New Atlanticist

‘Security and Economic Development are Two Sides of the Same Coin’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Afghanistan’s neighbors must realize that a stable Afghanistan will benefit the entire region, says Afghan President’s top adviser A stable Afghanistan is vital for regional prosperity because gas pipelines, power grids, and road and rail networks can be constructed providing economical and much-needed energy and market access to the neighborhood, a top Afghan official said […]

Can Ghani Make Peace with the Taliban in Afghanistan?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Answer lies in Pakistan’s willingness to end support for militants, says Atlantic Council’s James B. Cunningham Representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and the United States are meeting in Islamabad this week to draw up a roadmap for peace talks with the Taliban. James B. Cunningham, a former US Ambassador to Afghanistan and current Khalilzad Chair […]

Privatization of Saudi Aramco: A Path to Good Governance?

By Jean-François Seznec

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman, gave a fascinating interview to the Economist on January 4. Among the many subjects he covered, one in particular appealed to energy wonks—the privatization of Saudi Aramco. This topic has been discussed within the kingdom for years, but never got anywhere, probably because a privatized Saudi Aramco […]

Has Turkey Become a Distraction in the War on ISIS?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Turkey is a helpful coalition partner, but Ankara-Baghdad rift puts Iraqi Prime Minister in a tough spot, says Aaron Stein Turkey’s entry into the US-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) last summer was marked by Turkish airstrikes on Kurdish militias—a departure from the coalition’s mission. In November, Turkey shot down […]

In Brexit Debate, David Cameron Averts Crisis. For Now.

By Ashish Kumar Sen

British leader’s decision to allow cabinet to pick sides on relationship with EU may not work in the long term, says Fran Burwell British Prime Minister David Cameron’s decision to allow members of his cabinet to pick sides and actively campaign for the United Kingdom to stay in or leave the European Union avoids a […]

China Still Holds the Key for Getting Tough with Pyongyang

By Jamie Metzl

The fourth North Korean nuclear test is a big deal and an additional provocation but not a game changer. In the coming days and weeks, many countries will condemn the test and additional sanctions will be considered in the United Nations Security Council. None of this will alter the geopolitics of the Korean peninsula in […]

North Korea’s Nuclear Test Will Deepen Pyongyang’s Isolation

By Robert A. Manning

North Korea’s fourth nuclear test may have set in motion forces that will lead to painful new UN sanctions, greater levels of isolation, and impact its ties with China and South Korea while altering security dynamics in East Asia. Nuclear experts doubt Pyongyang’s claim that it tested a hydrogen weapon on January 6. Analysis of […]

Saudi-Iranian Crisis, China’s Economic Slide Set Stage for Perfect Storm in the Oil Market

By Ariel Cohen

The deepening rift between Saudi Arabia and Iran may have dire consequences for global oil markets because the kingdom’s Eastern Province, where the Shia are in the majority, produces most of its oil. Production would suffer if Iran were to foment unrest among this population. This crisis between the Middle East’s two major oil producers […]

The Saudi/Iran Break: Politics of Fear in the Gulf

By Richard LeBaron

Saudi Arabia’s decision to break diplomatic ties with Iran represents another chapter in the politics of fear that have dominated Saudi military and diplomatic moves since the ascension of King Salman just shy of a year ago. The fear finds its main source in the Saudi conviction that Iran is intent on displacing it as […]

A Look Back, A Look Ahead

Here’s what our experts have chosen as the top stories of 2015, and the big stories that they will be watching closely in 2016.