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
Jul 29, 2025

The Russia pressure menu: Options to convince Putin to negotiate on Ukraine

As the US president cuts his deadline for Russia to ten days, there are several options for him to increase pressure on Moscow to pursue peace.

New Atlanticist
Jul 24, 2025

Dispatch from Manila: A lesson in calling out Chinese maritime aggression

By
Markus Garlauskas, Philip W. Yu

As the Philippines has focused more on Chinese threats to itself, Manila also seems increasingly inclined to see its own security as connected to that of the broader region.

China
Indo-Pacific

New Atlanticist
Jul 1, 2025

The US must enforce sanctions to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program

By
Kimberly Donovan

To ensure that Tehran cannot get its hands on the financial resources it would need to rebuild its nuclear program, Iran sanctions enforcement should start with China.

Economic Sanctions
Iran

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New Atlanticist

May 13, 2011

The Perfect Storm in Af-Pak

By Shuja Nawaz

With the killing of Osama bin Laden, attention has shifted to the endgame in Afghanistan. But a persistent problem remains inside Pakistan: the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or Pakistani Taliban. This homegrown terrorist organization swore war against the state when the army was sent into the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) bordering Afghanistan. For the past […]

New Atlanticist

May 13, 2011

Sunni Monarchies Close Ranks

By Barbara Slavin

Reports that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is considering some form of membership for two non-Gulf states – Jordan and Morocco – confirm that the conservative Sunni monarchies of the Middle East are closing ranks against Iran, Shiite-led Iraq and the democratic wave sweeping the region. GCC secretary general Abdullatif al-Zayani made the announcement Tuesday […]

New Atlanticist

May 13, 2011

Atlantic Update 5/13/11

By Klee Aiken

The German economy has "eclipsed" pre-crisis levels, Der Spiegel boldly proclaims, a fair enough statement the Economist retorts – however, where is the matching foreign policy? Comparing Nicolas Sarkozy’s hawkish rooster, to Germany’s "unadventurous eagle," has not necessarily helped the President in the polls. At least the Arctic Council and Catherine Ashton are on the […]

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2011

Pakistan: Paradigm Lost

By Shuja Nawaz

The United States’ raid deep into the heart of Pakistan on May 2 (local time) to terminate Osama bin Laden without the knowledge of Pakistani authorities and military was a shock to the bilateral relationship on the one hand and to the status quo inside Pakistan on the other. Things cannot be the same in […]

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2011

The Lawfulness of Killing Bin Laden

By Robert Bracknell

Much has been made of the recent revelations that Osama bin Laden was unarmed at the moment he was killed by U.S. special operations forces in close quarters battle. Let us put this issue to rest with dispatch, once and for all: Killing bin Ladin was not an extrajudicial execution, a murder, or a war […]

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2011

Energy: NATO’s Tool for Success

By Rachel Posner

With headlines about unrest in the Middle East and oil prices jumping to the highest level since 2008, energy has again risen to the forefront of the public agenda. But for those of us in the national security arena, energy should never fall from our radar. Energy is critical to military operations – for the […]

New Atlanticist

May 12, 2011

Atlantic Update 5/12/11

By Klee Aiken

Arctic powers gather in Greenland for the latest Arctic Council ministerial, Denmark moves forward with the rollback of Schengen, the road ahead is clear for the Portugal bail out with Finland expected to support it. The British Navy laments the loss of its carrier strike capabilities and Bulgaria shrugs off its black economy as better […]

New Atlanticist

May 11, 2011

Saving the U.S.-Pakistan Relationship

By Harlan Ullman

Make no mistake! The U.S.-Pakistan relationship is in its most fragile and vulnerable condition since the founding of Pakistan more than six decades ago. Good and bad reasons have created a trust deficit that is still metastasizing. Operation Geronimo and the incursion deep into Pakistan by U.S. Navy SEALs that killed Osama bin Laden without […]

New Atlanticist

May 11, 2011

Berlin 1961: East German Puppet Pulls Soviet Strings

By Frederick Kempe

East German leader Walter Ulbricht had never written a letter of greater consequence. He wanted Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev to quit making excuses, to quit dithering and to finally launch a bold Berlin move that would stop the refugee bleed and his country’s economic decline. Though his letter to Khrushchev was marked SECRET, Ulbricht […]

New Atlanticist

May 11, 2011

Atlantic Update 5/11/11

By Klee Aiken

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle backs EU foreign relations chief Catherine Ashton, as Lady Ashton opens a diplomatic mission in Benghazi and overseas the imposition of a Syrian arms embargo. Brussels might just come out ahead in its emergency loans to Portugal, however with riots hitting the streets in Greece, it is clear the financial […]

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