Issue Brief

Jul 28, 2021

The security of defense trade with allies: Enhancing contact, contracts, and control in supply chains

By James Hasik

The COVID-19 pandemic and a wave of “Buy American” policies have cast doubt on the ability of foreign suppliers to provide crucial defense goods and services to the US Department of Defense in times of crisis or conflict. Forward Defense Nonresident Senior Fellow James Hasik recommends the expansion of security of supply agreements (among other measures) to fully leverage the defense-industrial bases of US allies and partners and best support US security priorities.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Issue Brief

Jul 23, 2021

A strategic framework for countering China’s human-rights violations in Xinjiang

By Jeffrey Cimmino

China is engaged in a systematic campaign of repression against predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in northwest China, and its actions call for a coordinated response on the part of the United States and its allies.

China Economic Sanctions
Informaition Defense

In-Depth Research & Reports

Jul 22, 2021

Information defense: Policy measures taken against foreign information manipulation

By Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer

A joint report from the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab and Europe Center on the policy measures government and private sector can take against foreign information manipulation.

Cybersecurity Digital Policy

Issue Brief

Jul 16, 2021

Poland and the United States: What’s right, what’s not, and what’s next

By Daniel Fried, Jakub Wiśniewski

Around the time of President Joe Biden’s first trip to Europe in June 2021, US-Polish relations experienced a short, but intense, rough patch. Both the United States and Poland need to look hard at what this relationship can do for both countries and for the transatlantic relationship, and at the sources of problems.

Europe & Eurasia Poland

Issue Brief

Jul 12, 2021

Reassessing RuNet: Russian internet isolation and implications for Russian cyber behavior

By Justin Sherman

This issue brief examines recent “RuNet” developments and explores how they could elevate national security risks for the United States and Europe by changing the internet landscape in Russia and potentially shifting Russian cyber behavior.

Cybersecurity Europe & Eurasia

Issue Brief

Jul 8, 2021

Forgotten places around the world: A call for action

By Martin Mühleisen

Spatial inequality is in many ways a macro-critical issue, as it directly interferes with broader sustainable growth goals. As the new Biden administration works to develop solutions to boost rural economies, they need to ensure that all levels of government work closely together to actualize real change.

Americas Climate Change & Climate Action
india, trade relations

Report

Jul 6, 2021

Reimagining the US-India trade relationship

By Ridhika Batra, Mark Linscott, Anand Raghuraman, Harsha Vardhana Singh

The United States and India have long striven to maintain and deepen bilateral ties, weathering Cold War tensions and antagonisms over India’s nuclear tests to reinvigorate linkages and strengthen cooperation.

Economy & Business Politics & Diplomacy
data, EU, travel

Issue Brief

Jul 1, 2021

Avoiding the next transatlantic security crisis: The looming clash over passenger name record data

By Kenneth Propp

The transfer of PNR—personal data of air travelers including names, addresses, telephone numbers, credit card information, even meal preferences and details that can indicate ethnicity, religious belief, or political affiliation—on international flights has become a common practice world-wide since the September 11th attacks.

Digital Policy European Union

Report

Jun 29, 2021

Hong Kong’s future on edge: Countering China’s national security law

By Ash Jain, Joel Kesselbrenner, and Peter Mattis

The United States and its allies must take further actions to push back on Beijing’s crackdown in Hong Kong.

China Economic Sanctions

Issue Brief

Jun 28, 2021

The strategic importance of sending US vaccines to the Caribbean

By Ambassador James Brewster, Wazim Mowla

While the COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges across the world, it is having a disproportionate impact on countries in our hemisphere.

Americas Caribbean

Report

Jun 28, 2021

Collective cybersecurity for the Three Seas

By Safa Shahwan Edwards, Simon Handler, Trey Herr, Adam Marczyński, and Jakub Teska

In Central and Eastern Europe’s Three Seas region, twelve countries have joined together to invest in critical infrastructure projects and increase interconnectivity on energy, infrastructure, and digitization efforts along the way. To strengthen the resilience of these technical investments and better bind together the defensive cybersecurity operations of these societies, Three Seas member states should establish a regional hub for cybersecurity together with key private sector partners.

