Publications

Ukraine and Israel: International Crises in the Election Campaign of a War-Weary USA

An Analysis One Year Ahead of the Election in November 2024

U.S. President Joe Biden calls it an "inflection point in history": The wars between Russia and Ukraine and between Hamas and Israel challenge American foreign policy - at a time when many Americans prefer to focus on their own country. This tension is shaping the upcoming election campaign.

Threat Perception and Deterrence after the Ukraine War

We asked the National Security Policy Center at the University of Virginia to take a closer look at threat perception and deterrence following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They observe: "Given the complexity of the current strategic environment – and the West’s lethargic response to it – there is a need to refine our approach to risk in the context of deterrence."

McCarthy voted out - what next?

U.S. press comments on the historic recall of the Speaker of the House of Representatives

For the first time in U.S. history, a Speaker of the House of Representatives was voted out of office: Kevin McCarthy lost the post, eight members of his Republican caucus and all 208 Democrats present voted against him.

One Year Inflation Reduction Act

Initial Outcomes and Impacts for US-EU Trade and Investment

Max Gruenig is a Senior Policy Advisor at the E3G Washington Office. We asked him to gather initial evidence of impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act on cleantech trade and investment. One of his conclusions: “Overall, the IRA is expected to only have a marginal impact on the transatlantic economy, while contributing to the decarbonization in the US and, by extension, the global transition to net zero.”

A New “Consensus“ in U.S.-China Policy

Karin Johnston is a lecturer at the School of International Service at American University and the University of Maryland, College Park. We asked her to analyze how the United States is approaching China in 2023 across the different branches of government and party lines. She observes: “Attitudes have hardened against China, forming around them a different consensus – that China must be countered at all costs, and at all levels of engagement – economically, technically, militarily, and diplomatically.”

Harvesting Overlooked Potential

International Cooperation through Strategic Local Level Engagement

Dr. Dale Medearis is Senior Regional Planner for the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC). Two years ago, we published his paper on strategic international engagement at the local and regional level. Now, he revisits this topic with a close look at the relevance and potential of such cooperation and which benefits for a region's economy and technological and environmental status it can reap.

Inflation Reduction Act: Only One of Several Incentives

The real competitive advantages of the US in the subsidy race

At a time when debates over protectionist industrial policies or even transatlantic trade conflicts are numerous, this Country Report shows that traditional economic metrics, such as a high-skilled employee-pool, a comparatively high return rate on sales and low per-unit labor costs respectively, are key factors that continue to motivate German companies to increase their investments and operations in the US. Much more so than the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the ensuing European furor over the law has led many to believe. When trying to preserve Germany as a premier global business location, lawmakers would be well advised to further prioritize Germany's innovation potential along established economic metrics, while speeding-up approval and procedural processes in particular.

Cooperation and Competition in the Arctic

Karin Johnston is a lecturer at the School of International Service at American University and the University of Maryland. We asked her to take a closer look into why the Arctic is becoming a growing strategic priority for the Biden Administration. She observes: “The brutal war in Ukraine initiated by Russia has had a substantial impact on the Arctic.”

The U.S. 2022 National Security Strategy

Balancing Cooperation and Competition in the Next Decade

Karin Johnston is a lecturer at the School of International Service at American University and the University of Maryland. We asked her to analyze the 2022 National Security Strategy of the Biden administration in comparison to previously released national security documents. One of her conclusions: “Global challenges require global cooperation in a world defined by confrontation, with aggressive powers intent on re-making the international rules of the road.”

A New Fair Deal for Climate, Trade and Development

Opportunities for the Global South

Max Gruenig is a Senior Policy Advisor at the E3G Washington Office. We asked him to build on his previous report and further explore the nexus of climate, trade and development. One of his conclusions: “The Global North can only maintain its wealth and prosperity if there is a drastic betterment for the South.”