New Atlanticist

In Nigeria, Jonathan’s Luck Runs Out

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Opposition leader Buhari’s strategy of building coalitions pays off, says Atlantic Council’s Pham Opposition leader Muhammadu Buhari’s strategy of assembling a broad coalition and restricting President Goodluck Jonathan to his traditional power base helped the former military ruler to a decisive victory in Nigeria’s March 28 presidential elections, according to Atlantic Council analyst J. Peter […]

Election Uncertainty Would Deal Another Blow to Nigeria’s Economy

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Weak naira, low oil prices already hurting Africa’s largest oil producer, says Atlantic Council’s Hruby The absence of a clear winner in Nigeria’s presidential elections could deal another blow to the country’s economy, which is already reeling from falling crude oil prices, says Atlantic Council analyst Aubrey Hruby. Nigerians will vote in presidential and national […]

Brazil’s Political Crisis and the Dilma Factor

By Ricardo Sennes

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is struggling with a loss of popularity and an inability to pass reforms that are critical to addressing the enormous economic challenges facing Brazil. The current political crisis is being driven by four key factors. The first is widespread discontent with the impunity and corruption of government officials, most notably those […]

NATO Chief Urges Increase in Military Spending to Confront Growing Security Threats

By Larry Luxner

Europe’s belt-tightening on defense at a time when Russia and China have ramped up military spending endangers NATO, the alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said March 25. “While we have been cutting our defense budgets, others have invested heavily,” Stoltenberg said in his keynote address at the NATO Allied Command Transformation seminar. The Atlantic Council’s […]

Can Ghani Make Peace with the Taliban?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Afghan leader ‘cautiously optimistic’ about prospects of reconciliation as Pakistan, China pitch in Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is “cautiously optimistic” about the prospects of peace with the Taliban, in part because Pakistan—where a mélange of terrorist groups have for years found safe haven and support—now acknowledges that improving ties with neighboring Afghanistan is key to […]

Will Chaos in Yemen Doom US War on al-Qaeda?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Atlantic Council analyst sees opportunity for cooperation on drone strikes Yemen’s descent into chaos has jeopardized US counterterrorism operations there, but the Pentagon could still order scaled-down drone strikes against an al-Qaeda affiliate by working with like-minded elements in the Yemeni military, says an Atlantic Council analyst. US drone strikes on al Qaeda in the […]

What’s Russia Doing in Africa?

Atlantic Council’s Pham shares insights on Russia’s acitivities on the continent Under pressure from the West over its actions in Ukraine, including the annexation of Crimea, Russia is increasingly turning its attention to Africa, says J. Peter Pham, Director of the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center. “Recent developments have validated these concerns as the siloviki around […]

Artful Balance: US Must Consider Defense Pact with Arab Gulf States, Says Atlantic Council Report

By Larry Luxner

The Pentagon must consider a formal defense treaty with its Arab Gulf allies in light of Iran’s ongoing attempts to destabilize the region politically, according to a new Atlantic Council report. “While we have very effective forces and a strategy guiding those forces, it’s our sense that there’s enough going on in the world that […]

Lee Kuan Yew: The Power of Big Thinking

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Gov. Huntsman discusses the legacy of Singapore’s late leader Lee Kuan Yew, who as its first Prime Minister transformed Singapore from a tiny, impoverished port city into an economic giant, died March 23. In a phone interview with the New Atlanticist’s Ashish Kumar Sen, Atlantic Council Chairman Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., remembers a man he […]

US-India Relations: ‘Strategic Plus’

US Ambassador to India, Richard Verma, addressed a conference hosted by the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center in New Delhi on March 16. The Vivekananda International Foundation, Confederation of Indian Industry, and US Embassy in New Delhi co-hosted the event.