Atlantic Council

From Xinhua:  NATO would not seek to become a global security organization and its focus will remain in the traditional Euro-Atlantic region, NATO Parliamentary Assembly President Hugh Barley (sic) said on Friday.

From Michael R. Gorden and Eric Schmitt, New York Times:  Russia has sent advanced antiship cruise missiles to Syria, a move that illustrates the depth of its support for the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad

From Thom Shanker, New York Times:  As other troops are withdrawn, Special Operations forces are expected to make up almost one-third of the American military presence in Afghanistan by next February.

From Andres Fogh Rasmussen, NATO:  For eleven years, the International Security Assistance Force has carried out its responsibilities.

From Missile Defense Agency:  The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and U.S. Navy sailors aboard the USS LAKE ERIE (CG-70) successfully conducted a flight test today of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system, resulting in the intercept of a separating ballistic missile target over the Pacific Ocean

From Michael Hirsh, Atlantic:  Senior commanders with the American-led International Security Assistance Force, which consists of 28 NATO countries and 22 other participating nations, say that substantial aid and military support is going to be necessary well after the scheduled withdrawal at the end of 2014.

From Judy Dempsey, Strategic Europe:  The Russian exclave of Kaliningrad plays a special role between Moscow, Warsaw, and Berlin.

From Local (Sweden):  The Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) newspaper reported on Thursday that support for potential membership of the military alliance has increased.

From Julian Lindley-French, New Atlanticist:  On 29 April the French published their first defense review in over twenty years.

From Sven Biscop, New Atlanticist:  In December 2013 the heads of state and government of the European Union (EU) will discuss defense.