorism Must Not Waver
Earlier this month, U.S. military personnel dispatched one of the world’s most wanted terrorists and marked a significant victory in the war on terrorism. The death of Osama bin Laden was warmly welcomed by NATO leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has rightly warned that…
WebMemo posted April 26, 2011 by Sally McNamara, Mats Persson, J.D. Foster, Ph.D.
Ten Economic Lessons from Europe for the U.S. President
As the debate over America’s debt burden intensifies, the Eurozone’s social and economic problems provide a warning to the United States. Portugal is the latest Eurozone country seeking a multi-billion-dollar bailout from the international financial community, despite the fact that such a move would create at least as many problems as it would solve. Greece and Ireland…