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 20, 2015

Karatnycky: How Putin’s Ukrainian Dream Turned Into a Nightmare

By Adrian Karatnycky

Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Adrian Karatnycky cowrites for Foreign Policy on Russia’s weakening stance in Ukraine: 

Russia Ukraine

In the News

Oct 19, 2015

Hof on His Role as Special Adviser for Transition in Syria

By Frederic Hof

The Washington Post quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Senior Fellow Frederic C. Hof from his recent article in POLITICO on his role as the Special Adviser for Transition in Syria:

Syria

In the News

Oct 19, 2015

Ricciardone on Turkey’s Elections and Syria

By Francis Ricciardone

Hurriyet quotes Vice President and Rafik Hariri Center Director Francis Ricciardone on the upcoming elections in Turkey and the need for coordination on Syria: Read the full article here.

Syria Turkey

In the News

Oct 19, 2015

Saab on Gulf State Defense Systems

By Bilal Y. Saab

Al Nahar quotes Brent Scowcroft Center Resident Senior Fellow for Middle East Security Bilal Y. Saab on reports of Gulf states buying the Israeli Iron Dome weapon system and why it’s unlikely these reports are true:

In the News

Oct 19, 2015

Pham on Cameroon and Boko Haram

By J. Peter Pham

African Herald Express quotes Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham on recent attacks by Boko Haram in Cameroon and whether Cameroon is prepared to counter Boko Haram’s increasing presence in the country:

In the News

Oct 19, 2015

Ullman: Syria 2015: Spain 1938 or Sarajevo June 1914?

By Harlan Ullman

Atlantic Council Senior Adviser Harlan Ullman writes for United Press International on the political and geostrategic impact of Russia’s military intervention in Syria:

Russia Syria

In the News

Oct 17, 2015

Cunningham on US Troops Remaining in Afghanistan

By James Cunningham

Zalmay Khalilzad Chair on Afghanistan and Resident Senior Fellow James B. Cunningham joins MSNBC to discuss President Obama’s decision to maintain US troops in Afghanistan through 2017:

Afghanistan

In the News

Oct 17, 2015

Pham on Africa’s Strategic Importance

By J. Peter Pham

Africa Center Director J. Peter Pham joins Al Jazeera America to discuss the increased presence of US troops in Africa and the different threats facing countries across the African continent:

In the News

Oct 17, 2015

Cohen on Turkey and Russia

By Ariel Cohen

International Business Times quotes Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center and Global Energy Center Nonresident Senior Fellow Ariel Cohen on the impact of Russian intervention in Syria on its energy deals with Turkey: 

Russia Syria

In the News

Oct 17, 2015

Itani on Lebanese Protests

By Faysal Itani

The National quotes Rafik Hariri Center Resident Fellow Faysal Itani on the Lebanese citizens’ turn to sectarian political factions for solutions to their issues with the government:

Middle East