New Atlanticist

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.

The Hart-Dworkin Debate, and Egyptian Legal Reform

New Atlanticist
Mar 6, 2025

How European leaders are responding to Trump’s approach to Ukraine and Europe

From London and Berlin to Paris and Brussels, European leaders have taken several notable steps this week on security. This follows the blow-up between the Ukrainian and US presidents on February 28.

New Atlanticist
Feb 26, 2025

Why the US should not lift sanctions against Russia

By
Charles Lichfield

Sanctions are having an unmistakable effect, albeit below the inflated expectations of many in the West in early 2022. Lifting them now would be a mistake.

Conflict
Economic Sanctions

New Atlanticist
Mar 5, 2025

The Egyptian plan for postwar Gaza is a good starting point—but it needs changes

By
Thomas S. Warrick

While many obstacles remain, the Egyptian proposal could form the starting point for negotiations over a workable plan for postwar Gaza.

Conflict
Crisis Management

Stay updated

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.

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.

Markup

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

New Atlanticist

Feb 27, 2013

The Hart-Dworkin Debate, and Egyptian Legal Reform

By Pejman Yousefzadeh

Ronald Dworkin, one of the most consequential legal philosophers in history, passed away earlier this month.

North Africa Political Reform

New Atlanticist

Feb 27, 2013

The Shale Revolution: Next Phase

By Robert Manning

It had an end of an era feel, when Aubrey McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy—one of the cutting edge independents that drove the shale revolution—recently retired, and billionaire investor Carl Icahn upped his share of Chesapeake to 8.9 percent.

Energy & Environment Oil and Gas

New Atlanticist

Feb 26, 2013

Is Iran Essential to Syria’s Future?

By Loren White

After 23 months of fighting, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s grip on power is increasingly tenuous. Fearing its greatest ally could be ousted, Iran has reportedly begun forming large sectarian militias in Syria to bolster the regime in the short term, and also to preserve its influence should Assad be overthrown. With so much at stake, […]

Iran Syria

New Atlanticist

Feb 26, 2013

Fighting Chinese Cyberespionage: Obama’s Next Move

By Jason Healey

Finally the Obama administration has come into the open in their calls against other nations’ stealing of trade secrets, especially through cyberespionage. The just-released “Administration Strategy on Mitigating the Theft of US Trade Secrets” is the next in a promised string of new cyber policies and actions from a newly invigorated White House. Like the […]

China Cybersecurity

New Atlanticist

Feb 26, 2013

Xbox Dreadnought?

By Julian Lindley-French

HMS Dreadnought at a stroke condemned every other battleship on the planet to the scrap yard. Launched in 1906 she represented a revolutionary step change in ship design combining big guns and new Parsons steam turbines with heavy armor in such a way that she could out-gun, out-pace and out-protect any battleship afloat. Is warfare about to […]

Cybersecurity Drones

New Atlanticist

Feb 25, 2013

How the US Should Respond to Chinese Cyberespionage

By Jason Healey

A U.S. cybersecurity company has released details proving beyond any reasonable doubt that the Chinese military, through its Unit 61398, has intruded into at least 141 organizations over seven years, stealing terabytes of data from each. Now that attribution is clear (and, more importantly, public) the U.S. government has its best opportunity in years to […]

China Cybersecurity

New Atlanticist

Feb 25, 2013

The United States Should Contain Threats and Embrace Dignity in the Middle East

By Michele Dunne and Barry Pavel

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have chosen wisely to visit the Middle East early in Mr. Obama’s second term, but when they go, will they have anything new to say? U.S. interests are at significant risk as the region continues to undergo profound changes and instability, and Arab and European allies […]

Middle East North Africa

New Atlanticist

Feb 25, 2013

Niger needs more than drones

By J. Peter Pham

President Barack Obama informed Congressional leaders on Friday that approximately one hundred American military personnel have been deployed to Niger to “provide support for intelligence collection and . . . facilitate intelligence sharing with French forces conducting operations in Mali, and with other partners” fighting al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and its allies. While […]

National Security Sahel

New Atlanticist

Feb 22, 2013

Tunisia and the Clash Within Civilizations

By Rajan Menon

Earlier this month, Tunisian opposition leader Chokri Belaid was shot dead outside his home. Belaid’s death has shaken Tunisia, but it also illuminates larger trends in the post-revolution Arab world.

Elections North Africa

New Atlanticist

Feb 22, 2013

“Let Freedom Live!”

By Julian Lindley-French

Seventy years ago today three young German students were led to a guillotine by the Gestapo in Stadelheim Prison and brutally executed. Siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst faced death with immense courage, something even the Gestapo acknowledged. As the blade began its death fall Hans Scholl shouted out “Let freedom live!” With […]

Germany

Share

Issue briefs and reports