About the Council

The Atlantic Council promotes constructive leadership and engagement in international affairs based on the Atlantic Community’s central role in meeting global challenges. The Council provides an essential forum for navigating the dramatic economic and political changes defining the twenty-first century by informing and galvanizing its uniquely influential network of global leaders. Through the papers we write, the ideas we generate, and the communities we build, the Council shapes policy choices and strategies to create a more secure and prosperous world.

NATO 20/2020

Twenty bold ideas to reimagine the Alliance after the 2020 US election

More than two decades after NATO’s inspired decision to invite former adversaries to join its ranks, the Alliance is in need of equally captivating ideas. The essays in this volume are intended to push the Alliance to think boldly and creatively in the service of recapturing the public’s imagination.

Read our provocative essays on the future of NATO

Explore the podcast series

Making a difference

Learn more about the Atlantic Council’s insights & impact through these stories of how our regional and thematic programs are making a difference not only in shaping how we view global issues but also in shaping their outcome.

Latest commentary and analysis


Econographics

Jun 19, 2026

Central banks can’t afford to keep missing their inflation targets

By
Jack Muldoon

While the Iran war explains the sudden rise in inflation, relying on this excuse obscures that there is potentially a long-term problem central banks will need to confront as they manage the long tail of this crisis.


Economy & Business


Macroeconomics


UkraineAlert

Jun 18, 2026

Putin’s obsession with ‘denazifying’ Ukraine makes peace impossible

By
Peter Dickinson

Putin’s obsession with “denazifying” Ukraine makes a mockery of efforts to portray the Russian invasion as a mere land grab and helps explain why there has been no meaningful progress toward peace despite more than a year of US-led efforts, writes Peter Dickinson.


Conflict


Disinformation


Podcast

Jun 18, 2026

“Shoot everybody”: US contractors in San Diego court

By
Alia Brahimi

In Season 2, Episode 16 of the Guns for Hire podcast, host Alia Brahimi is joined by Daniel McLaughlin, an international lawyer and Legal Director of the Centre for Justice and Accountability (CJA), a California-based legal nonprofit working on behalf of victims of torture and other atrocity crimes. Daniel and CJA are leading a civil suit in San Diego against a Delaware-registered PMC, Spear Operations Group, for war crimes in Yemen. They represent the Yemeni parliamentarian Anssaf Ali Mayo, who was one of the targets of an alleged hit-squad in Yemen. Daniel talks us through the facts of the case, how it ended up in a California courtroom ten years later, and which US and international laws were ostensibly broken by the PMC. He also argues forcefully that the US government has a duty to regulate how former members of its military use their training and know-how.


Middle East


Rule of Law

Latest in-depth research and reports

Content

In the News

Jan 6, 2016

Alami on Iraq’s Relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran

By Mona Alami

Reuters quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Mona Alami on how Iraq is dealing with the diplomatic fallout between Saudi Arabia and Iran:

Iran Iraq

In the News

Jan 6, 2016

Pham on Progress against al-Shabaab Using Drone Warfare

By J. Peter Pham

The Daily Nation quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on the progress against al-Shabaab in East Africa using drone warfare:

East Africa

In the News

Jan 6, 2016

Metzl on North Korea’s Bomb Test

By Jamie Metzl

Brent Scowcroft Center Nonresident Senior Fellow for Technology and National Security Jamie Metzl joins CNN to discuss how North Korea’s claim to have tested a hydrogen bomb will change foreign policy in Asia:

Korea

In the News

Jan 6, 2016

Pavel on Iran-Saudi Arabia Diplomatic Tensions

By Barry Pavel

Vice President, Arnold Kanter Chair, and Brent Scowcroft Center Director Barry Pavel joins CCTV America to discuss how tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia will affect regional relations in the near future:

Iran Saudi Arabia

In the News

Jan 6, 2016

Shaffer on Geopolitics and Oil

By Brenda Shaffer

Knowledge@Wharton interviews Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Brenda Shaffer on how geopolitical developments are affecting the global oil market:

Europe & Eurasia Middle East

In the News

Jan 5, 2016

Vakhshouri on the Oil Market between Saudi Arabia and Iran

By Sara Vakhshouri

The Fuse quotes Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Sara Vakhshouri on how Saudi Arabia and Iran remain dependent on maintaining their oil markets open despite their recent downturn in diplomatic relations:

Iran Saudi Arabia

Art of Future Warfare

Jan 5, 2016

Cole on the Art of Future War Initiative

By August Cole

The Adjacent Possible interviews Brent Scowcroft Center Nonresident Senior Fellow August Cole on the Art of Future War initiative and the War Stories from the Future project:

In the News

Jan 5, 2016

Manning: What Type of Great Power Does China Want to Be?

By Robert A. Manning

Brent Scowcroft Center Resident Senior Fellow Robert A. Manning writes for Foreign Policy on what China stands to gain and lose in 2016 coming out of its foreign policy strategy from 2015:

China

In the News

Jan 5, 2016

Pham on Rwandan President Kagame Running for a Third Presidential Term

By J. Peter Pham

Ground Report quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s decision to run for a third presidential term in 2017 after receiving an overwhelming show of support from the Rwandan parliament:

East Africa

In the News

Jan 5, 2016

LeBaron on US-Saudi Arabia Relations

By Richard LeBaron

The Daily Signal quotes Nonresident Senior Fellow Richard LeBaron on how the US-Saudi relationship may develop as Saudi Arabia continues to distance itself from Iran:

Saudi Arabia