New Atlanticist

U.S.-EU Bank-Data Transfer Deal Explained

By Kurt Volker

The United States and the European Union have signed a bank data-transfer agreement that will give U.S. authorities access to EU bank transfer data, under EU supervision, in an effort to combat terrorism. In an e-mail interview, Kurt Volker, Atlantic Council senior adviser, former U.S. Ambassador to NATO and managing director of the Center on […]

The Afghans’ War, not the Afghan War

By Derek Reveron

The confirmation of General David Petraeus as the new commander in Afghanistan has sparked renewed debate on the efficacy of counterinsurgency and the likelihood of success in Afghanistan. Though there will be a new commander in Kabul, we should not expect a new strategy.

South Caucasus on the Brink of War

By Borut Grgic

Afghan Quagmire

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

"The Endless Game" cartoon in the Financial Times showed U.S. President Barack Obama and a Taliban insurgent batting back and forth a coffin-shaped projectile over the smoking ruin of a building. Another in the International Herald Tribune has U.S. Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal boarding a U.S. transport as an Afghan soldier waves goodbye. Atop a […]

A Formula to Fix America’s Pakistan Policy

By Shuja Nawaz

The Obama administration coined a new phrase upon taking office, "AfPak," to refer to the importance of tackling Afghanistan and Pakistan’s problems in a coherent way. With the firing of General Stanley McChrystal, it’s clear the White House is reformulating its policy toward the Karzai government in Kabul. But what has happened to Pakistan policy? […]

9 Reasons U.S. is Losing in Afghanistan

By Harlan Ullman

Early in 2008, the Atlantic Council released a report over the signature of its chairman, retired U.S. Marine Gen. James L. Jones that began, “Make no mistake: NATO is not winning in Afghanistan.” After a firestorm of protest from Brussels, the word “NATO” was changed to “the international community.” Legend has it that the report […]

Will the Greece Rescue Program Rescue Greece?

By Susan Schadler

With the Greek rescue program, Europe, with a large dollop of help from the IMF, bought a reprieve from a full-blown market stampede. Yet, unusually for this stage of an IMF arrangement, markets remain deeply skeptical about its chances of success. Greece is largely a plain vanilla fiscal crisis, more reminiscent of emerging market crises […]

Progress at G-20 Summit? The View from Europe

By Scott Bleiweis

To spend to encourage growth, or to cut spending to reduce debt? That is the question facing the world’s leading economies. As Howard Schneider of the Washington Post puts it, “In economic terms, it is a bit like creating a perpetual motion machine – cutting tens of billions of dollars in public spending would almost […]

Russian Spy Ring Arrested in USA

By James Joyner

Ten Russian agents posing as Americans and living  in the suburbs of DC, New York, and Boston for a decade to glean valuable intelligence have been arrested by the FBI. Scott Shane and Charlie Savage for NYT: An F.B.I. investigation that began at least seven years ago culminated with the arrest on Sunday of 10 […]

Where Do Russia and NATO Stand Now?

By Scott Bleiweis

Ambassador Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s representative to NATO, speaks with Atlantic Council senior fellow Sarwar Kashmeri in the latest installment of the New Atlanticist Podcast Series.