No NATO deal to share quick response force costs
By Kristin Roberts and Mark John
Reuters
September 30, 2006
PORTOROZ, Slovenia (Reuters) - NATO states have failed to forge an agreement on a scheme to share the cost of the alliance's quick-action response force because some rich members, who already face a bigger bill than poorer allies, do not want to pay more, according to U.S. defense officials. [...]
NATO military commanders, including the alliance's top operational commander, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, have said the traditional funding scheme is not appropriate for the response force.It proves to be a disincentive for smaller and poorer nations to contribute to missions, even if they have troops available, some officials argue."They're caught square on failure to achieve this ahead of Riga," said another American military official of the NATO states' defense ministers.
A proposal to shift to a shared-costs plan for the response force has been supported by 23 of 26 NATO states, including the United States, the senior U.S. defense official said. Read More

EU-US free trade agreement mooted in Berlin
September 20
Centre-right members of the German government are in favour of closer economic ties between the EU and the US, possibly resulting in a free trade agreement.
According to a report in Germany's Bild newspaper, top CDU politicians - whose party is part of the ruling government coalition - are increasingly calling for a transatlantic free trade zone.According to Matthias Wissman, head of the Europe committee in the German parliament, a free trade zone would be "a great project for Europe and the German presidency." Read More

German Marshall Fund Releases Transatlantic Trends Report
September 6, 2006
German Marshall Fund

• The state of transatlantic relations five years after 9/11

• The ability of the U.S. and Europe to cooperate on international threats and challenges like a nuclear Iran, the rising power of China, and Islamic fundamentalism.

• Democracy promotion as a foreign policy goal

• The compatibility of Islam and democracy

• The tradeoff between civil liberties and homeland security

• The role of NATO and the United Nations
  

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Global NATO
Foreign Affairs, September/October 2006
Analysts Ivo Daalder and James Goldgeier take on the new role of NATO in world politics. Acknowledging the expanded tasks of the Alliance also means devising a wider strategy for its deployment.
" The advent of a new global politics after the Cold War has led NATO to expand its geographic reach and the range of its operations. Now, NATO must extend its membership to any democratic state that can help it fulfill its new responsibilities. Only a truly global alliance can address the global challenges of the day." Read More

The European Union and Energy
Looking to the Future
September 2006
The EU has recently released the Energy Policy Outlook. Energy policy is definitely a most challenging issue in world politics. Occasionally it proved a divisive one in transatlantic relations. The expected "end of oil" and the rise of countries such as China and India with escalating energy demands pose new problems and potential threats.
Addressing energy policy issues timely is thus fundamental, as it may result in preventing possible conflicts. In the words of European Commission's President Barroso:" Together, the European Union and the United States can help shape the post-petroleum world of the 21st century. With shared values and common interests, Europe and America can lead the way and help build an energy economy that is secure, protective of the environment, and conducive to economic growth and prosperity around the globe." Read More