Missile defense: The end of the interim solution

Issue Brief Jun 12, 2025

Building for tomorrow: Preparing US industry to compete in a lower-carbon global economy

By David L. Goldwyn, Andrea Clabough

The question for US policymakers is not whether to compete, but how.
Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance
Missile defense: The end of the interim solution

Report Jun 23, 2025

2025 Freedom and Prosperity Indexes: How political freedom drives growth

By Ignacio Campomanes, Nina Dannaoui-Johnson, Annie (Yu-Lin) Lee, Joseph Lemoine

As the Freedom and Prosperity Indexes show political freedom declining worldwide for the twelfth straight year, new data analysis shows its importance for lasting prosperity: Though authoritarians promise economic rewards, democratizing countries gain an 8.8 percent GDP per capita boost over twenty years than their autocratic peers. With democracy on the ropes, what else can the Indexes tell us?
China Civil Society
Missile defense: The end of the interim solution

Issue Brief Jun 6, 2025

How Japanese economic statecraft has shifted from promotion to protection

By Charles Lichfield

Japan is in a geopolitically challenging neighborhood and is witnessing the basic tenets of its foreign policy—from alignment with the United States to fostering a rules-based environment—come under unprecedented stress.
East Asia Economic Sanctions

Content

Issue Brief

Dec 14, 2021

Missile defense: The end of the interim solution

By Patrick O’Reilly

Forward Defense Nonresident Senior Fellow and former US Missile Defense Agency director Patrick O'Reilly argues that the time is now to invest in directed energy missile defense.

China Defense Policy

Report

Dec 10, 2021

Event report: Transatlantic renewal in an era of strategic competition

By Ash Jain, Joel Kesselbrenner

As the world enters a new era of strategic competition, the United States, Canada, and Europe must work together to advance shared values and interests and foster a rules-based international order.

China European Union
Sign reading "Vote Here Vote Aqui"

Assumptions Testing Series

Dec 9, 2021

Assumption #4: The United States should prioritize the promotion of democracy around the world over other key US objectives

By Mathew Burrows, Evan Cooper

Policymakers should take a triage approach with regard to democracy promotion, starting first and foremost with the state of democracy at home.

Civil Society Democratic Transitions

Report

Dec 8, 2021

A plan for Colombia’s COVID recovery and why it matters for the United States

By Atlantic Council US-Colombia Task Force

The continuity of Colombia’s prosperity and role as a key US partner depends, in part, on the country’s ability to swiftly recover from COVID-19. In 2020, lockdowns and mobility restrictions led to a major recession in Colombia, exacerbating unemployment, poverty, and pre-existing inequalities.

Americas Civil Society

Report

Dec 8, 2021

Unpacking the geopolitics of technology

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler, Kaisa Oksanen, and Ossi Piironen

In this paper, authors from the Atlantic Council and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland examine the transformation of technology and work in a broader social and political context, look at strategies that different regions of the world employ, and evaluate the transition’s geopolitical impact through alternative futures.

China Cybersecurity

Report

Dec 7, 2021

An Alliance of Democracies: From concept to reality in an era of strategic competition

By Ash Jain, Matthew Kroenig, and Jonas Parello-Plesner

With the rules-based democratic order under threat, the United States and its allies need new entities that facilitate cooperation not just across the transatlantic, but among larger groups of democracies worldwide.

Australia Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Dec 6, 2021

Cybersecurity concerns for the energy sector in the maritime domain

By Andy Bochman, Ian Ralby

As a wide spectrum of energy companies continue to rely on the maritime domain or even increase that reliance, they must be mindful that traditional maritime threats—like piracy, theft, and weather events—are not the only threats they face today. Maritime cybersecurity concerns are among the most potentially disruptive to energy-sector interests, and yet are among the least understood and addressed.

Cybersecurity Energy Transitions

Issue Brief

Nov 30, 2021

Forward Defense symposium on deterring Chinese strategic attack

By Hans Binnendijk, Rebeccah Heinrichs, and Christopher Twomey

Hans Binnendijk, Rebeccah Heinrichs, and Christopher Twomey contribute issue briefs to a Forward Defense symposium on Chinese nuclear weapons and deterring Chinese strategic attack.

China Defense Policy

Report

Nov 30, 2021

Economic statecraft: Finance and money

By Dr. Carla Norrlöf

Using economics to achieve non-economic foreign policy objectives has become a dominant strategy for great powers in the post 9/11 world. The economic statecraft kit now includes a wide range of practices such as financial sanctions, coercive policies and inducements to defensive policies.

Australia China

Report

Nov 30, 2021

Transatlantic tools: Harmonizing US and EU approaches to China

By Noah Barkin and Agatha Kratz

Cooperation between the US and the EU is essential if they are to develop effective responses to the challenges presented by China. However, there has been a lack of coordination in recent years. Nevertheless, this paper argues there is now an opportunity under the Biden Administration for the United States and Europe to learn from each other and harmonize some of their China-related efforts. 

China Economic Sanctions
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