Short opinion pieces written by Atlantic Community members are the core of the Open Think Tank.
You can share your views on international politics in the form of a news analysis, an op-ed or a conference report. A strong thesis is essential.
The best arguments from the articles and comments will be summarized in Atlantic Memos that are presented to decision-makers.
Please also consider commenting on and rating articles by your fellow members. The best articles will be displayed most prominently on the site. If you need any assistance, please contact the editorial team. We are more than happy to help you with any content, language or technical issues.
If you are not yet a member of atlantic-community.org, join now. Registration only takes a minute and enables you to network with more than 1500 peers.
If you are registered and logged-in, then just click on the PUBLISH button to post your take.
Djörn Eversteijn: NATO's reliance on its global partnerships may seem innocuous today - even helpful, in fact. Contributions in Afghanistan from a diverse array of nations, such as Australia and South Korea, are seen as indispensable in security and reconstruction efforts. Until a full commitment by member states is exhibited, though, NATO's long-term credibility is in danger.
...More
Francisco J. Ruiz: It is time to examine relations between Russia, the US, and the EU. With emerging global threats, there are areas in which these three can cooperate in defense and security. All three actors must change their policies enabling more collaboration on these issues.
...More
Jackson Janes & Tim Stuchtey: Drastic differences exist between the political party systems in the US and Germany. A German might be shocked to learn that many Americans believe the most capable candidates for political office are the ones who make decisions on the basis of high moral integrity. Americans might be taken aback by the German notion of a party program.
...More
Thorsten Benner & Lars Zimmermann: Germany lacks an informed and responsible debate on the country’s engagement in Afghanistan. The looming populism of the 2009 election year is set to make matters even worse. Politicians and the media must prevent this from happening.
...More
John Mathiason: The Copenhagen Conference will hopefully produce a successor to the Kyoto Protocol; but then the real work begins. Independent organizations will be necessary to tackle adaptation and mitigation requirements, while ensuring, through effective monitoring, that states comply. Self-policing is not an option.
...More
Dale Medearis: Following the collapse of a cap-and-trade climate bill in the US, it is evident that any substantive policies will begin at the local and state levels. Fortunately, this also happens to be the level at which the US and Germany can pursue very solid and mutually beneficial cooperation.
...More
From the Editorial Team: The current financial crisis has sent economists, politicians, and citizens alike scrambling to find solutions. In the US and Europe, expert opinion is divided on how to revamp the economy. How should the United States, the EU, the private sector, and others respond to this international situation?
...More
Thomas Speckmann: To Western democracies, the idea of war privatization is still largely associated with the reign of warlords in Africa and Afghanistan. However, privatization is also sneaking into Western warfare. This new financial aspect of war needs to be regulated on a national and global scale.
...More
Ralf Fuecks: There is a tendency to ignore discomfiting facts so as not to disturb good relations with Russia. This approach, which borders on Russian blackmail, is a categorical failure. Moscow needs to be integrated into the EU fold; but at the same time, the EU must be willing to evince a willingness to face the right conflict at the right time.
...More
Daniel Korski: While it is likely that transatlantic relations will improve after a new US president is elected, there are still major unsolved issues that are bound to cause disappointment on both sides. Striving for common policies on key issues like Afghanistan, Russia, and China should be a priority.
...More