Forward Defense quick reads

General John Raymond on how China’s ‘space-enabled military’ threatens US and allied deterrence and warfighting

By Katherine Golden

“We have to have the ability to protect those forces,” Raymond said at an Atlantic Council event.

To fund US military modernization, Congress needs to pass on-time annual defense budgets

By Jongsun Kim

The longer Congress relies on continuing resolutions to fund the military, the further the Pentagon will drift from its defense spending goals.

The hypersonic imperative

By Michael E. White

Hypersonic weapons and counter-hypersonic defenses will be essential for the United States to deter and, if necessary, prevail in a war against one or more great powers. This is why the Department of Defense and Congress must prioritize the accelerated fielding of these capabilities.

Germany shifts rightward: Our experts answer the big questions about the country’s election

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts explain what the outcome of Germany’s elections will mean for policymakers in Berlin, Brussels, and Washington.

The Senate confirmation process is broken. Here are three ways to fix it.

By Arnold Punaro

The Senate and White House must ensure that the processes of nomination, confirmation, and appointment—particularly as applied to national security nominees—are effective and timely.

The Atlantic Council’s greatest hits of 2024

By Frederick Kempe

These articles, reports, initiatives, and convenings represent the best of the Atlantic Council’s work in 2024 to shape the global future together with allies and partners.

Over-the-horizon counterterrorism does not work. It’s time for a new approach.

By Ahmad Zia Saraj and Jennifer A. Counter

Turning a blind eye to transnational terrorism that is presumed far away is dangerous, and prevention is far more impactful than relying on responses after the fact.

Experts react: Scholz’s coalition has collapsed. What’s next for Germany?

By Atlantic Council experts

After months of infighting, the German government’s “traffic light” coalition of the Social Democratic Party, the Free Democratic Party, and the Greens has come apart. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on the political turmoil in Berlin.

Donald Trump just won the presidency. Our experts answer the big questions about what that means for America’s role in the world.

By Atlantic Council experts

When Trump returns to the presidency on January 20 next year, a number of global challenges will be awaiting him. Our experts outline what to expect.

How the US can counter Russian and Chinese nuclear threats in space

By Peter L. Hays and Sarah Mineiro

As China and Russia bolster their counterspace capabilities, the United States must modernize its space-based nuclear command.

Inside the Navy’s plan to improve its readiness for conflict, with Admiral Lisa Franchetti

Franchetti spoke about the new plan at a Commanders Series event, hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Forward Defense initiative.

Senator Mark Warner on the top five risks for the next administration to watch

By Katherine Golden

At an Atlantic Council Front Page event, the senator outlined those risks, ranging from competition with China to the ongoing crisis in Venezuela.

Experts react: What’s behind the Hezbollah beeper and walkie-talkie explosions

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts explain what the explosions of communication devices in Lebanon could mean for the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

This is not the time for the United States to go soft on Hezbollah

By Jonathan Rosenstein and Eliana Aiken

If Israel decides on a major campaign in Lebanon to remove the threat from Hezbollah, the US should have its ally’s back.

Senator Chris Murphy on why US foreign policy is ‘mismatched’ to its challenges and what Democrats can do about it

By Katherine Golden

Murphy argued that the United States is spending heavily on military aid and investment but not enough on solutions to the “most serious threats” for the United States.

How the Israeli intelligence community got its mojo back

By Marc Polymeropoulos

Israel’s recent preemptive strikes against Hezbollah targets helped avert a wider war and showed how Israeli intelligence has bounced back from the failures of October 7.

Don’t cut corners on US nuclear deterrence

By Matthew Kroenig, Mark J. Massa

Bipartisan support for modernizing and expanding the US nuclear arsenal will be essential for the United States to deter its adversaries.

General CQ Brown, Jr., on the US role in Gaza, Ukraine, and other crises around the world

By Katherine Golden

It’s time to plan for the long term in the Middle East, the general said at an Atlantic Council event.

Congress should save the Sentinel ICBM—its true value is more than simply its cost

By James McCue

The value of the new intercontinental ballistic missile program should be measured over its full lifetime and not just by its current price tag.