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

Stay updated

Explore our unique analysis

Fast Thinking

When major global news breaks, the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox.

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.

Content

New Atlanticist

Oct 14, 2009

Darfur: The World Averts Its Eyes

By Don Snow

One of the offshoots of the current fixation with Afghanistan is that it tends to redirect our attention away from other crises in the world that might otherwise attract our attention, and even possibly corrective action.

Sudan

New Atlanticist

Oct 13, 2009

10 Questions on Afghanistan

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

As President Obama and his national security team debate the way forward in Afghanistan, they must answer a series of difficult and complex questions. The administration must consider not only how the new U.S. policy will affect Afghanistan but also reflect upon the second and third order strategic consequences of the decision.

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 13, 2009

In Search of Strategy

By Derek Reveron

The Obama administration is rethinking its strategy in Afghanistan. NATO is developing its new strategic concept. And the United States military is conducting its strategic defense review. It seems that one cannot talk about international affairs today without first thinking about strategy.

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Defensive on Missile Defense

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

A series of briefings by General Patrick O’Reilly of the Missile Defense Agency, Under Secretary of State Ellen Tauscher, and Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Nacht at the Atlantic Council on Wednesday provided a strong case and rationale for the administration’s recent decision on missile defense in Europe.

Missile Defense Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Pakistan’s Trust Deficit

By Arnaud de Borchgrave

Before we throw caution to the wind and build a new embassy in Islamabad, a la Baghdad, fit for 1,000 employees, let’s first acquire a proper understanding of the nature of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Turkey Should Pursue Green, Not Nuclear Energy

By Borut Grgic

Turkey is set to go nuclear. The Erdoğan government has put all the pieces in place for the beginning of the construction of Turkey’s first nuclear power plant. There is nothing wrong with Turkey’s civil nuclear ambition, except there is no need for it.

Energy & Environment Turkey

New Atlanticist

Oct 9, 2009

Reversal Near in Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy?

By Andrew Kessinger

Is the Pentagon starting to reverse its support of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell? In a telling article in this month’s Joint Force Quarterly, Air Force Colonel Om Prakash asserts, “after a careful examination, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that unit cohesion will be negatively affected if homosexuals serve openly.”

New Atlanticist

Oct 8, 2009

Calling President Blair

By Nicholas Siegel

We may soon have an answer to Henry Kissinger’s infamous question: “Who do I call when I want to call Europe?” And, depending on how things go, it could become a very familiar phone number.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Oct 8, 2009

The Lisbon Treaty and EU Foreign Policy: The View from Europe

By Benjamin Preisler

After the resounding Irish approval of the Lisbon Treaty, its ratification is almost assured … pending signatures of the euroskeptic Polish and Czech Presidents that is.

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Oct 8, 2009

Will Biden’s Reassurance Trip Succeed?

By Nikolas Gvosdev

Politico’s Laura Rozen is reporting that Vice President Joe Biden will travel later this month to Romania, the Czech Republic and Poland. The vice president is emerging as the administration’s “perestrakhovshchik” – the “reinsurer.”

Energy & Environment

Share

Issue briefs and reports