Category: Blogs

The Arab League thinks readmitting Syria will push out Iran. They’re wrong.

By David Daoud

The logic of drawing Bashar al-Assad back into the Arab League is unsound, founded on the faulty premise that there remains such a thing as an independent Syrian regime to woo back from Tehran.

Syrian refugees fear normalization with Assad. Because it means they will have to return—and not by choice.

By Arwa Damon

Syrian refugees fear that “normalization” of ties will boost the narrative that “Syria is safe now,” giving further justification to rid Syrian refugee populations.

Not so fast: The case for a new SWIFT

By Josh Lipsky, Ananya Kumar

Imagine a network that combines both messaging and settlement to become a one-stop shop for international payments. It’s time for the US and its allies and partners to make that idea a reality.

Money talks: Here’s what the president’s budget says about the US military edge

By Clementine G. Starling-Daniels, Marek Jestrab, Julia Siegel

Biden's $886-billion request for defense-related activities may be insufficient to meet the moment.

State of the Order: Assessing April 2023

The State of the Order breaks down the month's most important events impacting the democratic world order.

The US debt ceiling stalemate threatens money market funds—and financial stability

By Hung Tran

Money markets would be the first to react to a debt ceiling breach, heightening market turmoil at the wrong time and helping to raise the odds of a severe recession.

Four questions (and expert answers) about the Turkish presidential election runoff

By Atlantic Council experts

Neither Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan nor top challenger Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu was able to reach 50 percent of the vote on May 14. Here's what to expect now.

Wagner chief’s rants highlight Russian infighting ahead of Ukraine offensive

By Olivia Yanchik

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's public rants against Russia’s military leadership point to mounting infighting within Putin’s invading army as it prepares to face a potentially decisive Ukrainian offensive, writes Olivia Yanchik.

Andriy Yermak: Italy is defending common European values in Ukraine

By Andriy Yermak

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is right to say that helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian invasion is about freedom, justice, and common values, writes the head of Ukraine's Office of the President, Andriy Yermak.

Russian War Report: Russia wages an invisible war with radar waves and Russian music across borders

By Digital Forensic Research Lab

Russian surveillance has increased on Ukraine's border. Meanwhile a museum in Estonia hung a large poster depicting Putin as a war criminal.