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 21, 2015

Pham on Terrorists in Africa

By J. Peter Pham

CNN quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on Islamist militants within Mali:

Sahel

In the News

Nov 21, 2015

Pham on Terrorism in Mali

By J. Peter Pham

The New York Times quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on the terrorist attack against a Malian hotel:

Sahel

In the News

Nov 21, 2015

Pham on Terrorism

By J. Peter Pham

The Los Angeles Times quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on the threat of terrorism to the West:

Africa

In the News

Nov 21, 2015

Lightfoot on Unity After Paris Attacks

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

The Los Angeles Times quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Jeffrey Lightfoot on France’s approach to ISIS and their hope for international partnership after the attacks on Paris:

France

In the News

Nov 21, 2015

Atallah on the Mali Hostage Crisis

By Rudolph Atallah

The Wall Street Journal quotes Africa Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Rudolph Atallah on the perpetrators of the deadly hostage attacks in Mali, which left twenty-seven dead: 

Sahel

In the News

Nov 20, 2015

Hurriyet Daily News on ISIL Energy Supplies

By Atlantic Council

Hurriyet Daily News features an interview with US Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein which took place on the sidelines of the seventh annual Atlantic Council Energy & Economic Summit:

Turkey

In the News

Nov 20, 2015

Pham on Malian Extremists

By J. Peter Pham

The New York Times quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham the change in strategy of extremists in Africa:

Sahel

In the News

Nov 20, 2015

Rudaw Cites Seventh Annual Istanbul Summit

By Atlantic Council

Rudaw cites the seventh annual Atlantic Council Energy & Economic Summit which recently took place in Istanbul:

Turkey

In the News

Nov 20, 2015

Pham on Hotel Attack in Mali

By J. Peter Pham

CNN quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on Islamist militants’ attack on the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako:

Sahel

In the News

Nov 20, 2015

Atallah on Bamako Hotel Attack

By Rudolph Atallah

Africa Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Rudolph Atallah on joins PBS’ Newshour to discuss extremists in Mali:

Sahel