Atlantic Council blogs

Break the Caucasian Chalk Circle

By Alexandra Hall Hall

As hopes fade that President-elect Donald Trump will take a stronger line on Russia than candidate Trump, and worries grow about his commitment to key Euro-Atlantic institutions such as the EU and NATO, it is not just small countries on the fringe of Europe, like Georgia, whose future is at stake. It is time for […]

Trump’s War in Syria

Incoming US administration must draw a red line between al Qaeda and US-backed rebels, say analysts US President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration must consider the far-reaching consequences of allowing US-backed opposition forces to work with al Qaeda in Syria, Charles Lister, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, said at the Atlantic Council on […]

The War on ISIS Cannot Be Won Militarily Alone

By Mona Alami

The war on the Islamic State (ISIS) has significantly weakened the organization in Iraq and Syria. Yet ISIS can still punch above its weight as demonstrated in the most recent attacks it has claimed. In Turkey, an attack on the Reina nightclub on New Year’s Eve left 39 dead and dozens injured, while the Berlin […]

Samantha Power Outlines Russian Threat to the United States, Rules-Based Order

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States’ Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, on January 17 described Russia as a “major threat” facing the United States and the rules-based liberal world order, and cautioned Americans against allowing Moscow to divide them in the face of this threat. “Our values, our security, our prosperity, and our very way of […]

What Is behind the Surge in Attacks against al-Qaeda’s Syrian Affiliate?

By Haid Haid

There is a dramatic increase in the targeted assaults on Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (JFS), the rebranded former al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front. The US-led international coalition 21 reportedly killed JFS fighters on January 11. The attack seems to be part of a wider campaign against the group which led to the killing of more than 50 […]

Transatlantic Relationship Forecast: Stormy Weather Ahead

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The transatlantic relationship is in for a rough ride over the course of Donald Trump’s presidency simply because there is no “correcting mechanism” among the incoming cabinet to counter the next US president’s rhetoric on the European Union, according to an Atlantic Council analyst. In an interview with the Times of London and Germany’s Bild […]

Monsieur Hollande Goes to Africa

By J. Peter Pham

French President François Hollande went to Bamako, Mali, last week for the twenty-seventh Africa-France Summit, his last scheduled visit to Africa before he leaves office in May, having been forced to give up any hope of a second term by the most abysmal approval ratings of any head of state in this history of the […]

Ukraine Versus China: The Fight for Europe’s Market

By James Brooke

In this week of pre-Trump nervousness, three expats—one American and two Brits—are doing what may seem counterintuitive: launching the Ukraine Business Journal in Kyiv. The goal is simple: provide a clear, factual, English-language window on the business opportunities and obstacles in Ukraine. We believe the time is right. Ukraine has a highly educated workforce of […]

The Opposition Struggles to Regain its Balance after Aleppo

By Abdullah Almousa

Since the regime defeated opposition forces in Aleppo, the rebels have been struggling to regain their balance. Reeling from their recent defeat and struggling with internal challenges, though, they have yet to put forth any solid plan.