Angela Merkel and Nicholas Sarkozy have both voiced opposition to full admission of Turkey into the EU, the only majority Muslim country seeking to do so. At risk is NATO's cohesion.

Reaction to an outbreak of an as yet undetermined flu has been politicized in Ukraine in advance of the crucial January 2010 presidential election. Panic in Kiev.

Sources in Afghanistan that sending fresh troops ‘will not improve the situation.” The conflict is a political and social problem. A compromise is needed to break the “stalemate” at the government level and fight the “widespread impression of corruption.”

In the eight years of the international military operation, money, troops and even the hope of the population have been consumed. As the UN and NATO flounders, Russia and China seek "dialogue" with the Taliban. At the expense of the Afghans.

NATO's new secretary-general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen of Denmark, said in an interview on October 7 that NATO seeks to persuade Russia the alliance is "not an enemy." Equally, Rasmussen said he does not think Russia poses a threat to the alliance. But Rasmussen also vowed that Georgia and Ukraine will one day join NATO. Rasmussen spoke to RFE/RL about these statements.

NATO is piqued over the prospect of missiles being thrown into European airspace by Iran. U.S. plans missile defense systems in the Balkans and Turkey.

Anti-American sentiments do not seem to have changed in Ankara, despite a change in the U.S. administration and Obama's embrace.