New Atlanticist

Exclusive expert insight, real-world impact.

Sharp insights and bold ideas from across the Council

From climate change to the China challenge and the contest between democracy and dictatorship, the New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the US role in addressing them alongside allies and partners.

The Council’s flagship section features big ideas, groundbreaking research, lightning-fast expert reactions, in-depth analyses, and thought-provoking commentary to shape public policy.

Europe, Syria, and the Crisis of Global Governance

New Atlanticist
Sep 4, 2025

Dispatches from Damascus: The state of Syria’s postwar transition nine months after Assad’s fall

On a recent trip to the Syrian capital, Atlantic Council experts took note of how far the country has come since the Assad regime’s fall and what still needs to happen to secure peace and prosperity.

Read More

Europe, Syria, and the Crisis of Global Governance

New Atlanticist
Aug 29, 2025

Twenty questions (and expert answers) about the negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine

By
Atlantic Council experts

August saw a flurry of diplomatic activity to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As September nears, Atlantic Council experts share their insights on what to expect next.

Conflict
Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Europe, Syria, and the Crisis of Global Governance

New Atlanticist
Aug 28, 2025

Germany wants to double its defense spending. Where should the money go?

By
Atlantic Council experts

After decades of Berlin underinvesting in its defense, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has plans to transform the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest military. 

Defense Policy
Europe & Eurasia

Stay updated

Subscribe to our daily newsletter to receive the best expert intelligence on world-changing events


Explore our unique analysis

Fast Thinking

When major global news breaks, the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox.

Read more

Experts React

Dive deep into developing stories, guided by continually updated expert analysis that leaves you better informed about the most pressing global issues behind the headlines.

Read more

Markup

Our experts decipher and annotate major speeches and policy documents to break down big ideas and lay them out in plain language.

Read more

Content

New Atlanticist

Sep 10, 2013

Europe, Syria, and the Crisis of Global Governance

By Julian Lindley-French

The Riga Conference is a highlight in my annual calendar and an antidote to the eternal self-obsessed ‘westerneuropeanitis’ which passes for strategy in Europe these days.  Sharing a platform with the Belgian, British and Latvian defense ministers I fulfilled my now traditional role as Europe’s strategic hooligan.  Dangerously I also sent my first tweet – […]

Europe & Eurasia Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 10, 2013

Smart Wars Don’t Need Selling

By James Joyner

President Obama is pulling out all stops in a thus-far failing bid to convince the American people and their representatives in Congress to back military action in Syria.

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 9, 2013

Eye on Syria: Syria Accepts Russian Plan

News Obama Interviews on Syria: Three-Minute Summary, Washington Post ABC CBS Evening News CNN Fox News NBC Nightly News PBS Newshour Charlie Rose Interview with Bashar al-Assad, PBS Syria Accepts Russian Proposal on Weapons; France to Bring Resolution to Security Council, Washington PostAn unexpected Russian proposal for Syria to avert a US military strike by […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 9, 2013

US Congress Questions Rationale for Striking Syria

By Barbara Slavin

President Barack Obama’s abrupt decision to seek congressional authorization for striking Syria has had at least one salutary effect so far: it has given Americans and their elected representatives a chance to express serious reservations about the limits of U.S. military intervention in shaping troubled foreign societies.

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 9, 2013

Hadley Weighs in on Syria

In an opinion column in Sunday’s Washington Post, Atlantic Council Board Director Stephen Hadley put a simple case before readers for supporting military force in response to Syria’s use of chemical weapons. Every American committed to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon should urge Congress to grant President Obama authority to use military force […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 9, 2013

Eye on Syria: Arab League Says Assad Crossed “Global Red Line”

News Arab League Says Assad Crossed “Global Red Line” with Chemical Attack, The NationalArab League members said Saturday the use of chemical weapons in Syria had crossed “a global red line” and some threw their support behind a US strike. If Given Go-Ahead in Syria, US Navy Would Face Complex Mission, Washington PostIf President Obama […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 8, 2013

No More Baby Steps: Pentagon Needs a Real Strategic Review

By Barry Pavel and James Joyner

The United States must fundamentally rethink its defense strategy in light of major changes in both funding and the security challenges we face in the world.

New Atlanticist

Sep 6, 2013

China: Mao or Markets?

By Robert A. Manning

Why is Chinese president Xi Jinping embracing his inner Mao at a moment when China’s new leaders are on the verge of launching a new wave of reforms to retool China’s economy based on strengthening market forces? Hint: it may have something to do with the regime’s efforts to bring down the former Chongqing Communist […]

China

New Atlanticist

Sep 6, 2013

Eye on Syria: Pentagon Expanding Potential Targets

News Pentagon is Ordered to Expand Potential Targets in Syria with a Focus on Forces, New York TimesPresident Obama has directed the Pentagon to develop an expanded list of potential targets in Syria in response to intelligence suggesting that the government of President Bashar al-Assad has been moving troops and equipment used to employ chemical weapons while Congress […]

Syria

New Atlanticist

Sep 6, 2013

Don’t Use US Credibility as a Reason to Attack Syria

By Rajan Menon

What’s striking about the debate over President Obama’s plan for a punitive strike against Syrian President Bashar Assad is the extent to which it centers on countries other than Syria. There’s a reason for this. A concept that has had a long, significant though subtle influence on U.S. foreign policy is at work again: credibility.

Syria
Load More