Atlantic Council blogs

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.
View all
of our blogs
Subscribe to our
newsletters

Latest from across our blogs

New Atlanticist

Aug 9, 2016

India’s Membership to Nuclear Supplier Group Will Bolster Civil Nuclear Efforts

By Pramit Pal Chaudhuri

This article is part of a series. India’s recent drive to become a full member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is part of a two-pronged attempt by New Delhi to revive a moribund Indian civilian nuclear industry. Many, especially in India, have portrayed it as a quixotic act of diplomacy by New Delhi because […]

China Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Aug 8, 2016

South African Municipal Elections Illuminate Wavering Position for Ruling Party

By Mitch Hulse

The African National Congress’ (ANC) defeat in critical municipalities during the local elections held on August 3 has revealed cracks in South Africa’s ruling political party and has highlighted the diminishing influence of President Jacob Zuma, according to the Atlantic Council’s Chloë McGrath. “The results of this municipal election have certainly created significant shockwaves for […]

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

SyriaSource

Aug 8, 2016

Breaking the Siege of Aleppo Improves Jaish al-Fateh’s Standing with Syrians

By Saleem al-Omar

On Saturday, opposition forces broke the regime’s siege on Aleppo. Though the situation is critical, Syrians in opposition territories are rejoicing at the news. The opposition’s advance came as the opposition coalition known as Jaish al-Fateh, which is dominated by Islamist groups, showed unprecedented unity among groups that are normally fragmented and operating individually. The […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Aug 8, 2016

Turkish Stream Project Expected to Headline Russo-Turkey Visit

By John Roberts

When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan holds talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on August 9, one of the leading items on their agenda will be the revival of the proposed Turkish Stream pipeline across the Black Sea. Russia’s determination to pursue this project was made clear in a series of statements […]

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

MENASource

Aug 8, 2016

Another Crucial Moment for Tunisia

By Karim Mezran and Elissa Miller

Tunisia is often described as the single success story of the 2011 Arab uprisings, a fledgling democracy in a region marred by chaos and turmoil. In the first week of August, the world witnessed the democratic process in action in Tunisia when Prime Minister Habib Essid, following a no-confidence vote in parliament, stepped down and […]

North Africa

New Atlanticist

Aug 8, 2016

Central Asia Summit Establishes Core Initiatives to Enhance Regional Cooperation

By John Herbst

It was little noticed, but something of real significance took place in Washington during the first week of August. US Secretary of State John Kerry hosted the Foreign Ministers of five Central Asian nations that emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. With the US largely out of […]

China Europe & Eurasia

New Atlanticist

Aug 7, 2016

Ruling by Fear: Armenia’s Descent into Dictatorship and the Rise of Resistance

By David Grigorian

The events in Armenia from July 17 to July 31 in 2016 and what followed in the early weeks of August highlighted the deep economic, social, and political problems that are facing Armenia today. More alarmingly, they have confirmed without question the country’s slide toward dictatorship and authoritarianism. It all began with a takeover of […]

Russia The Caucasus
US Navy’s Sea Hunter unmanned vessel (photo: DARPA)

NATOSource

Aug 5, 2016

New Tech Makes Submarines Quieter, Western Navies Face ASW Gap

By The Economist

During war games played off the coast of Florida last year, a nuclear-powered French attack submarine, Saphir, eluded America’s sub-hunting aircraft and vessels with enough stealth to sink (fictitiously) a newly overhauled American aircraft-carrier, Theodore Roosevelt, and most of her escort.

China France
Congressman John Shimkus (R-IL15), (photo: Office of Congressman John Shimkus)

NATOSource

Aug 5, 2016

US Congressman: ‘I would die for Tallinn’

By John Shimkus

Many Americans served in Europe during the Cold War. I was one of them, serving on the border of the former Czechoslovakia from 1981 through 1984.

Germany NATO

New Atlanticist

Aug 5, 2016

US Energy Partnerships with Caribbean Countries Will Herald Long-Term Benefits

By Nathaniel Sizemore

Since tumbling oil prices began to cripple the Venezuelan economy and hurt the efficacy of PetroCaribe— its oil exchange program—the US has launched strategic initiatives in the Caribbean aimed at providing policy and financial assistance to islands seeking to bolster their energy security. The United States’ broad financing initiatives are an important step in the […]

Cuba Energy & Environment