Inflection Points

Inflection Points

A weekly column by Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe, Inflection Points focuses on the global challenges facing the United States and how to best address them.

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Inflection Points

Jun 15, 2019

Putin muscles into Africa

By Frederick Kempe

What the CAR story provides is yet further evidence that America’s autocratic rivals, both Russia and China, are acting with greater operational creativity and strategic purpose than their counterparts – in this case France and the United States.

Africa Russia

Inflection Points

Jun 9, 2019

Trump’s risky trade game

By Frederick Kempe

The effectiveness of President Donald Trump’s unprecedented weaponization of tariffs in addressing non-trade issues is facing its most significant tests yet in Mexico and China.

China Economy & Business

Inflection Points

Jun 1, 2019

Special edition: Xi and Putin’s budding bromance

By Frederick Kempe

For now, what binds them together is common cause against US global leadership, their shared interest in political survival, their similarly autocratic systems and the personal closeness that has grown between leaders who have acted to concentrate more power in their own hands.

China Russia

Inflection Points

May 25, 2019

Europe’s choice, history’s challenge

By Frederick Kempe

The best Europe in history is facing some of its greatest challenges ever. They will test the sustainability, effectiveness and relevance of the European Union and its related institutions that helped end centuries of conflict.

European Union International Organizations

Inflection Points

May 19, 2019

Trump as Juggler-in-Chief

By Frederick Kempe

The Trump administration is engaged in a global juggling act involving so many strategically significant balls that it would confound the capabilities of the most skilled circus performer.

United States and Canada

Inflection Points

May 12, 2019

Ending US-China illusions

By Frederick Kempe

Near dead is the notion that both sides would inevitably compromise because they so badly need an agreement for their own political and economic purposes. 

China Trade and tariffs

Inflection Points

May 5, 2019

Terrorism’s lethal turn

By Frederick Kempe

What’s growing clearer with each day is that the United States and its allies will likely have to contend with extremist, Islamist terrorism for perhaps decades to come.  

South Asia Terrorism

Inflection Points

Apr 28, 2019

China’s global power play

By Frederick Kempe

Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s ambition by now is clear: to reclaim his country’s global greatness and establish itself over time as the pre-eminent economic and political power, not only in Asia but across the world stage.

China

Inflection Points

Apr 14, 2019

The world China wants

By Frederick Kempe

Some are in denial about the fundamental change China’s rise may bring to the global order of institutions and principles established by the United States and its allies after World War II.

China European Union

Inflection Points

Apr 7, 2019

Russia’s Venezuela challenge

By Frederick Kempe

What concerns US officials is that Vladimir Putin may be laying the ground for making Venezuela the defining foreign policy debacle for President Trump.

NATO Russia
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