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New Atlanticist

Sep 26, 2017

Dark Money, Shell Corporations in the United States Seen as Invitation to Russian Meddling

By Ashish Kumar Sen

If the United States is to succeed in tackling Russian meddling, it needs to address vulnerabilities—dark money and shell corporations—that are “an open invitation to the Russians to continue their election interference,” US Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) said at the Atlantic Council on September 26. The United States faces something of a predicament because dark […]

UkraineAlert

Sep 26, 2017

Who Says that Russians Have to Live Under a Corrupt, Aging, and Irrational Strongman?

By Anastazia Clouting

On September 13, a man who cheated death twice came to Washington. Vladimir Kara-Murza, a journalist and deputy head of the nongovernmental organization Open Russia, survived a second state-sanctioned poisoning in February. He has lived to deliver a message for democratic allies in the West. In a speech at the US Capitol, Kara-Murza said, “It […]

Russia Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Sep 26, 2017

A High-Ambition Coalition? What Germany’s Elections Could Mean for Climate

By Ellen Scholl

In the German elections on September 24, Germany’s Christian Democrat Union (CDU) emerged once again as the most popular party, securing a fourth term for Chancellor Angela Merkel. While the question of who will lead Germany was answered, the question of which parties will govern the country—and in what coalition—is far from settled. As coalition […]

Germany

IranSource

Sep 26, 2017

US Credibility as a Negotiator Rests on the Iran Nuclear Deal

By Sirous Amerian

This September was an important month for President Donald Trump. It was the first time he stood in front of the UN General Assembly and talked directly to such a large gathering of world leaders and senior foreign officials. He started by bragging about the big changes he has brought to the US but moved […]

UkraineAlert

Sep 26, 2017

Four Real Ways to Fix Ukraine Now

By Josh Cohen

Kyiv continues to make great progress stabilizing its economy as Ukraine’s recent sale of a $3 billion Eurobond demonstrates. When it comes to anticorruption reforms, though, it continues to be a case of two steps forward and one step back. To break this stalemate, Ukraine’s Western friends should push Kyiv to take the following four […]

Ukraine

New Atlanticist

Sep 26, 2017

European Ambassadors Defend Iran Nuclear Deal

By Ashish Kumar Sen

European ambassadors to the United States on September 25 defended the nuclear deal with Iran, saying it is working, while warning that reopening negotiations would be a nonstarter and walking away from the deal would have serious consequences. This joint defense comes as US President Donald J. Trump, who has to certify to the US […]

European Union France

New Atlanticist

Sep 26, 2017

The New Thorn in Merkel’s Side

By Alina Polyakova

In a year of unpredictable elections in the United States and in Europe, Germany’s federal elections on September 24 went as expected: Chancellor Angela Merkel was re-elected to a rare fourth term, signaling that a majority of Germans want more of the same for the next four years. And, why shouldn’t they? Germany has enjoyed […]

Germany Russia

SyriaSource

Sep 25, 2017

Sixth Round of Astana Talks Threatens the Fate of Idlib and the Syrian Revolution

By Abdullah Almousa

Once the Syrian regime realized the opposition had the ability to decide the war militarily, especially after the “Allahu Ghalibun” offensive launched by Jaish al-Islam which shook the foundations around Damascus, direct Russian intervention ultimately saved the Assad Regime from collapse.

Syria

EconoGraphics

Sep 25, 2017

Crude Awakening

By Ole Moehr

On August 2, 2017, US President Donald J. Trump signed into law H.R.3364, a new set of economic sanctions aimed primarily on Russia (with additional measures adopted against Iran and North Korea). Essential to the success of any sanctions regime is its alignment.

Economy & Business European Union

MENASource

Sep 25, 2017

Midwife to Kurdistan

By Michael D. Barbero

Once the United States fully committed to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS, ISIL, Daesh), the ultimate demise of ISIS in Iraq and Syria was never in question. The issue was what to do the ‘day after’ ISIS: specifically, how to transition to a post-ISIS Middle East and to confront the enduring sectarian issues and ethnic […]

Iraq