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.

Sikorski: West Must Offer Principled, Generous Hand to Freedom Fighters

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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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

Mar 2, 2011

Sikorski: West Must Offer Principled, Generous Hand to Freedom Fighters

By James Joyner

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski believes that there are many parallels between the freedom movements spreading across North Africa today and the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe. And he calls on the West should do everything in its power to help those people to achieve the success of his.

Libya
Poland

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2011

McCain: Libya No-Fly Zones? Of Course!

By James Joyner

Senator John McCain declared tonight that the United States and its democratic partners have a duty to stand with those fighting against tyranny in North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Europe. That support must go beyond words to deeds, including an immediate no-fly zone over Libya to prevent further atrocities.

Libya
Poland

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2011

Atlantic Update 3/2/11

By Jason Harmala

France and Germany reshuffle their top cabinet positions, while the U.S., UK, and Russia disagree over the proposal to create a no-fly zone over Libya.

New Atlanticist

Mar 1, 2011

Democracy and Human Rights: Rethinking U.S. Foreign Policy

By Susan Ball

As we craft our responses to rapidly unfolding and changing circumstances in the Middle East and contemplate how best to support the region’s aspirations for basic freedoms and rights, we also need to step back and consider lessons learned for U.S. policymakers going forward. Perhaps more important than asking why we didn’t predict the cascade […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 1, 2011

A Tale of Two Dictators

By Don Snow

Neighboring Egypt and Libya are two very different places in many respects. Egypt’s historical pedigree is one of the oldest, and it is among the world’s civilizations, whereas Libya has historically been someplace that others occupied: the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Ottomans, Italians, and after World War II, the British and the French. Egypt has also […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 1, 2011

Atlantic Update 3/1/11

By Jason Harmala

Germany’s Defense Minister resigns amid the plagiarism scandal, and the EU is criticized over its response to the Middle East crises.

New Atlanticist

Feb 28, 2011

Libya No-Fly Zone: An Idea That Won’t Fly

By Magnus Nordenman

With the crisis in Libya moving at a breakneck speed, some have begun to call for the U.S. and NATO to do more to assist the opposition and halt human rights abuses perpetrated by the Gaddafi regime. The measures being proposed include a no-fly zone, which would prevent the regime from using airpower to suppress […]

Libya

New Atlanticist

Feb 28, 2011

Bonded in Blood: The U.S.-Afghan Relationship

By Derek Reveron

Afghanistan’s senior national security leaders were in Washington, D.C. last week for bilateral meetings. At the Pentagon on February 23, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates welcomed Afghanistan’s ministers of defense and interior for the first of what officials expect to be regular meetings to sustain a long-term military-to-military relationship. The message is consistent with what […]

New Atlanticist

Feb 28, 2011

Why is the West Missing the Wave in the Middle East?

By Kurt Volker

One of the great challenges in intelligence analysis is predicting big changes. The safest analysis is nearly always that the forces that have shaped things until now will continue. A continuation of the status quo is thus the most likely outcome – right up to the moment that status quo disappears. This makes policymakers cautious. […]

New Atlanticist

Feb 28, 2011

Atlantic Update 2/28/11

By Jason Harmala

The resignation of President Sarkozy’s foreign minister prompted a cabinet reshuffle, and British PM Cameron debates the need for a military no-fly zone over Libya.

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