New Atlanticist

The Gambia Votes: A Rare Victory for Democracy in Africa?

By Kelsey Lilley

The results from The Gambia’s presidential election, which pitted opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate Adama Barrow against longtime president, Yahya Jammeh, made history as they trickled in late at night on December 1. The small West African country, bound on three sides by Senegal, has been ruled for more than two decades by the […]

Can the Iran Nuclear Deal Survive Donald Trump?

By Giorgio Cafiero and Daniel Wagner

Donald Trump’s election as the next president of the United States has created uncertainty for the future of the nuclear deal with Iran. On the campaign trail, Trump made no secret of his opposition to the deal—formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). However, even if Trump’s administration retards the implementation of […]

Mosul Will Be Remembered As a Turning Point

By Tyler Nocita

The US-led coalition offensive to retake Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city and the final major foothold of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) in Iraq, has progressed slowly but positively over the course of the past month. However, questions still remain whether the offensive, Operation Inherent Resolve, will prove to be a coalition of […]

A Two-Pronged US Strategy for the Middle East

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The United States must develop a two-pronged strategy for the Middle East that prioritizes ending the civil wars and unlocking untapped human potential, according to a new report from the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Strategy Task Force. This is a matter of urgency, not least of all because the West has borne some of the […]

The War on ISIS: Trump’s ‘Steep Learning Curve’

The United Nations’ Syria envoy, Staffan de Mistura, called on US President-elect Donald Trump to work with Russia in the fight against the Islamic State in Syria, however, many other factors must be considered before the United States enters into such an alliance, according to an Atlantic Council expert. “Putting together a coherent strategy around […]

Italy’s Referendum is Not a Brexit Moment

By Andrea Montanino

Italians will vote on constitutional reform in a referendum on December 4 that could shape the global perception of Italy and determine Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s future. If it prevails, the reform would vest the power to pass laws solely in the lower house of parliament, instead of the current system that requires approval from […]

Trump Must Not Rip Up the Iran Nuclear Deal

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US President-elect Donald Trump must honor the terms of a deal that prevents Iran from making a nuclear weapon, said Madeleine K. Albright, a former US secretary of state and an honorary director of the Atlantic Council’s board, in a meeting with reporters this week. “I happen to think that it’s a good deal, it […]

Africa Presents an Opportunity for Trump

By Ashish Kumar Sen

US President-elect Donald Trump must make Africa a priority because it is in the United States’ interest to help tackle the security, humanitarian, and developmental challenges emanating from the continent, according to J. Peter Pham, director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center. Pham said the Trump administration must focus its Africa strategy on four key […]