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.

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.

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

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

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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.

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

New Atlanticist

Nov 1, 2012

Pakistan’s Heavyweights

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Abdul Qadeer Khan, Pakistan’s national hero who peddled nuclear weapons secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya (under Moammar Gadhafi), now has his own political party to promote his presidential ambitions. He is also a media columnist and his anti-U.S. lucubrations are read in both English and Urdu.

Nuclear Nonproliferation Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Nov 1, 2012

A Tale of Two Asias

By Evan A. Feigenbaum and Robert A. Manning

Whatever happened to the “Asian Century?” In recent months, two Asias, wholly incompatible, have emerged in stark relief.There is “Economic Asia,” the Dr. Jekyll — a dynamic, integrated Asia with 53 percent of its trade now being conducted within the region itself, and a $19 trillion regional economy that has become an engine of global […]

Economy & Business Indo-Pacific

New Atlanticist

Oct 31, 2012

Would Romney White House Be a Trick or Treat?

By Harlan Ullman

On Oct. 31, in many countries, tens of millions of children will don costumes to celebrate Halloween and go “trick or treating” for candy and other trinkets. Encouraging treats is meant to discourage tricks. And costumes in the United States range from scary Frankenstein monster lookalikes to movie characters and celebrities such as Superman, Hollywood […]

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Oct 31, 2012

2014: NATO Year Zero

By Julian Lindley-French

As I write this I am gazing down from on high over-looking the Po Valley that separates Bologna from Milan re-thinking NATO. That in any case was the title of the conference I have just attended (high level of course); Dynamic Change: Re-thinking NATO. Still, as I wrapped up the conference in my now accustomed […]

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Oct 30, 2012

Let’s Wage Cross-Border Peace Now

By Shuja Nawaz

Hurry up and wait! This seems to be the order of the day as Pakistan and India take tentative steps towards normalcy.

India Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 30, 2012

What the US Risks by Relying on Drones

By Kurt Volker

As documented in the recent Post series “The Permanent War,” the United States increasingly relies on drone strikes as a principal and permanent component in fighting global terrorism. This is effective at killing terrorist leadership and is relatively painless politically at home, as it does not require massive military engagements or put U.S. soldiers or […]

Drones National Security

New Atlanticist

Oct 29, 2012

What the Cuban Missile Crisis Teaches Us About Iran

By Frederick Kempe

Bob Schieffer of CBS News struck the right note when he opened this week’s presidential debate on foreign policy by reminding viewers it was “the 50th anniversary of the night that President Kennedy told the world that the Soviet Union had installed nuclear missiles in Cuba, perhaps the closest we’ve ever come to nuclear war.” […]

Cuba Iran

New Atlanticist

Oct 29, 2012

Ukraine’s Paradoxical Election

By Adrian Karatnycky

Ukrainian voters elected a new parliament Sunday but already the initial results point to a modest rebuke for President Viktor Yanukovych and his ruling Regions Party.

Elections Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Oct 26, 2012

Merkel’s Great Euro Deception

By Julian Lindley-French

In the run-up to D-Day in 1944 the British ran a superb deception campaign called Operation Fortitude to fool the Germans as to the real location of the invasion. It worked spectacularly. Today, the Germans are being fooled again, this time by their own government.

Economy & Business European Union

New Atlanticist

Oct 26, 2012

Cyber Legislation and White House Executive Orders

By Jason Healey

Out of frustration over Congress’ failure to pass a new bill on cybersecurity, the White House appears to be getting closer to an executive order to push through some actions.

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

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