Transatlantic Focus:
A U.S. Foreign Policy Newsletter

NATO Defense Ministers Meeting, BRUSSELS

NATO Defense Ministers Agree Afghanistan Is Top Priority NATO defense ministers agreed that Afghanistan remains the alliance's main priority, while approving new guidance for members' long-term defense planning. Meeting June 8 as the North Atlantic Council, NATO ministers agreed on a final communiqué, noting that even though progress has been made in bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan, "serious challenges" remain. NATO is in charge of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, and is preparing to augment its troop strength from under 10,000 to about 15,000 this summer as it expands its presence into the southern part of the country. more

Rumsfeld Confident NATO Will Be Successful in Afghanistan The pending increase of forces in Afghanistan was among the topics discussed by NATO defense ministers at a meeting in Brussels, Belgium, June 8. more

NATO’s Transformation

NATO Retools for New Missions in Africa and South Asia NATO is not “an alliance that is showing signs of fatigue or irrelevance,” commander of U.S. and European forces Jones said. “To the contrary, this year is a pivotal year,” he said, perhaps more so than any of the past several years. The alliance is undergoing fundamental change and transformation, the commander of U.S. forces in Europe said. more

NATO's Changing Role in World Affairs - Webchat NATO serves a vital U.S. interest, and if it ceased to exist, the United States would have to organize something in its place, a policy research scholar says. more The transcript of the webchat and information on upcoming chats is available on the USINFO Website.

Under Secretary Hughes’ Trip to Morocco, Belgium, the Czech Republic

Public Diplomacy Must Stress Common Values, State's Hughes Says U.S. public diplomacy must emphasize the common values of faith, democracy, and human dignity that unite societies and nations around the world, according to Karen Hughes, under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs. Speaking in a wide-ranging interview with Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) in Prague June 11, Hughes said that U.S. public diplomacy now places much greater emphasis on engaging in a "conversation with the world" rather than simply asserting the American viewpoint or policy position. more

Under Secretary of State for Public Affairs Hughes lunches with Young NATO and EU Professionals.

Counterterrorism

Counterterrorism Strategies Adapting to Ever-Changing Threats As terrorist tactics continue to evolve, so too must the international community’s strategy to defeat them, two top U.S. counterterrorism officials told members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in a June 13 hearing. “While recognizing our success, we also recognize that challenges remain,” said the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Counterterrorism Henry Crumpton. He was joined by Admiral John Scott Redd, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, to brief the senators on the progress of U.S.-led efforts against international terrorism. more

Bush on Iraq

U.S. President Arrives in Baghdad for Surprise Trip President Bush made an unannounced five-hour visit to Baghdad June 13 for talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani, and other Iraqi leaders, and paid a visit to U.S. troops serving in Iraq. In remarks with the Iraqi prime minister, Bush said they had discussed al-Maliki’s security, economic and construction strategies, “and all of it made sense to me.” “It’s an impressive group of men and women,” the U.S. president said of the new government. more

White House Press Conference June 14, 2006, Office of the Press Secretary. more

NATO'S RESPONSE force

Transatlantic Focus: A U.S. Foreign Policy Newsletter
is published and distributed by the Public Affairs Section of the United States Mission to NATO - Brussels.