New Atlanticist

Diplomacy to the Rescue

By Nicholas Burns

Colin Powell, America’s premier soldier-statesman, put it best. Diplomats, he said, are “the first line of offense of America’s foreign policy.” With his military background, Powell understood better than most that diplomacy has always been an important, if not vital, American strength in dealing with a dangerous and unpredictable world.

Nelson Mandela: Visionary Pragmatist

By J. Peter Pham

The passing of former South African President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela is a loss not only for his beloved South Africa, but also for Africa as a whole and, indeed, for the world. Mandela will be rightly remembered as one of the great figures of our time. The manner in which he led his country’s transition […]

Assistant Secretary Nuland Speaks at OSCE Ministerial Council

Assistant Secretary Nuland participated in the Ministerial meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and met with civil society representatives from across the OSCE region. Assistant Secretary Nuland attended bilateral meetings with Ukrainian officials, parliamentary leaders, and civil society. Below are her remarks from the OSCE Ministerial.

Iran Deal Won’t Be a Repeat of North Korea

By Barbara Slavin

In the aftermath of the Geneva accords constraining Iran’s nuclear program, some critics of the deal have compared it to the 1994 Agreed Framework with North Korea that fell apart in 2002 and ended with the North building and testing nuclear weapons. This criticism ignores major differences between Iran – a large, influential country that relies […]

Nine US Diplomats See Interim Deal as Good for Israel

By Nicholas Burns

The interim deal with Iran on its nuclear program has prompted some legitimate questions about whether such a deal is in the interest of Israel, a vital US ally. I joined eight other former American ambassadors to Israel and former under secretaries of State in writing a letter that answers that question: We believe the […]

Eurasia’s Captive Nations

By Damon Wilson

During the Cold War, against all odds and the tenets of realpolitik diplomacy, every White House and US Congress championed the cause of the ‘captive nations’ of central and eastern Europe locked behind the Iron Curtain. The accession over the next two decades of Poland, Estonia, and others to NATO and the European Union ended Cold War […]

The Nuclear Deal with Iran and the Law of Unintended Consequences

By Harlan Ullman

The Thanksgiving holiday and the consumer shopping frenzy over “Black Friday” last week temporarily captured America headlines obscuring for a brief spell, the nuclear deal that, if consummated, will assure Iran will not develop nuclear weapons. But make no mistake. Debate over the agreement signed by the P5+1, the European Union, and Iran will fill […]

Obama Refocuses on Asia

By Robert A. Manning

Sometimes foreign-policy success occurs almost inadvertently—and when least expected. When President Obama cancelled his planned visit to Asia in October during the recent US government shutdown, doubts amongst many in the region over the durability of the US “pivot” to Asia reached a crescendo. But a cascade of recent events, highlighted by B-52s defying a Chinese air-defense identification […]

President Obama Meets Colombia’s President Santos at the White House

READ MORE LatAmSource: Santos Dinner at the Council Santos, Powell, Other Dignitaries at Dinner President Obama and President Juan Manuel Santos of Columbia spoke to the press after their bilateral meeting in the Oval Office. The two leaders discussed cooperation on promoting citizen security, respect for human rights, and economic prosperity for all Colombians, as […]