Atlantic Council blogs

A Moment of Self Criticism

By Amr Hamzawy

In the medium- to long-term, the fierce attack currently targeting the democratic hopes and aspirations of many groups of Egyptians, including Egypt’s youth, will only serve to cause these groups to step back momentarily and conduct some self-criticism, ultimately leading to changes in the methods by which these groups carry out their work.

EconSource: Egypt forecasts economic growth above 3 percent in 2014/15 fiscal year

By EconSource

Follow the latest in economic news and developments about the Arab transition countries. 

Will Europe Stay Awake this Time or Go Back to Dreaming of Yesterday?

By Henrik Liljegren

“Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away, now it looks as though they’re here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday” The Beatles

German Parliament Cuts Defense Budget

By Albrecht Müller, Defense News

The ruling conservative-left coalition of the German Bundestag Wednesday night passed a 2014 defense budget of €32.44 billion (US $44.13 billion), compared with a budget of €33.26 billion for 2013.

NATO Chief: America and Europe – Defending Freedom Together

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

The soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy and who parachuted into the fields of northern France were upholding a fundamental truth: that you can’t have security on one side of the Atlantic without security on the other.

Syria: Has A Breakthrough Happened?

By Frederic C. Hof

The Obama administration on June 26 announced it would seek from Congress $500 million “to train and equip appropriately vetted elements of the moderate Syrian armed opposition.” Does this announcement herald a long (two year) overdue alignment of US policy to the reality of what is happening to Syria?

Top News: Obama Requests $500m to Train ‘Appropriately Vetted’ Rebels

By MENASource

President Obama requested $500 million from Congress on Thursday to train and equip what the White House is calling “appropriately vetted” members of the Syrian opposition.

Solving the ISIS Crisis

The situation in Iraq has become more dire by the day. Ever since the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) crossed from Syria into Iraq, the group’s march through the country’s north has not only facilitated the acquisition of weapons and resources, but also bolstered its standing among disenfrachised and frustrated men on both […]