New Atlanticist

Maltese Candidates Have Different Views of European Union

By Matthew Lowell

Maltese voters face a choice in elections on June 3 between two prime ministerial candidates who have starkly different views on the path ahead for the European Union (EU) and their country’s role in a future EU army. On the question of whether the solution for the EU is more or less Europe, Maltese Prime […]

Election Will Shape France’s Relationship with Africa

By Mayecor Sar

To say that Africa is not a foreign policy priority in the French election would be an understatement. This is understandable, however, considering the dire state of France’s economy and the many international challenges the country faces. But because of France’s historically special relationship with its former colonies, would-be presidents can never completely disregard the […]

Russia’s De-Escalation Zone Plan for Syria is Doomed

The proposal for de-escalation zones in Syria, which will enter into force at midnight on May 5, is unlikely to be effective in the long term, according to an Atlantic Council analyst. “Maybe” the agreement will temporarily have a demonstrable effect on lowering the number of civilian deaths in Syria, said Faysal Itani, a senior […]

To Secure the United States’ Southern Border, Look to Central America

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly says improvement in conditions will reduce unauthorized migration US Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly has some advice for people thinking of crossing over illegally into the United States: don’t bother coming. “The message is, ‘If you get here—if you pay the traffickers you will probably get here—you […]

Making the Three Seas Initiative a Priority for Trump

In light of Russia’s use of energy as a weapon in Europe, the Three Seas Initiative—a project designed to unite the region of Europe between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Seas through energy infrastructure—should be a strategic priority for the new US administration, retired Marine Corps Gen. James L. Jones, chairman of the Atlantic Council’s […]

Will He, Won’t He? Awaiting Trump’s Decision on Paris Deal

By Ellen Scholl

The world continues to wait nervously for US President Donald J. Trump’s promised decision, one that could have global implications for decades to come—will the United States pull out of the Paris climate agreement? Agreed to by 197 parties in 2015 and entered into force one year later, the Paris agreement set forth the first […]

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 […]