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POPSEurope's New Pro-American Direction Europe’s new political configuration has already partially manifested itself in NATO’s decision in Bucharest to support deployment of U.S. missile defense assets in Poland and the Czech Republic. Even the Bucharest Summit, however, reveals continuing problems, such as Europe’s reluctance to start Ukraine and Georgia on the path toward ultimate NATO membership. For both America and Europe’s leading nations, therefore, the diplomatic chances of preventing Iran from achieving its objectives are rapidly diminishing. Although tough sanctions are at this point almost certainly too late, they would at least demonstrate that Italy and other Europeans are preparing for the even more difficult step that may be required, namely changing the regime in Tehran, or, as a last resort, the targeted use of military force against Iran’s nuclear program.
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POPSNATO Leaders Agree To Endorse U.S. Missile Defense Plans The endorsement is contained in a communique that the leaders of the 26-nation military alliance will adopt Thursday during their summit being held here, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity ahead of the statement's release. The statement calls on all NATO members to explore ways in which the planned U.S. project, to be based in Poland and the Czech Republic, can be linked with future missile shields elsewhere. It says leaders should come up with recommendations to be considered at their next meeting in 2009, the officials said.
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POPSFrance and Germany Thwart Bush's Plans Many German papers on Wednesday questioned whether enlargement eastwards would really do anything to enhance security. US President George W. Bush seems determined to put pressure on his European allies to welcome Ukraine and Georgia into the NATO alliance, despite reluctance in Paris and Berlin to unnecessarily provoke Russia with such a move. In his keynote speech delivered hours before the 26-nation alliance meets in Bucharest on Wednesday, he said "NATO membership must remain open to all of Europe's democracies that seek it, and are ready to share the responsibilities of NATO membership." However, Moscow has made it clear that it will view any enlargement of NATO to its borders as a threat. Russia is particularly sensitive to any further loss of influence in the states it used to control. spiegel.de
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POPSSarkozy Confirms French Battalion Deployment To Afghanistan Sarkozy has also told the NATO summit that he will decide next year on France's return to the alliance's integrated military command, over four decades since Gen. Charles de Gaulle pulled out. Both moves are a sign of Sarkozy's policy of drawing closer to the U.S.-led NATO alliance, although his speech also stressed France's desire to build up the defense role of the European Union. The deployment in Afghanistan follows months of lobbying by the United States to persuade European allies to send more troops to the frontlines of the fight against the Taliban.
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POPS24 hours in pictures April 02 3 Baghdad, Iraq: A man in a burnt-out room in the Sadr City Shia district. The building was struck during a US airstrike 13 Mumbai, India: Make-up artists help a model prior to a show during the Lakme Indian Fashion Week 16 Bucharest, Romania: George Bush, seen through the view finder of a video camera, delivers a speech on the first day of the NATO summit 17 Johannesburg, South Africa: Hot air balloons soar over the Magaliesberg mountains 18 Cuenca, Spain: The skull of an animal in Alarcon's reservoir 1 Nairobi, Kenya: Residents of Kayole protest against police harassment and alleged execution of arrested suspects from the area
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POPSRUBBISH! Don't Read. More LIES. Apocalyptic Crap. "Washington is still negotiating with Poland and the Czech Republic over the proposed "third site" - after Alaska and California - for the system. The plan is for 10 interceptor missiles to be based in Poland and a long-range "X-band" radar similar to that at Fylingdales to be based in the Czech Republic. US officials today described Russian objections to the plan as "geopolitical" which in the long run would amount to "much ado about nothing". There remains widespread scepticism in Nato about Washington's claims regarding the need and capability of a missile defence system and the intentions of the Iranians, alliance officials admitted today. There is concern in particular about who would control and decide the firing of anti-missile interceptors situated in Europe. The issue will be on the agenda of the NATO summit in Bucharest in early April. ...Guardian
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