Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

US and China Explore New Relationship

By Robert Manning

It will be some time before the full consequences of the California summit meeting between US President Barack Obama and China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, are revealed. Nixon-Mao it was not. Nevertheless, the well-timed and much-needed unscripted discussion focused on fundamental questions about the US-China relationship which has reached a new level of tension because […]

NATO in a New Security Landscape

By Jason Harmala

On June 5, the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security and the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies (IFS) held a conference on NATO in a New Security Landscape.

Private Roundtable with OSCE Secretary General Zannier

By Jason Harmala

On June 4, the Atlantic Council hosted an off-the-record roundtable discussion between Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, State Department representatives and Council leaders and scholars.

Chuck Hagel’s Shangri La La?

By Julian Lindley-French

In James Hilton’s fictional 1937 novel Lost Horizons, Shangri-La is a heaven on earth, a happy island of peace, permanently isolated from the outside world (no, not Britain).  For the High Lama (a sort of David Cameron) harmony, “is the entire meaning and purpose of Shangri-La.  It came to me as a vision long, long ago.  I saw all […]

Erdogan’s Self-Inflicted Wounds

By Ross Wilson

In soccer, an “own goal” is scored when a player accidentally hits the ball into his own net. The poor handling by Turkish authorities of demonstrations in Istanbul’s Taksim Square that spilled over to Ankara, Izmir and cities all over the country constitutes an own goal that now undermines the political prospects of Prime Minister […]

What’s Russia Doing in Syria and Why

By Rajan Menon

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has killed some 80,000 of his citizens and driven another 1.7 million into neighboring countries. Unsurprisingly, he has few foreign friends these days. But two have played a pivotal part in his survival: Iran and Russia.

Army Chief Odierno Outlines Vision and Priorities of US Army

On May 29, 2013, the Atlantic Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted General Raymond T. Odierno, Chief of Staff of the US Army.

The Digital Iron Curtain

By Andrew Ellis

While international hacking episodes linked to the governments of Iran, Syria, North Korea, and China have received widespread attention, media outlets often underreport government use of these tools against their own citizens.

US and Europe Must Recommit Diplomatically and Militarily to Middle East Region

By Jason Harmala

On May 23rd, the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Peace and Security Initiative at the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security hosted a panel discussion on new developments in security cooperation among the United States, its European allies, and the Gulf States, and how they are likely to evolve in the coming years. Mr. Barry Pavel, […]

What’s Next, Malaysia?

By HuiHui Ooi

As expected, the National Front (BN) coalition won Malaysia’s May 5 election, but not without widespread allegations of electoral fraud, including the use of Bangladeshi migrants as illegal voters and other gerrymandering tactics. The opposition People’s Pact (PR) coalition leader Anwar Ibrahim refused to concede defeat and held a protest rally on May 8, attended by […]