AGI

Foreign & Security Policy

The AGI Foreign & Security Policy Program addresses German security policy, the foreign policy cooperation between the U.S. and Germany, and the transatlantic defense relationship.
Reset

In Europe’s Own Neighborhood

In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Dr. Jackson Janes examines Germany’s abstention from the UN vote on Libya and the questions surrounding the German and other European responses to the continuing developments in the larger region.

German Policy on Libya: Right on Substance, Short on Style

When it comes to Libya, the Merkel government finds itself on the defensive on many fronts, writes DAAD/AICGS Fellow Pia Niedermeier. The German government has correctly pointed out that a political vision for the conflict is missing, Ms. Niedermeier argues, but it must also take the blame for not developing such a vision together with its partners.

Libya in Limbo?

In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Dr. Jackson Janes examines the unfolding crisis in Libya and the potential lessons of past crises in the Balkans for Germany, the EU and, NATO.

Not Without America

Are the Americans the only ones who can talk seriously about how to help the Libyans and to maintain global balance? AICGS Trustee Ambassador John Kornblum, former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, ponders this question knowing that it is going to stay that way for the foreseeable future based on the perception that Europe cannot meet the new security challenges. Kornblum argues that a new strategy for Atlantic relations must be developed that demonstrates how Western values can help master the practical problems of globalization. The German version of this essay originally appeared in the March 8, 2011, edition of Die Welt.

Libya’s Revolution: Strategic Stakes for Transatlantic Partners

Whether Muammar Qaddafi manages to maintain power in Libya or not, there will be no going back to the old order in the region, writes Dr. Ian Lesser, Senior Transatlantic Fellow at The German Marshall Fund of the United States and a regular participant in AICGS events. Libya looks set for a protracted period of turmoil, Dr. Lesser argues, and the strategic implications for North Africa, the Mediterranean, and transatlantic partners could be profound. This essay originally appeared in the blog of The German Marshall Fund of the United States.

Messages From Hamburg’s Elections

In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Dr. Jackson Janes looks at the opening round of Germany’s regional elections in 2011 and examines the potential pitfalls and possibilities for Chancellor Merkel during this unusual year of political barometers.

Germany in Europe: The Doors are Closing!

Chancellor Angela Merkel has some major challenges ahead regarding the future of the euro, writes Senior Non-Resident Fellow Dr. Ulrike Guérot of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Dr. Guérot argues that Chancellor Merkel’s options regarding reform efforts in the euro zone have been severely limited by domestic issues, and that her ability to reach a compromise with other EU countries depends on the outcome of these domestic developments. This essay originally appeared in the ECFR’s blog on February 24, 2011.

Assisting and Insisting in Egypt

In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Dr. Jackson Janes examines the political earthquake in Egypt and the challenges ahead post-Mubarak – not only for Egyptians but for Europe and the United States in assisting the transformations in a new era for Egypt and the Middle East.

Hungry for Climate Action? NATO and Energy Security

NATO has a legitimate role to play in energy security, writes Michael Rühle, Head of the Energy Security Section in NATO’s Emerging Security Challenges Division and a regular contributor to the Advisor, but it is not yet clear what this role should be. In his essay, Rühle outlines the reasons for NATO’s interest in energy security and suggests what difference the Alliance could make in the energy security debate moving forward.

The EU: Pretension Without Power

Little more than a year after the passage of the Lisbon Treaty, the E.U. faces a much dimmer future, writes Doug Bandow, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute and a regular contributor to the Advisor. The EU’s objective of becoming the globe’s third “Weltmacht,” alongside America and China, looks ever more like a fantasy, Bandow argues, especially as the financial crisis threatens European unity. This essay originally appeared in the author’s blog on Forbes online on February 7, 2011.

The Euro: Halfway Full

In this week’s At Issue, Executive Director Dr. Jackson Janes examines the current concerns about the future of the euro and the challenges of securing both consensus among the euro zone members and domestic political support for the European single currency, especially in Germany.

Es fehlt der strategische Konsens

Nearly ten years after the first decision on a military commitment in Afghanistan, this week the Bundestag will again debate the renewal of the mandate for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Former DAAD/AICGS Fellow Dr. Markus Kaim examines the internal debate over whether or not a concrete withdrawal date should be included in the mandate and suggests some potential scenarios for the overall Afghanistan mission as the decision approaches. This essay originally appeared in the January 24, 2011, edition of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and is available in German only.