While the USAF Waits for Its New Tankers

10/26/2011
10/26/2011 Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) crews started flight training on their first A330 MRTT with Airbus Military instructors at the Airbus Military Getafe facilities in Spain yesterday 25th October. This will allow the crews to qualify for Air Logistic Transport and Air-to-Air Refueling with pods and boom. Col Pilote…

Turkey and Tehran: Cooperation and Conflict

10/25/2011
10/25/2011 - By Dr. Richard Weitz During our time in Turkey, a key issue of interest was getting an update on their relationship with Iran. Although we were in Turkey for only one week, it was evident that Turkey’s relationship with Iran is complex. The two countries cooperate in some…

Turkey-Iraqi Kurdistan Reconciliation Pays Dividends

10/25/2011
10/25/2011  By Richard Weitz During a week-long study trip to Turkey earlier this month, I was in Ankara at the same time as a senior Iraqi government delegation. We had simultaneous meetings at the Foreign Ministry. The Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister had to send a replacement to our session since…

The Turkish Re-Set: A Cause for Concern in the West?

10/23/2011
10/22/2011 - By Franck Znaty The current US administration sees Turkey as a model to be replicated for Arab and Muslim countries.  It is viewed as a Muslim majority country within secular institutions, western ally and NATO member, with a strong economy and pro-market policies, a newly-found tight control of…

Turkey Positions for US Military Withdrawal from Iraq

10/23/2011
10/23/2011 by Richard Weitz Now that all U.S. combat troops are scheduled to withdraw from Iraq by the end of this year, Iraq’s neighbors are positioning themselves.  These neighbors are maneuvering to manage the resulting transformation in their regional security environment. [caption id="attachment_25373" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The latest Weitz Report on…

The Libyan Air Operation: A French Perspective

10/21/2011
10/22/2011 - Second Line of Defense sat down with recently retired Lt. General Desclaux.  Desclaux’s last command was as French Commander of Air Defense and Air Operations for the French Air Force.  The General has a distinguished and comprehensive background in air operations, with significant NATO experience as well. An…