Atlantic Council blogs

Top News: Shura Council Protest Dispersed; Prosecutor Orders Arrest of Prominent Activists

By EgyptSource

A protest by the No Military Trials for Civilians group was forcibly dispersed by security forces thirty minutes after it began on Tuesday. Egypt’s prosecutors have, meanwhile, ordered the detention of twenty-four activists for four days. On Wednesday, Egypt’s prosecutor ordered the arrest of two prominent activists, Alaa Abdel Fattah and April 6 leader Ahmed Maher, who took part in the protest.

Syria: Is a Diplomatic Solution Possible?

By Frederic C. Hof

The suffering of Syrians inside their tortured, broken country is unspeakable.  Even those not yet driven from their homes or banished by fear from their country of birth cannot escape the consequences of pure evil unleashed.  In recent days a young woman from the family that hosted me in Damascus as an exchange student eons […]

NATO Begins Annual Cyber Defense Exercise

By NATO

NATO on Tuesday (26 November 2013) launched a three-day cyber defence exercise “Cyber Coalition 2013” which will test the Alliance’s ability to defend its networks from attacks.

Britain Outside Europe? The US View

By Jeffrey Lightfoot and Tim Oliver

UK Withdrawal from the EU Would be a Double Loss Britain is one of the United States’ most important relationships, but Britain’s position within the EU is central to its importance. A UK exit from Europe would weaken the geopolitical position of Britain and change the EU and Europe in ways which could be detrimental […]

Freezing Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions: Faux Pas, Fiasco, or Flash of Genius?

By Harlan Ullman

In an extraordinary time, by any measure last week was extraordinary. On Thursday, the Senate went nuclear. The super-majority requirement of sixty votes that allowed the revered “filibuster” to block confirmation of most presidential appointees was ended. Friday marked the fiftieth anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s death. And Sunday brought the news of a nuclear […]

The Sinai Question: Economy or Ideology?

By Ahmad Hosni

Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula has witnessed a wave of militant attacks against army and government posts since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in 2011. The rate and intensity of attacks, together with the fatalities, however, have increased since the military coup that ousted the country’s first elected president Mohamed Morsi on July 3. The military-led government […]

BBC Interviews Barry Pavel on Security Agreement with Afghanistan

National Security Advisor Susan Rice has met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to discuss long-term security agreements between the US and Afghanistan. Leading up to the meeting, Council Vice President and Scowcroft Center Director Barry Pavel spoke with the BBC from their Istanbul studio on the situation.

Poland Acquires Over a Hundred Tanks from Germany

By Defense News, UPI, and Aviation Week

From Jaroslaw Adamowski, Defense News:  The Polish Defense Ministry has acquired 119 tanks from the German Army.

Pack and Eljarh on Localizing Power in Libya

By MENASource

On Friday November 15, Tripoli witnessed its bloodiest day since its liberation from  Muammar Qaddafi. In their article, Localizing Power in Libya, Cambridge academic Jason Pack and analyst Mohamed Eljarh argue that this current crisis allows the government an unprecedented opportunity to change course and to abandon its previously failed policies.

Taliban And NATO War on Twitter

By Sam Schneider, Daily Beast

[T]he Twitter accounts of the Taliban and ISAF reveal another war that is not so undecided— the struggle for the support and confidence of the Afghan people.