Potomac Institute for Policy Studies Senior Fellow David Smith has spoken out in recent weeks against a proposed French-Russian ship deal.  Former Ambassador Smith currently serves as the U.S. Member of the International Security Advisory Board, helping independent states of the former Soviet Union build democracies and establish functional national security establishments.  He is also involved in a major project to assist the Republic of Georgia in reforming its national security institutions.  In a recent article that originally appeared in Foreign Policy Romania, he warns that the pending ship deal could have devastating consequences - and not just for Georgia.  He writes, "Some in Paris—led by the Elysée Palace—want to sell Mistral class ships to Russia, a venture with ominous geopolitical implications that would tear at the fabric of NATO." Click here to read the full article.