New Atlanticist

Cyber War’s Terror Trinity: Means, Motive, and Opportunity

By Ian Fairchild

In March of 2003, I commanded an EC-130 Compass Call, an aircraft configured to perform tactical command, control, and communications countermeasures, over the skies of Iraq. My crew’s mission was to jam enemy communications and help allied forces preserve Iraq’s oil infrastructure. During these missions, we positioned ourselves some distance from the intended target, while […]

France’s Constitutional Conundrum

By Alexandre Aubard

Neither of France’s two presidential candidates—Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron—is likely to obtain a favorable majority in the parliament in legislative elections in June. For the first time since the creation of the Fifth Republic in 1958, the president’s party is likely to be a minority party in the National Assembly and the Senate from […]

Trump’s First 100 Days: A Mixed Bag

US President Donald J. Trump’s first one hundred days in office have been defined by uncertainty, rhetorical blunders, and a degree of success, which, despite the criticism levelled at Trump, is part of the “learning curve” for any new president, according to a former Director of National Intelligence. “I’ve noted in past presidencies not unsimilar […]

Why Bahrain Prefers Trump over Obama

By Giorgio Cafiero and Jesse Schatz

Since the start of the unrest in Bahrain in 2011, officials in Washington and London have had mainly two attitudes toward the island sheikdom. On one hand, they believe Bahrain’s Western backers must urge the ruling Al Khalifa family to enact reforms in response to concerns such as the marginalization of Shi’ites and violation of […]

Atlantic Council’s Istanbul Summit Affirms Transatlantic Engagement

Speakers at the Atlantic Council’s Istanbul Summit on April 27 emphasized the importance of strengthening transatlantic bonds to the Middle East with the goal of jointly addressing challenges and harnessing opportunities. “We all need each other, and we are strong when we can work together, and pull in the same direction, and address the many […]

Erdoğan Asks US to End Support for Kurdish Militias, Hand Over Cleric

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking at the Atlantic Council’s Istanbul Summit on April 28, urged the United States to end its support for Kurdish rebels in Syria and to extradite a cleric Turkey says orchestrated a failed coup attempt in July of 2016; he also accused some European countries of harboring terrorists.  Erdoğan’s remarks […]

Ukrainian Officials Tout Banking Sector Reforms

By Jack Gloss

When considering the state of Ukraine’s banking reforms, it is important to consider not only what remains to be done, but how much the country has achieved, according to an economic adviser to the Ukrainian government. “The fact that Ukraine is even alive, and surviving, and growing today, is quite amazing given where it was […]

A Decade After “Web War 1,” Former Estonian President Blasts EU Cyber Inertia

By Teri Schultz

Even as the pervasive and destructive capacity of cyberattacks becomes ever more evident with the alleged Russian meddling in European and American politics, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, a former president of Estonia, marvels at the European Union’s under-performance in dealing with the threat—and he’s pointed in his criticism.  “I think the [European] Commission, in particular the […]

Curb Your Enthusiasm. The Road Ahead for Macron is Hard

By Jeff Lightfoot

Observers of France’s elections can breathe a sigh of relief. The first round on April 23 resulted in centrist, liberal Emmanuel Macron of the En Marche! movement taking first place. He will face far-right National Front candidate Marine Le Pen, whose anti-EU, protectionist platform terrifies markets, in the runoff on May 7. The mere avoidance […]

‘Political Will’ Needed to End War in Syria

White Helmets seek safe zones to protect civilians As US sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime have failed to end the war in Syria, the international community must exercise the political will to do so—and, in the meantime, establish safe zones that would put civilians out of harm’s way, according to two members of […]