Category: Blogs

Iranian Crackdown on Corruption May Only Be Superficial

By Holly Dagres

Since the 1979 revolution, Azadi Square has been the beating heart for major demonstrations in Iran’s capital. So when the Iranian judiciary announced on September 24 that “financial corruptors” would be hung in the square—a first—it was seen as a dire warning to corrupt traders and government officials that they would be made an example of for […]

US pastor’s release signals a new chapter in US-Turkey ties

By Ashish Kumar Sen

"There are still pending issues between Turkey and the United States, however—I believe—this news will facilitate the tone on the remaining issues.  It is time to start rebuilding the strategic relationship," said Defne Arslan, director of the Atlantic Council in Turkey Program.

TRADE IN ACTION October 12, 2018

By Global Business & Economics Program

Quiz: Brazil’s Opening Round

By Atlantic Council

Brazil is down to its final two. Think you know everything about the race to the Palácio do Planalto? Test your knowledge with seven questions on the presidential election and the other hundreds of contests in Latin America’s biggest country. Pull up your vote count spreadsheets and prove that no one follows an election like […]

Deciphering the Afghan riddle

By Omar Samad

Despite the gains and sacrifices made by Afghans and their allies, mounting human losses, growing ethnic rifts, economic woes, and weakened political consensus have disrupted part of the “self-reliance” agenda.

Three more reasons why I’m optimistic about Ukraine

By Melinda Haring

There are plenty of principled, young and not-so-young people, in the pipeline.

Europe’s liberal dream team looks more like a marriage of convenience

By Nick Ottens

Macron and Rutte are both relatively young (forty and fifty-one, respectively), ambitious (Rutte is believed to covet the European Council presidency, currently held by Donald Tusk), and in favor of reform of the European Union (EU).

Iran Can’t Fulfill Its Hopes of a Shia Corridor Without Iraq

By Avi Melamed

Since the Iranian regime seized power in 1979, its goal has been for Iran to become a regional power and to restore the Shias as the rulers of the Muslim world. A cornerstone of its strategy is to build and control a land corridor stretching from Iran to the Mediterranean Sea. To extend its power […]

Lessons from Hurricane Andrew

By Samuel Jeffrey

Although Michael stands to cause severe storm surges, wind damage, and loss of life, Florida’s resilient-by-design approach may aid the state in withstanding the storm and looking toward recovery.

The United Nations’ deadly serious call to action on climate change

By David Livingston

The world remains grossly off-track to avoiding deleterious levels of climate change over this century, regardless of whether the target is 1.5 degrees, 2 degrees, or some other arbitrary metric.