Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

Will COIN Work in Afghanistan?

By Don Snow

The Obama administration has invested a great deal (one can argue too much) of its national security capital in the war on Afghanistan, and the chief instrument for realizing that investment has been the application of counterinsurgency (COIN) doctrine to the situation. This application, in turn, is based on putting into action the Army and […]

At War with Pakistan’s Taliban

By Shuja Nawaz

After years of self-denial, Pakistani society and its government now face the reality of a dangerous – nay, existential – threat to their polity from a home-grown variant of the Afghan Taliban, a movement that was spawned by the U. S. invasion of Afghanistan and grew into a potent political force in the past three […]

U.S.-China Relations: The Changing Climate of Diplomacy

By Banning Garrett

From the start of the global economic crisis, it has become clear that a new world order has emerged. While the world is increasingly interconnected, it is specifically the U.S.-China relationship that will determine how and if our leaders can meet the major global challenges of the 21st century.

Afghanistan Caveats Coming to End?

By James Joyner

General John Craddock, the outgoing SACEUR, says the caveats that constrain how some countries’ NATO forces are used “increase the risk to every service member deployed in Afghanistan and bring increased risk to mission success” and are “a detriment to effective command and control.” 

Where are the Local Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq?

By Bernard Finel

In both Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States has more expansive and ambitious goals than our local allies.

New NATO Concept a Chance for Europe to Recommit to Alliance

By Jan Techau

Yesterday, NATO officially kicked off the process of drafting a new strategic concept for history’s most enduring military alliance. Officials, soldiers, think tankers, and strategists from all 28 member states convened in Brussels to ponder ideas on how to make the Atlantic Alliance fit for its seventh decade in business.

NATO: Relic or Revitalized?

By Harlan Ullman

Yesterday in Brussels, NATO kicked off a yearlong process to draft a new strategic concept. The last strategic concept was adopted a decade ago at the Washington Summit marking the alliance’s 50th anniversary, when NATO was at war in what turned out to be a 78-day bombing campaign to stop Serbia and its autocratic leader […]

Honduras Coup and America’s Democracy Policy

By Bernard Finel

Latin America watchers have been transfixed over the past week with developments in Honduras.  At first glance, the issue is simple: a group of armed thugs overthrew a democratic regime.  This sort of military coup — which echoes the regimes of cliched colonels in sunglasses — was thought to have been relegated to the Latin […]

Time to Shoot Down Missile Defense

By Don Snow

President Obama is in Moscow meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, with the shadow Vladimir Putin not far from their sight. The highlight of the talks, which are aimed at improving relations with Russia typically soured by the Bush administration, center on nuclear arms agreements, which were at the heart of Cold War negotiations and […]

Russia and the West: Mindset, not Reset

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

When President Obama arrives in Moscow today for his much-anticipated summit with President Medvedev, he should temper his expectations. A dramatic improvement in the West’s relationship with Russia is unlikely to take place unless the “reset” moment is accompanied by a change in mindset from both parties.

Open Letter to President Obama on Russia

By Damon Wilson

Dear Mr. President:   You have stated your intention to forge a positive relationship between the United States and Russia. We write on the eve of your summit meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev to express our belief that such a relationship requires a commitment by both countries to democracy and human rights and to urge […]

Admiral Timothy Keating Event Transcript

  FRED KEMPE:  This is terrific.  There are more stars and bars in this room than we usually have.  Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Atlantic Council, I’m Fred Kempe, president and CEO.  And welcome to this evening’s commander series with the commander of the United States Pacific Command, Admiral Timothy Keating. I know many […]

Manas Air Base to Stay Open After All

By James Joyner

Until yesterday, it seemed a fait accompli that the vital NATO supply base in Krygyzstan was closing, owing to a combination of geopolitics and a strong bid by Russia.  Well into the eleventh hour, however, access to Manus Air Base was saved.

China-India Relations: An Unresolved Border and 60,000 Troops Deployed

By Damien Tomkins

When two countries have gone to war over an unresolved border and one of these announces the deployment of 50,000-60,000 troops and nuclear-capable combat planes along this border, the reader would likely expect the second country to sit up and take notice.  This is exactly what happened over the last month between India and China.

New Afghanistan Commander Limits Predators

By James Joyner

The new commander of forces in Afghanistan has announced he will be much more cautious than his predecessors in using Predators in situations that put civilian life at risk.

Pakistan’s Summer of Chaos

By Shuja Nawaz

As the summer solstice draws near, it seems as if all the evil spirits are coming out to haunt the body politic of Pakistan. The country faces an escalation in hostilities on many fronts. And unlike in the past, when sweet deals and concessions could woo militants and protesters into silence, this time no amount […]

Knowing When to Act

By Harlan Ullman

If you are president of the United States, how do you know when things are going wrong, and what to do about it, especially when the evidence is hidden in clear sight? These may be the toughest questions and conditions any president will face. Given the extraordinary pace with which the Obama administration has attacked […]