Category: Dispatches

Six strategic risks the Trump administration should evaluate in the Iran war

By Nathan Freier

Risk assessments often boil down to one question: What is the likelihood that the chosen approach will deliver the desired outcomes at acceptable cost?

Attacks on desalination plants in the Iran war forecast a dark future

By Ginger Matchett

The attacks on desalination plants in Iran and Bahrain offer a glimpse into the dangers the region would face if water infrastructure is intentionally targeted at scale.

Europe should help in the Gulf to serve its own interests, regardless of Trump’s demands

By Daniel Fried, Jörn Fleck

European leaders have plenty of reasons to engage constructively with the United States and partners in the Middle East.

How the Iran war could trigger a European energy crisis

By Lisa Basquel

Refilling Europe’s depleted gas storage—already a difficult task given the continent’s efforts to stop purchasing Russian gas—is even more difficult now with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed.

Chinese narratives around Anthropic highlight contradictions for the US

By Kenton Thibaut

Commentators in Chinese state media outlets have seized on the dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon to make larger critiques of US tech governance.

Romania’s drone and energy plans with Ukraine make Europe stronger and more secure

Romanian President Nicușor Dan hosted his Ukrainian counterpart on March 12, underscoring Bucharest’s growing role in regional security.

What Rob Jetten’s new minority government means for Dutch and European defense

By Elmar Hellendoorn

The new Dutch prime minister and his minority coalition face the most significant geopolitical realignment in Europe in decades.

Energy under attack: What the Gulf can learn from Ukraine and Iraq

By Matthew Keating

In their successes and shortcomings, Iraq and Ukraine are cases worth studying by countries currently under attack from Iran.

To succeed, Trump’s Shield of the Americas should focus on institutions as well as cartels

By Henrique Arevalo Poincot

The strongest defense is a hemisphere where institutions are resilient enough to resist and dismantle criminal networks.

Twenty questions (and expert answers) about the Iran war

By Atlantic Council experts

As the US-Israeli war against Iran reverberates across the Middle East and the globe, Atlantic Council experts bring clarity to the fast-moving events.