2014-05-27 by Robbin Laird In an interview with Prime Minister Abe, the Wall Street Journal summed the discussion up with this title for their article: "Abe's Strategy: Rearrange Region's Power Balance." According to the article: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe laid out an assertive foreign policy agenda, saying he hoped…
2014-05-27 This past Sunday, elections were held throughout Europe for the European Parliament. The result was a significant anti-establishment vote, and an increase in popular support for the European right wing. Nowhere was this more dramatic than in France where the governing party received 13% of the vote as opposed the…
2014-05-26 PARIS, France U.S. Marines, French counterparts, and the American Battle Monuments Commission will host the Belleau Wood Memorial Day Ceremony at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in Belleau, France. The ceremony on May 25, 2014, commemorates its 96th anniversary as well as the long-term friendship between France and the United States…
2014-05-26 The election in Ukraine may provide Ukraine with a legitimate government to represent its interests in dealing with the Russians. But the clear absence of a mandate from the eastern regions of the Ukraine, and the Russian engagement in those regions, ensure that the question of the future of…
2014-05-25 By Robbin Laird Vladimir Putin has pursued an agenda to expand his role within Russia and Russia’s role within the world since at least 2005. The roll back of EU and NATO expansion is clearly part of the agenda, but rebuilding Russia’s ability to be a key player in the…
05/24/2014: Japan is a key ally for the U.S. in dealing with Pacific defense. In the meetings with Secretary of Defense Hagel in the Fall of 2013, the Japanese highlighted that new F-35s, P-8 maritime patrol aircraft and Global Hawk long-range reconnaissance UAVs were to be deployed to Japan. Indeed,…
2014-05-23 By Robbin Laird Dateline: Copenhagen, Denmark The Russian actions in Ukraine have reminded Europe of the direct defense of Europe challenge. And part of Europe is clearly the Arctic and securing their Arctic interests during the Arctic opening. And a key element of managing that opening is safety, security and…
2014-05-21 By Bill Jayne Two generations of pundits and opinion leaders who never met a military veteran have confidently dusted off clichés about the WWII G.I. Bill and used that legislation as an example of how well government can work to solve large-scale cultural dilemmas; such as “What on earth can…
