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.

German Soldiers Too Fat and Drunk to Fight?

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

Dec 4, 2008

German Soldiers Too Fat and Drunk to Fight?

By James Joyner

The British papers are having a field day with a German parliamentary report’s finding that Bundeswehr forces in Afghanistan are fat and drunk.

New Atlanticist

Dec 4, 2008

Obama Can Solve the Iran Question

By Neil Leslie

Analysts suggest that Iran is only one to two years away from being able to enrich the uranium needed for a nuclear bomb, and according to the most recent IAEA report Tehran remains silent over possible weaponization activities. How then does President Barack Obama address this growing crisis when he takes office in January?

Iran

New Atlanticist

Dec 3, 2008

Maritime Shock and Awe Won’t Fix Piracy

By James Easaw

The rash of ships hijacked in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden has focused the international community’s efforts to put an end to the scourge of piracy off the Somali coast. But eradicating piracy once and for all will require more than tough talk, sending in a few warships, and establishing shipping lanes that commercial […]

Somalia

New Atlanticist

Dec 2, 2008

Improving Our Maritime Vision

By David Sagunsky

Pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia and the sea-borne infiltration of terrorists into Mumbai are graphic (and recent) reminders why maritime domain awareness — being aware of activity occurring on or under the water that has a direct impact on a country’s safety and security — matters. Transatlantic cooperation has already succeeding in making […]

Somalia

New Atlanticist

Dec 2, 2008

Georgia in NATO — It Just Makes Sense

By David Smith

NATO foreign ministers will meet in Brussels today to, in the words of the April 3 NATO Bucharest Summit Statement, “make a first assessment” on Georgia’s quest for membership in the alliance. In the aftermath of Russia’s August attack on Georgia, a Membership Action Plan (MAP) is not now politically possible.

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Dec 1, 2008

State Capitalism on the Rise?

By James OConnor

The rise in attractiveness of “State Capitalism” development models is cited as a potential consequence of the increasing economic power of Russia and particularly China in the latest report from the National Intelligence Council, Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World.

New Atlanticist

Dec 1, 2008

General James Jones: Seasoned Leader, Strategic Thinker, and Statesman

By The Editors

General James L. Jones, chairman of the Atlantic Council, was appointed this morning by President-elect Barack Obama as the 21st National Security Advisor.

New Atlanticist

Dec 1, 2008

Polls: Dealing with Russia, Predicting Mumbai Fallout

By James Joyner

Our previous poll, “How should the U.S. and Europe address concerns over Russia?” drew surprisingly similar responses on both sides of the Atlantic, with solid majorities in both the U.S. and abroad preferring offering more integration in exchange for cooperation and only a third preferring a significantly harder line.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Dec 1, 2008

Obama’s Foreign Policy Shift

By James Joyner

We’re about to see a great shift in resources from the military to other actors, David Sanger argues.

New Atlanticist

Nov 28, 2008

Mumbai Attacks Must Bring India and Pakistan Closer

By Derek Reveron

As mourning of the Mumbai attack continues, one thing is certain—intelligence cooperation between India and the rest of the world must increase. This is not only due to the transnational nature of terrorism, but also because states increasingly rely on international cooperation to combat terrorism.

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