Category: Timely Commentary & Analysis

Tunisia’s New Political Impasse: Exploring the Challenges and Debating Solutions

Many observers and policymakers consider Tunisia as having the best chance among the Arab transition countries to successfully transition to a democracy. However, the country faces a new political crisis that threatens to delay (or possibly even derail) the adoption of a constitution. On November 22, the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle […]

Montenegro Aspiring to Join NATO

On November 22, the Atlantic Council hosted an off-the-record strategy session with President of the Parliament of Montenegro Ranko Krivokapić and representatives of the transatlantic community in Washington, DC to discuss NATO’s open door policy and Montenegro’s role in the future of the Alliance. Discussions revolved around assessing the country’s path toward NATO membership and […]

Advancing the New US-Morocco Strategic Partnership

On the occasion of the meeting between His Majesty King Mohammed VI and President Barack Obama, the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center hosted “Advancing the New US-Morocco Strategic Partnership Event,” a discussion with His Excellency Salaheddine Mezouar, minister of foreign affairs and cooperation of the Kingdom of Morocco, and other members of the Royal Delegation.

Lessons Learned from STEADFAST JAZZ

On November 21, the Atlantic Council hosted a non-for-attribution roundtable with top Allied military and government officials to discuss the 2013 STEADFAST JAZZ exercise and the lessons learned for the future readiness and capabilities of NATO.

Second Cyber Risk Wednesday

Exploring Cyber Insurance With little regulatory framework, cyber insurance is still a developing field. The increasing awareness and occurrence of cyber crimes, such as data breach, cyber espionage, or network intrusion, has placed this important topic squarely in front of risk managers and CEOs. The second Cyber Risk Wednesday, the monthly series organized by Cyber […]

Rouhani’s First One Hundred Days: Cautious Domestic Reforms as Nuclear Crisis Continues

By Yasmin Alem and Barbara Slavin

After eight turbulent years during which conservatives monopolized Iranian politics, the election of centrist cleric Hassan Rouhani on June 14, 2013, marked a new, yet in some ways familiar chapter in post-revolutionary Iranian politics. It was new in the sense that his sweeping victory demonstrated unprecedented popular desire for change and elite recognition of the […]

Looking Back on Hassan Rouhani’s First Hundred Days

Hassan Rouhani’s election as president of Iran in June led to an upsurge of speculation that Iranian policies, particularly in foreign policy, would begin to change The Iran Task Force of the South Asia Center on Nov. 20 presented a paper on Rouhani’s first hundred days by senior fellows Yasmin Alem and Barbara Slavin. They […]

Ensuring America’s Defense-Industrial Base for National Security

The president and CEO of BAE Systems, Inc., Linda P. Hudson, spoke at the Atlantic Council on November 19th as part of the Atlantic Council Captains of Industry Series. Her address, entitled “Ensuring America’s Defense Industrial Base Can Support Our Future National Security Needs,” made the case about the need to preserve and cultivate world-class […]

Towards a European Global Strategy

By Sarah Bedenbaugh

On November 18, 2013, the Transatlantic Relations Program hosted the Washington launch event for the report, Towards a European Global Strategy: Securing European Influence in a Changing World (PDF), published as part of the European Global Strategy project. The presentation was followed by a roundtable on the future of the transatlantic security partnership.

NATO’s Role in Energy Security: Opportunities and Challenges

The Atlantic Council’s Energy and Environment Program and the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted Colonel Romualdas Petkevicius, director of NATO’s Energy Security Center of Excellence (ENSEC COE) in Lithuania, for a discussion moderated by on the functions and structure of the ENSEC COE and how the Center fits into broader NATO policies concerning […]