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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New Atlanticist

Jan 5, 2011

Military Aid and Supplies for Pakistan

By Alan Kronstadt

Much has been spoken and written about the United states aid program for the Pakistan military and the sales or grants of material to the military in Pakistan since 2001. But specifics about the nature of the flows and their changes over time have not been understood widely. We are grateful for the following two […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 5, 2011

Vietnam: Closing the Circle

By Harlan Ullman

Against the beautiful backdrop of a U.S. Open links course with all of the excitement the best golfers in the world can bring to a major tournament, a simple wedding took place recently spanning two cultures. My 28-year-old nephew married a lovely Vietnamese lady. Finishing a two-year Fulbright fellowship she soon returns to Vietnam to […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 4, 2011

Myanmar Engagement: Time To Change Course

By Luv Puri

The recent elections in Myanmar, far from free and fair, have re-ignited the debate as to how the world should engage with the newly “elected” government. The political analysts and strategists are divided into two camps. The first deems the newly elected government a proxy of the military junta and therefore view any engagement as […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 3, 2011

Al-Qaida in Pakistan

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

U.S. policy in Pakistan is now stuck in a Catch-22 quagmire. Without Pakistan, there is no solution to the Afghan war. And even with Pakistan, the odds aren’t much better. Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas on the Afghan border, used by Taliban as safe havens, and by U.S. drones as Taliban targets, are gradually switching […]

New Atlanticist

Jan 3, 2011

The Year of the Worm

By David Smith

In a few days, we usher out the year of the tiger and welcome the year of the rabbit. But we could as well dub 2010—and 2011 also—the year of the worm. Stuxnet and Wikileaks are just two examples of how worms—computer and human—are crawling into our lives. The repercussions will resonate throughout 2011 and […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Dec 24, 2010

Chavez Confronted With Alternative

By Ana Palacio

The law that marginalizes the new Venezuelan Parliament, which will be formed on January 5 2011, and enables Hugo Chávez to legislate unchecked for 18 months, together with other measures the current National Assembly is fast-tracking in the final days of its term, offers a revealing insight into Venezuela’s political climate. On the one hand, […]

New Atlanticist

Dec 22, 2010

5 Questions for Boro Vucinic

By Damon Wilson and Matthew Czekaj

Boro Vucinic has served as Montenegro’s minister of defense since November 2006. We had the opportunity to get his thoughts on some key issues of interest to our community.

New Atlanticist

Dec 22, 2010

Pakistan At The Brink

By Harlan Ullman

To many observers, Pakistan has long been at the brink of an existential crisis, much of it due to a growing insurgency exacerbated by the war in Afghanistan. But now the economy is in crisis, too. The catastrophic floods have imploded the struggling economy raising the specter of frightening consequences. Compounding that crisis is uncertainty […]

New Atlanticist

Dec 21, 2010

West Dominant But Divided

By Kenneth Weisbrode

Financial Times columnist Philip Stephens argues we are "On the way to a New Global Balance” in which China, India, Turkey, Indonesia and perhaps others are gaining fast in the race to the top.

New Atlanticist

Dec 20, 2010

Deadly Kabuki in Korea

By Don Snow

The current crisis between the Koreas is now over a month old, with the North and South Koreans gnashing their rhetorical teeth and one another and the world wondering if this could be the onset of a second Korean War. The current flap began last month over the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island, a part of […]

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