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Atlantic Council blogs provide short-form analyses from Council experts and a wider community of global voices on the world’s most important news stories.
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IranSource

Feb 22, 2019

Iran Seeks Economic Benefits From Syria

By Hamidreza Azizi

When US President Donald Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal last May, his main argument to justify the move was that the agreement had been one-sided, providing Iran with large amounts of money to finance its “destabilizing policies” throughout the Middle East.  This argument has become one of the main rationales behind Washington’s “maximum pressure” policy against Iran. […]

Iran Syria

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2019

In Senegal, President Macky Sall favored to win re-election

By Mayecor Sar

The coalition that brought Macky Sall to power 2012 has largely remained intact.

Elections North & West Africa

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2019

Quiz: Greetings from Munich

By Atlantic Council

Do you remember what happened this week in the world? Take our quiz to test your knowledge.

MENASource

Feb 21, 2019

The curious case of Hoda Muthana: A former ISIS member and US citizen

By Reema Hibrawi

Former ISIS members continue to emerge wanting to repatriate to their country of origin, in most cases Europe or the United States. Yet, for many countries, this poses a complex problem given the individual’s admitted involvement in a terrorist group.

Terrorism

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2019

#StrongerWithAllies: How a Canadian communications expert saved two Afghan brothers from the Taliban

By Hal Foster

Khamphone Phanthavong was at the command post of Canada’s Third Battalion, Royal 22e Regiment when an Afghan interpreter working with the unit called with an alarming message.

NATO

New Atlanticist

Feb 21, 2019

More and more Russians are fleeing oppression in Russia

By David A. Wemer

A new Atlantic Council report shows the changing motivations of those who are leaving Russia.

Migration Russia

UkraineAlert

Feb 21, 2019

Ukraine’s Leading Presidential Candidates (Minus Poroshenko) Promise to Fight Corruption

By Olena Haluskha

In Ukraine, demand for a genuine fight against corruption is still extremely high. According to recent surveys, voters name corruption as one of the three biggest problems in Ukraine. Nine out of ten Ukrainians consider grand political corruption the greatest threat to the country, while 80 percent are convinced that the main reason for corruption […]

Ukraine

UkraineAlert

Feb 21, 2019

Why Zelenskiy Is the Only Decent Choice for Ukraine

By Willem Aldershoff

Ukraine’s presidential elections present a difficult choice for those who want to see the country of 44 million finish what it started in 2014. Sadly all reliable opinion polls indicate that experienced reform candidates have no chance of winning. Former Defense Minister Anatoliy Hrytsenko currently stands at around 8 percent and Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi […]

Ukraine

IranSource

Feb 21, 2019

Another Sports-Mad Iranian American Reviews Jason Rezaian’s Memoir

By David Shams

The World Cup was over, Germany winning its first world title since 1990. Looking for something else to occupy my attention, this sports-obsessed Iranian American spotted an article in The Washington Post by Jason Rezaian about baseball in the Islamic Republic of Iran. As a child of an Iranian immigrant growing up in rural Kentucky, American sports […]

Iran

New Atlanticist

Feb 20, 2019

Britain’s parties are doing the splits

By John M. Roberts

It was the image of the eleven members of the new Independent Group sitting together in the House of Commons that captured the eye, and may, over the next few weeks, prove more important than the barbs exchanged by May and Corbyn.

United Kingdom