Central Europe Cybersecurity

Issue Brief

Jun 24, 2021

No, the US shouldn’t withdraw from the Middle East

By William F. Wechsler

Wechsler responds to the New American Engagement Initiative’s latest publication. Read his recommendations and analysis on why the US should not withdraw from the Middle East.

Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

Issue Brief

Jun 18, 2021

Colombia’s national strike: Overview of the situation and strategies moving forward

By Camila Hernandez, Jason Marczak

Amid the third peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Colombia faces the longest and most destructive mass protests in recent history. The protests, which began on April 28, 2021, were triggered by a tax-reform bill proposed by the government to stabilize public debt and fiscal deficit. Despite the bill’s removal on May 2, 2021, protests continued […]

Americas Civil Society

Issue Brief

Jun 16, 2021

Are dual-capable weapon systems destabilizing? Questioning nuclear-conventional entanglement and inadvertent escalation

By Matthew Kroenig, Mark J. Massa

Some fear that nuclear-conventional entanglement–the use of the same weapons or sensors for nuclear and conventional weapons–could lead to nuclear war. Are they right? This issue brief argues that fears of entanglement leading to nuclear war are misplaced and rest on poor logical and empirical foundations.

China Conflict

Report

Jun 16, 2021

IN BRIEF: Fifteen takeaways from our new report measuring US and Chinese global influence

By Jonathan D. Moyer, Collin J. Meisel, Austin S. Matthews, David K. Bohl, and Mathew J. Burrows

The Formal Bilateral Influence Capacity Index tracks and quantifies the intensifying competition between China and the United States, measuring influence between pairs of states over the last six decades through the volume of their interactions and the dependence that countries have on one another.

China Politics & Diplomacy

Issue Brief

Jun 14, 2021

Financing the future: Measuring and reporting climate-related risks

By Barbara C. Matthews

Financial regulatory institutions around the world are exploring initiatives to expand the mandatory-disclosure framework to provide meaningful perspective on exposures to climate-related risks. However, the stakes here are high. Mismeasurement can lead to material adverse consequences for economic activity. As a result, any changes will require very careful analysis.

Climate Change & Climate Action Economy & Business

Issue Brief

Jun 14, 2021

What choices remain for the United States in Syria?

By Nate Rosenblatt and Jomana Qaddour

In a new issue brief Nate Rosenblatt and Jomana Qaddour describe the challenges the United States faces in Syria, including Russia’s attempt to expand the UN Strategic Framework as well the struggle to keep the UN humanitarian border crossings open in northern Syria.

Human Rights International Organizations

In-Depth Research & Reports

Jun 11, 2021

The case for a Comprehensive Approach 2.0: How NATO can combat Chinese and Russian political warfare

By Kathleen J. McInnis, Clementine G. Starling-Daniels

Kathleen J. McInnis and Clementine G. Starling outline how NATO’s Comprehensive Approach program can serve as a model to counter political warfare at the strategic level.

Cybersecurity Disinformation

Report

Jun 11, 2021

When sanctions violate human rights

By Peter Piatetsky and Julian Vasilkoski

Do sanctions violate human rights? Castellum.AI has developed a methodology to determine whether, and how, sanctions from particular countries violate human rights, designating Russia, Pakistan, and Turkey in that order as the biggest violators.

Economic Sanctions Human Rights

Report

Jun 10, 2021

Shifting gears: Geopolitics of the global energy transition

By Robert J. Johnston

A peak in global oil demand would have significant geopolitical and geoeconomic consequences for oil-producing and importing states alike. And while oil resources have afforded leverage to producing nations, many of these countries have not diversified their economies and remain highly dependent on oil revenue for economic and national stability.

Energy & Environment Energy Transitions