Content

Issue Brief

May 6, 2016

NATO’s next consortium: Maritime patrol aircraft

By Magnus Nordenman

Airborne systems to provide MDA, and maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs) in particular, stand out among the most important and urgent maritime requirements. Maritime patrol aircraft fulfill a number of roles, from high-end Anti-Submarine Warfare and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) to maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), and search and rescue at sea. NATO members must now recapture these capabilities and invest in a robust maritime patrol aircraft fleet.

Europe & Eurasia
Maritime Security

Issue Brief

May 6, 2016

Stolen Future

By Diane Francis

Diane Francis’ new issue brief, “Stolen Future,” exposes the depth and breadth of the economic devastation a corruption fueled oligarchy has wrought in Ukraine. In the wake of the Euromaidan Revolution, Ukraine has the opportunity to break the cycle of wealth appropriation which has plagued both Russia and Ukraine since the collapse of the Soviet […]

Corruption
Democratic Transitions

Issue Brief

May 5, 2016

Islam and sharia law

By Yussef Auf

With the meteoric rise of Islamic political movements in 2011, the issue of Sharia law has come to the forefront of a debate around the role of religion in governance. In his issue brief “Islam and Sharia Law,” Atlantic Council’s Nonresident Fellow Yussef Auf identifies and explains the challenges of incorporating Sharia law into the […]

Issue Brief

May 3, 2016

Turkey’s Syria predicament

By Faysal Itani and Aaron Stein

Turkey has been the most engaged regional player in northern Syria and is the external actor most responsible for the emergence of the opposition to the Syrian regime. In “Turkey’s Syria Predicament,” authors Faysal Itani and Aaron Stein of the Atlantic Council’s Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East examine Turkey’s involvement, its implications for […]

Syria
Turkey
The 18th SAARC Summit

Issue Brief

Apr 26, 2016

Cooperation in South Asia: The case for redefining alliances

By MANJARI CHATTERJEE MILLER AND BHARATH GOPALASWAMY

Political mistrust in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is high and this, in turn, has historically led to shortsighted economic policies and disjointed coordination. As India asserts itself as a global economic player, its leadership, specifically in SAARC, may lead to the political successes necessary to ensure broader connectivity and cooperation in […]

Politics & Diplomacy
South Asia

Issue Brief

Apr 14, 2016

Embracing Impact: How Africa Can Overcome the Emerging Market Downturn

By J. Peter Pham and Aubrey Hruby

In January 2016, oil prices fell to their lowest levels in more than a decade. Meanwhile, China, the world’s second-largest economy, is experiencing its most sluggish growth in a quarter-century—dragging down commodity prices and dampening the global economic outlook. The effects of this broad slowdown will hurt African economies more than most, because China and […]

Africa
Angola

Issue Brief

Apr 6, 2016

A maritime framework for the Baltic Sea region

By Franklin D. Kramer and Magnus Nordenman

An effective maritime framework would be a critical element in an integrated NATO deterrent and reassurance strategy for the Baltic Sea region, in light of hostile Russian actions and the emerging Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) challenge in northern Europe. Such a framework would provide the Alliance the capability for sea and air control over the Baltic Sea region and, as necessary, support the requirements of reinforcement and combined capabilities including intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance, electronic warfare, and precision engagement.

Maritime Security
NATO

Issue Brief

Apr 4, 2016

Securing Ukraine’s energy sector

By Anders Åslund

2015 brought important reforms to Ukraine, particularly in the energy sector. What are the the promises kept and broken by the Post-Maidan government in Ukraine?

Energy & Environment
Energy Markets & Governance

Issue Brief

Mar 30, 2016

Smart Homes and the Internet of Things

By Greg Lindsay, Beau Woods, and Joshua Corman

Read the Publication (PDF) The Internet of Things (IoT) is the next step in the evolution of wireless networks. Analysts predict the IoT will double in size to nearly 50 billion devices by 2020, comprising a $1.7 trillion market. One of the greatest opportunities still lies ahead in the form of the “smart home.”  

Cybersecurity
Security & Defense

Issue Brief

Mar 22, 2016

What’s left of Europe if the far right has its way?

By Alina Polyakova and Anton Shekhovtsov

Far-right parties are on the rise in Europe, particularly in the post-soviet space. The 2008 financial crisis provided these parties with an electoral boost, and the refugee crisis threatening the continent has inflamed nationalist and xenophobic populism. In this new issue brief, “What’s Left of Europe if the Far Right Has Its Way?”, Dr. Alina […]

Central Europe
Civil Society