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

Oct 31, 2015

Hof on the Situation in Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

The Guardian quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof on the effect of sending US special operations forces to Syria:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Ricciardone on Egypt’s Democracy

By Francis J. Ricciardone

Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis J. Ricciardone joins BBC to discuss upcoming elections in Egypt:

North Africa

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Itani on the Syrian Peace Talks in Vienna

By Faysal Itani

McClatchy DC quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on why no Syrians have been invited to the peace talks in Vienna:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Itani on US Special Forces in Syria

By Faysal Itani

Agence France-Presse quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on President Obama’s announcement that he will be sending US Special Operations forces and additional planes and fighter jets to Syria, and whether it will be enough to make significant gains against ISIS:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Hof on the US Deployment of Special Operations Forces to Syria

By Frederic Hof

McClatchy DC quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof on President Obama’s motives to send a small group of US Special Operations forces to assist with on-the-ground operations in Syria:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Hof on Fighting ISIS in Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

Bloomberg quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof on the role of US special forces in Syria to assist combating ISIS and their benefits:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Hof on Special Forces in Syria

By Frederic C. Hof

US News and World Report quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof on US special forces in Syria to fight against ISIS:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Itani on US Forces in Syria

By Faysal Itani

Al Sharq Alawsat quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on the US decision to send special operations forces to Syria:

Syria

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Alami on ISIS in Lebanon

By Mona Alami

Rafik Hariri Center Nonresident Fellow Mona Alami writes for L’Hebdo Magazine on the resurgence of ISIS activity in the Ayn al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon: 

Middle East

In the News

Oct 30, 2015

Herbst: A Lull in the East

By John Herbst

Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Director John E. Herbst writes for The American Interest on the current ceasefire in Ukraine and whether the European Union’s refusal to lift Russian sanctions will spark new fighting:

European Union International Organizations