Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

Explore the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s latest insights, commentary, articles, media hits, and in-depth reports

All commentary & analysis

In the News

Jan 19, 2021

Ashford in Conversation Six: How did it go so wrong at home?

By Atlantic Council

Emma Ashford participated in an episode of Conversation Six’s podcast on January 19 and discussed with Paul Stangeland about her recent article in Foreign Policy entitled “America can’t promote democracy abroad. It can’t even protect it at home”. ” At this point, we shouldn’t be thinking, you know, will this make it harder for us to […]

Democratic Transitions Elections

NATO 20/2020

Jan 19, 2021

Threaten decisive nuclear retaliation: NATO 20/2020 podcast

By David Gompert and Hans Binnendijk

NATO should thwart Russian use of nuclear weapons by threatening certain retaliation.

Arms Control Defense Policy

In the News

Jan 19, 2021

Kroenig in National Review on Trump and foreign policy

By Atlantic Council

On January 19, Scowcroft Center deputy director Matthew Kroenig published an article in the National Review titled “Why Trumpism will not define the future of Republican foreign policy.” In the article, he argues that the Trump presidency did not fundamentally reshape the Republican party’s foreign policy platform.

Democratic Transitions National Security

Event Recap

Jan 19, 2021

Veterans, war, and the arts: A 2020 celebration of military service

By Olivia Popp

VETERANS DAY 2020 joined the Atlantic Council’s creative energy with the nation’s celebration of veterans on this day of remembrance. Featuring welcome remarks by Adrienne Arsht and keynote remarks by General David Petraeus, this flagship event introduced a film adaptation of the stage play “War Words,” telling the stories of the veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Afghanistan Conflict

In the News

Jan 18, 2021

Warrick quoted in TIME comparing laws around international and domestic terrorism

By Atlantic Council

On January 18, Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Thomas Warrick was quoted in an article in TIME titled “‘Everyone thinks I’m a terrorist’: Capitol riot fuels calls for domestic war on terror.” The article covers the debate around the term ‘domestic terrorist,’ and Warrick is quoted on the legal barriers in monitoring domestic terrorists in comparison to international terrorists.

Extremism National Security

Report

Jan 18, 2021

Mapping green innovation ecosystems: Evaluating the success factors for the world’s leading greentech-innovation centers

By Peter Engelke, Margaret Jackson, Randolph Bell

Enabling current and future generations to mitigate climate change requires the urgent creation and scaling up of technologies that minimize and reverse the impact of human activities on the environment.

Energy & Environment

New Atlanticist

Jan 15, 2021

Chris Murphy: Healing at home shouldn’t stop the United States from its democracy work abroad

By Katherine Golden

The riot at the Capitol on January 6 brought American democracy “to its knees,” US Senator Chris Murphy observed just over a week after the shock to the nation. But that shouldn’t prevent the United States from trying to both “self-correct domestically” and “do the work of democracy promotion.”

International Norms National Security

In the News

Jan 13, 2021

Rodriguez writes in ARMY Magazine on defense reform

By Atlantic Council

Forward Defense Senior Advisor Stephen Rodriguez writes in ARMY, the magazine of the Association of the US Army (AUSA), on the need for defense reform.

Defense Policy National Security

Fast Thinking

Jan 13, 2021

FAST THINKING: What we’re watching in North Korea

By Atlantic Council

As Americans were preoccupied with violence at the US Capitol, officials in Pyongyang articulated their national-security strategy.

East Asia Korea

In the News

Jan 13, 2021

Ashford in None of the Above: Countries in Glass Houses

By Atlantic Council

On January 13, Emma Ashford participated in episode 12 of the Eurasia Group Foundation’s podcast None of the Above, hosted by Mark Hannah. During this episode, titled “Countries in Glass Houses”, Emma discussed US foreign policy in the wake of the storming of the capital, arguing that “America must first shore up its ability to […]

National Security Politics & Diplomacy
GeoTech's Smart Partnerships report, image of a chessboard

In-Depth Research & Reports

Jan 12, 2021

Smart partnerships amid great power competition

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

The report captures key takeaways from various roundtable conversations, identifies the challenges and opportunities that different regions of the world face when dealing with emerging technologies, and evaluates China’s role as a global citizen. In times of economic decoupling and rising geopolitical bipolarity, it highlights opportunities for smart partnerships, describes how data and AI applications can be harnessed for good, and develops scenarios on where an AI-powered world might be headed.

Africa Americas

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Cooperation in a bipolar world

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

Taking into account China’s growing influence around the world, discussions often alluded to an uncomfortable truth: In order to avoid catastrophe, even rivals must cooperate, which is why participants, particularly at roundtables in Europe, were keen to identify a number of areas that could lower the tensions and help build trust among antagonistic stakeholders.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

An unequal world

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

An unequal world is probably the base case, exacerbated by the social and economic effects of the ongoing pandemic. In this future, emerging technologies have deepened divisions and inequalities instead of leveling the playing field domestically and internationally.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

India’s quest for digital sovereignty

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

Similar to Europe’s “Third Way Approach,” and in order to navigate between the US and the Chinese models, India is also trying to develop a concept of digital sovereignty, all the while mitigating negative externalities of great power competition.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Worries about AI externalities

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

There is no doubt that emerging technologies have gained significant importance over the last couple of years, but a sense of caution is required when it comes to the hype surrounding AI. Technologies have so far remained a tool and their applications won’t be solving all of humanity’s problems anytime soon.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Technology for good

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

By focusing on healthcare, food security and agriculture, education, or infrastructure, global AI competition could be given a very different spin, mitigating the rivalry aspect of politics. How modern technologies should be centered on serving those broader global interests was at the core of the discussions in the roundtable focused on Africa.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

A bipolar world

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

A Bipolar World is where Sino-US competition edges out any possibility of cooperation—not just on data and AI. Countries in Europe and Asia are forced to choose between Washington and Beijing while desperately trying to develop their own digital sovereignty.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

A multilateral resurgence

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

A multilateral resurgence is a world that evolves after significant Sino-US confrontations occur on the scale of the 1963 Cuban Missile Crisis. Post-pandemic, both the United States and China step back from the precipice, realizing that their unrestrained, full-spectrum competition with one another could lead to disaster and mutual destruction.

Africa Americas

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Third parties don’t want to choose sides

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

Many worry about what could follow Pax Americana, especially since providing global security has always been a costly endeavor. A European Union (EU) approach was that Europe could serve as a bridge between the United States and China, somehow mitigating the ever-intensifying rivalry.

Africa China

GeoTech Cues

Jan 12, 2021

Europe’s hurdles

By Mathew Burrows, Julian Mueller-Kaler

Economists and technologists worried about Europe’s ability to reconcile privacy restrictions with a thriving tech economy. The logic is simple: In order to keep up, companies must be able to train AI systems with accessible data, which is why the EU has become more attuned to the need to facilitate data flows.

China Cybersecurity
Load More

Newsletter

Stay connected with us by signing up for our weekly newsletter “The Strategist” to be notified of all upcoming events, new publications, recent media hits, and exclusive updates within the Scowcroft Center:

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world.

Learn more