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

Jan 5, 2019

Atlantic Council top ten of 2018

By Frederick Kempe

As has been our practice, at the end of each year, the Atlantic Council staff and leadership select our colleagues’ work undertaken in the past year that has had the most impact.

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Inflection Points

Dec 22, 2018

Defense Secretary Mattis’ resignation letter is a must-read warning about the future

By Frederick Kempe

Read Mattis’ words closely and they serve to both define and narrow the range of his possible successors to those who better embrace President Trump’s world view.

Defense Policy National Security

Inflection Points

Dec 15, 2018

Markets are underestimating the long-term impact of Trump’s fight with China

By Frederick Kempe

It’s easier to imagine a deterioration of Sino-US relations than an improvement as these countries of dramatically different cultural and ideological systems—and increasingly similar ambitions—compete for the high ground.

China

Inflection Points

Dec 8, 2018

China’s Europe strategy

By Frederick Kempe

Orban convened some Central European leaders with Beijing, and they laid the groundwork for the “16-plus-one” initiative based in Budapest that since then has provided China unprecedented regional influence.

China Europe & Eurasia

Inflection Points

Dec 4, 2018

Thank You, President George H.W. Bush

By Frederick Kempe

President Bush was one of the most distinguished international public servants of his generation. He was one of the greatest international statesmen and Atlanticists to ever serve as commander-in-chief.

Politics & Diplomacy

Inflection Points

Dec 1, 2018

It’s time to stop appeasing Putin—here’s how to deter the emboldened Russian president

By Frederick Kempe

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko this week warned, "The only language [Putin] understands is the solidarity of the Western world. We can't accept Russia's aggressive policies.

Conflict NATO

Inflection Points

Nov 25, 2018

Saudi war games

By Frederick Kempe

Without its values as a guide, the United States loses its unique attraction as a global power. Yet values alone would have failed to win the Cold War against the Soviet Union – and will likely fail now in the Middle East as well.  

Conflict National Security

Inflection Points

Nov 17, 2018

Preventing World War III

By Frederick Kempe

Angell's "Great Illusion" turned out to be tragic delusion. By failing to anticipate the prospect of war between a rising Germany and a declining United Kingdom, the U.S. and others took too few steps to prevent it.

Conflict International Organizations

Inflection Points

Nov 11, 2018

Trump’s test on Iran: Turning disruption to progress

By Frederick Kempe

Without minimizing the other challenges, my wager is that the Iran issue may become the Trump administration’s most defining foreign policy challenge over the coming two years, viewed alongside North Korea as part of a dual effort to counter rogue regimes.

Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion Iran

Inflection Points

Nov 4, 2018

US midterms’ World impact

By Frederick Kempe

Allies are worried that the American model is losing traction, prompting Chinese leaders to promote their state capitalist model as a viable alternative for developing and developed countries alike.

Elections United States and Canada
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