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.

Fighting to the Last American?: America and the End of the European Age

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

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New Atlanticist

Apr 1, 2011

Fighting to the Last American?: America and the End of the European Age

By Julian Lindley-French

The European age is finally over! Five hundred years after it began with the Spanish conquest of Latin America the Libya imbroglio marks the final end of Europe’s strategic pretence. For all the rhetoric from Paris and London and the belated ‘leadership’ of NATO Europeans clearly lack the strategic imagination, political ambition and basic military means to […]

New Atlanticist

Apr 1, 2011

Hope and Change Won’t Work in Libya

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

President Obama ran his hugely successful 2008 election campaign on the themes of hope and change. Unfortunately, he is also running the Libya war based on the same themes with far less success. The coalition strategy is to hope that escalating airstrikes will fracture Colonel Gaddafi’s inner circle and give the ragtag group of rebels […]

New Atlanticist

Apr 1, 2011

Libya Mission Creep: What If Gaddafi Doesn’t Fall Soon?

By James Joyner

Mother Jones’ Kevin Drum says he backed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton because he had greater faith in the former’s judgment, especially on the matter of kinetic interventions. Alas, that confidence is being sorely tested. Obama has been a disappointment on civil liberties and national security issues, but since I frankly don’t think any modern […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 31, 2011

NATO After Libya

By Stanley Sloan

NATO has been given an important role in the campaign against Moammar Gaddafi’s regime in Libya. However, this important task will not likely settle the on-going debate about NATO’s future. It has become popular in recent years for academics and commentators to question the validity of the NATO commitment for the United States and Canada […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 31, 2011

Saudi Nukes in Gulf

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Overlooked in the welter of fast moving events throughout the Arab world was a Saudi Arabian call for transforming the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council into "an entity identical to the (27-nation) European Union" — plus nuclear weapons. Saudi Arabia has grown impatient "Waiting for Godot." Samuel Beckett’s famous play depicts the "meaninglessness of life," with […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 30, 2011

NATO in Libya: Why Gaddafi Must Go

By Walter Slocombe

So far, the US as a nation, NATO as an institution, “Europe” as a collectivity, and many of its nations individually have done rather well on Libya. Sure, it took a while, but we now have in the field a military and political coalition led politically and (even after command has devolved on NATO) militarily […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 30, 2011

Europe’s Troubled Neighborhood (Policy)

By Matthew Czekaj

Unlike people, countries cannot choose their own neighborhoods, and the countries of the European Union are surrounded by some pretty turbulent suburbs. Yet, collectively, the EU has not been content to give in to the geographic hand it was dealt. Rather than simply putting up a barbed wire fence – though it has tried some […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Mar 30, 2011

Illusions and Delusions of War

By Harlan Ullman

Wars too often are created by illusions and delusions. This is what is happening in Libya. It is an illusion to believe that if Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi clings to power, the credibility and authority of the United Nations, Arab League, NATO, United States and other states comprising the opposing coalition won’t be dealt a […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 29, 2011

Obama Doctrine: If President Doesn’t Define, Pundits Will

By James Joyner

Tufts international relations professor Daniel Drezner is annoyed that the terms "doctrine," "strategy," and "grand strategy" are being used interchangeably in the ongoing debate over whether there is an Obama Doctrine and, if so, whether we can divine it from last night’s speech on the not-war in Libya.

New Atlanticist

Mar 29, 2011

A Long-Term Strategy for Libya and the Mediterranean: Over to the European Union

By Sven Biscop

Now that operations have started, all eyes are fixed on the military intervention in Libya. That can only be useful though in the context of a comprehensive political strategy for the country and the region. Crafting such a strategy is the role of the EU. Intervening in Libya is not evident. The operation is far […]

European Union International Organizations

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