Atlantic Council blogs

Is Latin America the New Global Leader in Renewable Energy?

By Mae Louise Flato

Latin America is poised to take on a lead role on climate change and renewable energy in the global arena in 2017. The enormous potential and rapid spread of renewable energy in the region has fueled hope of a global transition to a low-carbon economy. The added bonus: an economic opportunity that extends well beyond […]

PYD Governance in Northeastern Syria

By Emily Burchfield

The Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) is an influential actor in the Syrian conflict. Yet the PYD was excluded from recent peace talks in Astana at the request of Turkey, who jointly backed the negotiations with Russia and Iran. Turkey designates the PYD as a terrorist organization due to its ties to the Kurdistan […]

An Opportunity for Regional Leadership in South Asia

By Yelena Biberman

US President Donald Trump’s likely hands-off policy toward South Asia may provide an opportunity for Pakistan and India to address longstanding disputes and reap the long-awaited benefits of cooperation. While there is significant uncertainty about the next four years of US diplomacy, it is unlikely that Trump will succeed where so many before him failed. […]

Trump Pressuring NATO to Contribute More to the Fight Against Terrorism

By Julian E. Barnes, Wall Street Journal

[President Donald] Trump has called NATO obsolete and pushed allies to focus more on counterterrorism….

Transatlantic Unity Faces a Stress Test

Challenges emanating from the Mediterranean region, including those posed by failed states, terrorism, and a historic flow of migrants, have contributed to a surge in populism on both sides of the Atlantic that could imperil transatlantic unity and the European project itself, Alexander Vershbow, a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, said on February 1. […]

Trump To NATO: Allies Have To ‘Pay Their Fair Share… They Have To Do That’

By Donald Trump, White House

So importantly, also, let me thank all of the coalition partners and their representatives assembled here today. We proudly — very proudly — stand with you, and we will be fighting for your security.

Why Trump Will Soon Put Putin on Notice

By Diane Francis

On February 1, military tough guy Mike Flynn, President Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor, put Iran “officially on notice” for testing a missile in violation of a UN resolution. By contrast, on January 31 the State Department issued a tepid statement condemning a murderous military assault on a Ukrainian town in the east without condemning […]

Putting Institutions First

By Salam Fayyad

While initiating political reform is difficult, sustaining it is even more so. This is not unique to Arab societies. Rather, it is a challenge that today’s well-functioning democracies had to contend with in their often-turbulent formative years. The answer is a process of smart incrementalism, which establishes and safeguards state institutions while creating the potential […]

An Example from the Past Gives Hope for the Future

In facing the challenges of the world today, leaders and policymakers can draw on examples from the past in order to create hope for the future.  As described by Fred Kempe, president and chief executive officer of the Atlantic Council, one such example can be found in the late Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster, a military […]