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.

Cheapening NATO’s Security Promise Weakens It

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

Apr 16, 2012

Cheapening NATO’s Security Promise Weakens It

By James Joyner

After an incident last week in which two Syrians were killed by Assad regime forces while attempting to flee to safety in Turkey, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan declared that “NATO has a responsibility to protect Turkish borders.”

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Apr 16, 2012

Our Pre-industrial Cyber Future: Is the Smart Grid Setting Us Up For a 200-Year Crash?

By Jason Healey

Is it possible, as we rush to implement energy-saving Smart Grid technologies, that we are building a system so vulnerable that a cyber disruption would reduce us to pre-industrial days? This was the topic of a recent panel at the RSA computer security conference and seems, at first look, to be eye-rolling hyperbole. As no one has […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Apr 16, 2012

Iran Hones Asymmetric Diplomacy with Washington

By Barbara Slavin

Outnumbered six to one, Iran deftly maneuvered this weekend (April 13-14) to restart negotiations that could yield formal recognition of its uranium enrichment program, and postponement of more crushing economic sanctions or a military attack. The results of the meeting in Istanbul between Iran and the so-called P5+1—which both sides called “positive”—was a clear example of how […]

Iran Nuclear Nonproliferation

New Atlanticist

Apr 13, 2012

Loose Lips Sink Ships

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

The U.S. high command in Afghanistan has evidently decided to inform Taliban chieftain Mullah Omar of military action plans before U.S. and allied forces leave in 2014 — if not sooner.

Afghanistan Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Apr 12, 2012

A Gathering Storm for the US: Innovate or Evaporate

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

He was voted one of the “50 Great Americans,” holds 28 honorary degrees, and received the Defense Department’s highest civilian decoration (Distinguished Service Medal) not just once, but five times. At different times, Norman R. Augustine was CEO of Martin Marietta; CEO of Lockheed Martin; chairman of the Committee on the Future of the U.S. […]

United States and Canada

Francois Hollande shakes supporters hands

New Atlanticist

Apr 12, 2012

Presuming President Hollande

By Nicholas Dungan

If François Hollande, the Socialist Party challenger to Nicolas Sarkozy, is elected president of France on May 6, he will face an immediate sizing-up of his leadership at the G8 and NATO summits on the morrow of his taking office on May 17. He should be expected to arrive at those summit meetings as a […]

France

New Atlanticist

Apr 12, 2012

Enrichment Freeze at Fordow Key to Progress in Iran Nuclear Talks

By Barbara Slavin

As diplomats from Iran and the world’s big powers assemble in Istanbul on the inauspicious day of Friday 13, the key to managing the Iranian nuclear crisis lies deep in a mountain near the Shiite theological center of Qom.

New Atlanticist

Apr 11, 2012

Will We Need NATO After Afghanistan?

By Stanley Sloan

Despite the Obama administration’s re-focusing US security commitments on Asia, we will need NATO after Afghanistan. Some historical perspective might help. When the Clinton Administration took office, it, too, sought to reorient American foreign policy toward Asia. It was the economy, stupid, and the future of American economic interests was to be found on the […]

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Apr 11, 2012

War and Peace in the Middle East

By Julian Lindley-French

Tolstoy writes in War and Peace; “What is the cause of historical events? Power. What is power? Power is the sum total of wills transferred to one person. On what condition are the wills of the masses transferred to one person? On condition that the person express the will of the whole people. That is, […]

Iran North Africa

New Atlanticist

Apr 11, 2012

A Rotten State of Affairs in America

By Harlan Ullman

To paraphrase Hamlet, “something is rotten in the state of America.” This isn’t a matter of American decline — a question that has been overrated and exaggerated. As global power diffuses, absolute, as opposed to relative, U.S. power will decline. Unfortunately, a certain malaise, to use a familiar phrase, may be much more prevalent inside […]

United States and Canada

Share

Issue briefs and reports