For President Barack Obama, hosting the NATO summit in his hometown of Chicago is an opportunity to boost his diplomatic credentials during his re-election campaign.
Players
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proposed poorly received ordinances in an attempt to thwart protests, which included soaring fines for protesters.
Andy Thayer is no stranger to controversy. He’s had a key role in organizing protests in Chicago.
Turkey serves as the eastern anchor in the NATO alliance, sharing a border with non-member states such as Syria, Iraq and Iran.
One of NATO’s harshest critics is President-elect Vladimir Putin, Russia’s longtime leader, who was just voted in to a third term.
This year, NATO grabbed headlines for its active intervention in Libya, a non-member state in North Africa.
President Giorgio Napolitano is trying to undo two decades of widespread corruption and poor management
The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is the only foreign policy think tank in Chicago.
President of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Michael Shields has repeatedly called for more officer training before the summit.
As some business leaders expressed concern about the summits, the city hired security firm Hillard Heintze, which will meet weekly with the business community.
As Chicago Police superintendent, Garry McCarthy is the public face of security during the NATO summit.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has been focusing on the potential economic upside of the NATO summit since his lobbying brought it to Chicago, but it’s his security plans that have had some up in arms.
