In-depth research & reports

Report

Jul 1, 2005

Topics in Terrorism: Toward a Transatlantic Consensus on the Nature of the Threat

This paper summarizes three Atlantic Council conferences on terrorism. Each conference, held in Europe, focuses on two or three select topics, from likely future terrorist weapons and targets to the “war of ideas,” the burgeoning terrorism-drugs-organized crime nexus, and other key concerns. Download the PDF

Report

May 1, 2005

In search of a legacy: Three possible paths for Taiwan’s Chen Shui-bian

By Kay Webb Mayfield

Time and circumstances make it more and more unlikely that Taiwan’s President Chen Shui-bian will declare de jure independence for Taiwan during his term of office, but Chen has not abandoned his quest for a resolution of Taiwan’s status. The People’s Republic of China and the United States are on guard for new independence-leaning initiatives […]

East Asia Elections

Report

Mar 1, 2005

Moldova Matters: Why Progress is Still Possible on Ukraine’s Southwestern Flank

By Pamela Hyde Smith

The Atlantic Council asked Pamela Hyde Smith, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Moldova from 2001 to 2003, to highlight the dangers of the Transnistria situation and to suggest some policy approaches to its resolution. In this paper, Ambassador Smith outlines the challenges faced by Moldova and gives her analysis of how they can best […]

Eastern Europe Europe & Eurasia

Report

Mar 1, 2005

U.S.-Cuban Relations: An Analytic Compendium of U.S. Policies, Laws, and Regulations

By Dianne E. Rennack & Mark P. Sullivan

This compendium presents the texts of the U.S. policy statements, laws, and regulations (or relevant parts thereof) that govern U.S. relations with Cuba, on both the bilateral and multilateral levels. Preceding each group of documents is an analytic summary, which highlights the context, major provisions, and significance of the policies, laws, or regulations in question […]

Cuba United States and Canada

Report

Dec 1, 2004

Military Force Transformation: Progress, Costs, Benefits and Tasks Remaining

By S. J. Deitchman

Following the recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, a consensus has emerged that the transformation of the U.S. military has been a success. But, as current events in Iraq and elsewhere demonstrate, U.S. force transformation is not yet complete. This report elaborates not only the history, costs and benefits of transformation to date, but also […]

National Security Security & Defense

Report

May 1, 2004

The Proliferation Security Initiative: Challenges and Perceptions

By Barry W. Coceano

Since the ascendance of terrorism as one of the major threats to international peace and security, or at least the world’s realization of terrorism as such, the potential proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) has acquired a new dimension of threat. The evident interest in WMD shown by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda […]

Maritime Security Nuclear Nonproliferation

Report

Feb 1, 2004

Regional conflicts: Strategies for quelling violence and prospects for Sino-U.S. cooperation

This paper explores the choices and trade-offs that the United States typically faces when it considers the problem of quelling violence in failing states and chronically unstable regions. After first considering the hazards posed by these regions, the paper explicates the tools and techniques required by various courses of action.  It also discusses some of […]

China Defense Policy

Report

Feb 1, 2004

Preventing state failure: Steps toward closer cooperation between China and the United States

This paper sketches the outlines of a more systematic approach to non-military cooperation and preventive action that China and the United States might take to prevent state failure. It focuses mainly, but not exclusively, on greater Asia, defined broadly to range from Southwest Asia (the Middle East north and east of the Persian Gulf) through […]

China Politics & Diplomacy

Report

Feb 1, 2004

American Perspectives on the Threat Posed by Weak and Failing Asian States

This paper begins by analyzing the threat weak and failing states might present and identifying Asian states that might be of concern. Second, it reviews the current U.S. administration’s public statements on the Asian states it considers weak or failing.  Third, the paper concludes with an effort to track the extent to which U.S. public […]

China Indo-Pacific

Report

Feb 1, 2004

Do Economic Sanctions Work?: Lessons from ILSA and Other US Sanctions Regimes

By Stuart E. Eizenstat

Economic sanctions have been a frequently used tool of U.S. foreign policy in recent years. One of the most controversial applications of sanctions has been through the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA), which was originally passed into law in 1996 and renewed in 2001. Events since the Act’s passage have, however, raised questions about the effectiveness […]

Economy & Business Iran