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

Nov 28, 2015

Hellyer on Terrorism in Egypt

By H.A. Hellyer

The Daily Beast quotes Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Senior Fellow H.A. Hellyer on the Egyption response to the bombing of a Russian jet over Sinai: 

North Africa

In the News

Nov 28, 2015

Pham on China’s First Military Base in Africa

By J. Peter Pham

The East African quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on the plans to build a Chinese military base in Djibouti:

China East Africa

In the News

Nov 28, 2015

Daniels on Preparedness in the Gulf

By Owen Daniels

Gulf Daily News interviews Brent Scowcroft Middle East Peace and Security Initiative Program Assistant Owen Daniels on the best strategies to prepare and anticipate terrorist attacks and violence in the Gulf region:

Middle East

In the News

Nov 27, 2015

Itani on Political Rhetoric Around ISIS

By Faysal Itani

Foreign Policy quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on the rhetoric surrounding the Islamic State in the 2016 presidential election:

Middle East

In the News

Nov 26, 2015

Ricciardone and Herbst on Turkey’s Take Down of a Russian Jet

By Francis Ricciardone and John Herbst

Anadolu Agency quotes Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis Ricciardone and Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Director John Herbst on the validity of Turkey’s actions in shooting down a Russian jet that violated its airspace:

Russia Turkey

In the News

Nov 26, 2015

Hellyer: The Post-Paris Madness Will Stop…and Then What?

By H.A. Hellyer

Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Senior Fellow H.A. Hellyer writes for The National on the effects of current choices on the future of terrorism: 

Middle East

In the News

Nov 26, 2015

Ricciardone and Herbst on Turkey’s Downing of Russian Jet

By Ricciardone and Herbst

TRT Turk quotes Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis Ricciardone and Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Director John E. Herbst on Turkey’s downing of a Russian jet and whether it was in accordance with international law: Read the full article here.

Russia Turkey

In the News

Nov 25, 2015

Hasik on New Marines Corps Assault Vehicles

By James Hasik

National Defense Magazine quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Nonresident Senior Fellow James Hasik on the Marine Corps $1.2 billion program to build 204 amphibious assault vehicles:

In the News

Nov 25, 2015

Pham on First Chinese Military Base in Africa

By J. Peter Pham

Western Journalism quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on China’s plans to establish its first military base in Africa:

China

In the News

Nov 25, 2015

Pham on the Importance of China’s First Military Base in Africa

By J. Peter Pham

Western Journalism quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on the significance of China increasing their global stature with its first military base on the African continent located in Djibouti:

Africa China