Russian President Vladimir Putin recently oversaw a strategic exercise—including a series of coordinated missile tests—that drew on Russia’s nuclear “triad” (bombers, intercontinental-range ballistic missiles [ICBMs], and submarine-launched ballistic missiles [SLBMs]). Both the ICBM and the SLBM reached their respective targets after having traveled distances of more than 6,000 kilometers. Less …
Over the past few days, new strikes and riots have convulsed Greece and Spain. Conventional wisdom (including from economist Paul Krugman) suggests that cuts in government spending—often described as “austerity”—are a primary cause of the economic downturn in these nations and across much of Europe. This “demand deficiency” hypothesis leads …
In a new Backgrounder, “How Contagious Is Europe’s Economic Crisis?”, we discuss several channels through which a European crisis could be transmitted to the U.S. economy and note the key policy responses needed in the U.S. and in Europe. Current effects. The U.S. is already affected by lower demand for …
After the treacherous murder in Libya of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens earlier this week, it was announced that a U.S. Marine Corp Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST), consisting of approximately 50 specially trained Marines, would be deployed to Tripoli to enhance security at the U.S. embassy there. From where did …
Later this week, voters in the Netherlands will elect a new government after the center-right coalition government, led by Prime Minister Mark Rutte, collapsed in April. Unsurprisingly, the top election issue is the eurozone crisis and how it is affecting the Dutch economy. Other issues, such as the continued Dutch …
The President and his team have been blaming “European headwinds” for some of the U.S. economy’s woes. But the truth is that the policies pursued by Washington and Athens are frighteningly similar—and the outcomes are not good for either country. Both countries are in need of comprehensive fiscal reforms, yet …
During the NATO meeting in Chicago, the alliance will declare that it has an interim operational capability to defend itself against ballistic missile attacks. This is a major step forward for NATO and U.S. leadership within the alliance. The declaration marks the achievement of the first phase in the Obama …
At the NATO Summit in Chicago this weekend, leaders will gather to discuss a number of issues facing the alliance. Top of the agenda will be Afghanistan, improving NATO’s military capabilities, and extending NATO’s partnerships with regional and global partners. However, nothing agreed at the summit will matter if America’s …
