Right Wing on the Rise in Dutch Elections
Local elections show the nationalist Freedom Party and the right-wing liberals on the rise.
Europe
Conservatives for Freer Schools
A novel idea from British Conservatives: allow schools to set their own standards. Tory Politico reports that the party intends to put an end to government interference with so-called A Level certificates: the internationally-recognized standard for entry into British universities. The A Level’s reputation has been on the decline in recent years, leaving the prestige […]
The Current Problem in the Falklands
An examination of the standoff between Argentina and the United Kingdom.
Rethinking NATO’s Future
It wasn’t too long ago that NATO’s post-Cold War purpose seemed perfectly clear. During the Clinton Administration, the United Stated led allies in humanitarian efforts around the world but in Europe’s backyard especially. Up to this very day, Western forces are actively engaged in peacekeeping in former Yugoslavia and, of course, in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan […]
Dutch Government Collapses Over Afghanistan
The governing coalition in the Netherlands was brought down Saturday, unable to bridge a divide between Christian Democrats and socialists over whether or not to keep forces in Afghanistan after 2010. For the fouth time, Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende had to announce that a government of his had come to its end prematurely. His […]
Euro Resentment Demands New Rules
Euroskepticism is abound anew. Where previously economist Paul Krugman argued that Greece could have weathered its fiscal crisis if it had retained its own currency, Judy Dempsey reports that Germans are increasingly nostalgic for their Deutsche Mark. “For Germans,” writes Dempsey, “the mark was more than just currency.” It represented the country’s postwar recovery, the […]
Bubbles, Deficits and European Arrogance
Excessive government spending, nor European integration, is responsible for Greece’s debt crisis.
Just How Much Debt Are We In?
After The New York Times revealed on Saturday that Wall Street banks helped Greece keep its mounting debt off the books for many years, Edward Hugh at A Firstful of Euros explains how shady financial constructions allowed several European governments to hide part of their financial trouble. Eurostat, the EU’s agency for statistics, has been […]
Brown Is Human
In an interview with Piers Morgan broadcast on ITV1 last Sunday, British prime minister Gordon Brown spoke openly about the death of his daughter Jennifer, his son Fraser who suffers from cystic fibrosis, and the leadership deal that was struck with Tony Blair. More than four million Britons watched the show. With his wife Sarah […]
Vague Pledge of Support for Greece
The European Council president promised to provide “determined and coordinated action” to Greece if needed.
Ukraine: Europe’s Missed Opportunity
Europe has missed an opportunity to draw Ukraine into the Western camp.
Losing Iceland
By insisting that Iceland compensate former Icesave clients, Britain and the Netherlands are failing to think ahead.
A Little Atlantic Discord
President Barack Obama snubs Europeans by skipping a summit.
Future Surface Combatant and Other Myths
This is the second part in a series of reports on the current state of the Royal Navy. The first entry focused on the expeditionary tool of the Royal Navy’s future force; the aircraft carrier. This article discusses the Future Surface Combatant and the effectiveness of modular versus “hardwired” vessels. Earlier this week, the blog […]
Economic Freedom in 2010
Free markets are in retreat.