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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.

Pakistan Army Hits Back at Taliban

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.

Read More

Pakistan Army Hits Back at Taliban

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

Pakistan Army Hits Back at Taliban

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

Mar 10, 2009

Pakistan Army Hits Back at Taliban

By Peter Cassata

Pakistan’s military has successfully driven Taliban militants from Bajaur Agency, a small chunk of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) sandwiched between Afghanistan and the Northwest Frontier Province.  The news is welcome, but Bajaur’s relatively small area and milder terrain make the victory much more difficult to replicate in other regions of the FATA.

Pakistan

New Atlanticist

Mar 9, 2009

Who Are the ‘Moderate’ Taliban?

By James Joyner

President Obama’s promise over the weekend to “reach out to moderate elements of the Taliban” has generated some rather strong reactions, mostly in the negative.

New Atlanticist

Mar 9, 2009

Making Nice with Iran?

By Don Snow

In yet another example of the cascade of ways the Obama administration is abandoning the policies of its predecessor, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced last week the willingness of the Obama administration to talk directly to representatives of Iran. The vehicle for this change of policy was offering an invitation for Iran to attend […]

Iran United States and Canada

New Atlanticist

Mar 8, 2009

Afghanistan Police: Still Corrupt After All These Years

By James Joyner

A front page piece in today’s Washington Post by Pam Constable entitled “U.S. Troops Face a Tangle Of Goals in Afghanistan” does a good job of encapsulating the problems NATO faces in that conflict.

Afghanistan NATO

New Atlanticist

Mar 7, 2009

Obama Outreach Tour Hits Syria and Turkey

By James Joyner

President Obama  is making good on his campaign pledge to reach out to countries with whom relations were strained during the Bush years.  The administration has made a significant overtures to Syria and Turkey today, following yesterday’s outreach to Russia and Iran.

Syria Turkey

New Atlanticist

Mar 6, 2009

Hillary Clinton Goes to Russia

By James Joyner

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is meeting with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in an attempt to make good on Vice President Joe Biden’s pledge to “push the reset button” in the bilateral relationship.  The task will, to say the least, not be an easy one.

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Mar 6, 2009

Wanted: New Afghan Supply Routes

By Peter Cassata

On top of its decision to close the U.S. airbase at Manas, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament voted yesterday to end agreements with eleven other countries that also use the base, including several European states, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, Reuters reports.

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Mar 6, 2009

Freedom to Travel

By James Joyner

By one measure, at least, Denmark is the freest country on earth.  The Economist: DANES faced the fewest restrictions on travel in 2008: they were able to visit 157 countries or territories without a visa according to an annual report by Henley & Partners, a consultancy. The Irish, Finns and Portuguese were only marginally less […]

New Atlanticist

Mar 5, 2009

NATO Resumes Russia Ties

By James Joyner

NATO has ended Russia’s “time-out,” presumably thinking it has suffered long enough for invading its neighbor. NATO foreign ministers agreed Thursday to resume high-level formal ties with Russia, suspended last year after Moscow’s military thrust into Georgia.

NATO Russia

New Atlanticist

Mar 5, 2009

The Gas Contract or I’ll Shoot!

By Boyko Nitzov

March 4th was apparently one of those days when everyone concerned with gas supply from Russia across Ukraine to the EU could rejoice and put any concerns to rest: the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) raided at gunpoint the headquarters of Ukraine’s oil and gas company, Naftogaz.

Energy & Environment Russia
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