New Atlanticist

Russia’s Arctic Ambitions: Hype vs. Reality

By Lukas Trakimavičius

Russia has poured billions of dollars into infrastructure projects to strengthen its military foothold in the Arctic. It is widely assumed that this has been done to establish greater leverage over the fossil fuels that lie beneath the ice. However, the problem with this line of thought is that it is based on exaggerated expectations […]

Cyberattack Cripples Ukraine, Spreads

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The massive cyberattack that crippled public transportation, the central bank, government offices, the state power distributor, and public firms in Ukraine on June 27 serves as a potent reminder of the havoc that can be unleashed by low-level actors, according to an Atlantic Council analyst. “This is another reminder that low-capability actors can have a […]

Charting a Path to a More Secure EU

Political developments in Europe leading up to, and in the wake of last year’s Brexit referendum show that the path toward a more secure future for the European Union (EU) cannot rely on traditional political structures, a reality demonstrated by the campaign and election of French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a political analyst. “The […]

The Islamic State’s New Realities

By Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner

The combined efforts of a host of international and regional state and non-state actors against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) have reduced the so-called caliphate’s control of Mosul to one district and surrounded its fighters in Raqqa, resulting in more of ISIS’ militants fleeing Iraq and Syria and fewer foreign fighters joining […]

Iran and the United States’ Competition in Eastern Syria

By Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner

An official response to ISIS’ deadly twin attacks in Tehran on June 7, Iran’s medium-range missile strikes were a clear message not only to many in the region, but to Washington as well, that the Islamic Republic will not hesitate to respond decisively to forces hostile toward Iran. Iran’s strikes against Islamic State of Iraq […]

‘We’re Not Going Back from a Low-Carbon Future’

By Rachel Ansley

Former US officials criticize Trump’s decision to quit Paris climate deal While US President Donald J. Trump predicated his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord on the protection and restoration of US coal jobs, clean energy technology is not only the most effective, but an essential path toward improving the economy and fighting climate change, […]

Saudi Arabia and the United States are on a Collision Course with Iran

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Donald J. Trump and Mohammed bin Salman have a similar outlook when it comes to Iran. Both see the Islamic Republic as a threat that needs to be contained. What then does the elevation of Mohammed bin Salman, commonly known as MBS, to the role of crown prince of Saudi Arabia mean for the Sunni […]

How to Root Out ISIS from Libya

By Xiaojing Zeng

True national reconciliation and inclusiveness are necessary ingredients for ending the cycle of statelessness and radicalization that has created a fertile ground for terrorist groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), to flourish in Libya, according to a new Atlantic Council report. “People who fought in Syria, we call that the undergrad […]

Why Bot Makers Dream of Electric Sheep

By Ben Nimmo

Using fake social media accounts to attract real users Social media “bots” have repeatedly made headlines over the past year, accused of driving traffic and distorting debate on social media platforms, especially Twitter, in the US, French, and UK elections. But what are bots, and how do they work? In social media terms, a bot […]

Why Talk About Disinformation Now?

By Alina Polyakova

Disinformation has become a hot topic since Russia’s interference in the US presidential elections in 2016. As seventeen US intelligence agencies agreed in December of last year: “Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election.” This influence operation aimed to undermine faith in democracy and the credibility […]