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132. The Healthcare Internet of Things: Rewards and Risks
- Author:
- Jason Healey, Neal Pollard, and Beau Woods
- Publication Date:
- 03-2015
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The Internet of Things of digital, networked technology is quickly moving to the forefront of society, the global economy, and the human experience. Individuals wear networked devices to learn more about themselves, their diet, their exercise regimen, and their vital signs. Doctors can adjust and optimize implanted medical devices, such as pacemakers, quickly and accurately—and often with no need for intrusive medical procedures. The rewards of networked healthcare come with overlapping areas of concern that have to address to fully unlock the potential of these technologie
133. Breaking the Cyber-Sharing Logjam
- Author:
- Brent Scowcroft Center
- Publication Date:
- 02-2015
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The Internet makes everyone neighbors in cyberspace, connected by a digital infrastructure that serves as the bedrock of their communities. But despite pockets of excellence, the neighborhood-watch system is broken. Not all kinds of sharing are equal, as many organizations involved in cyber defense are net consumers—not suppliers—of shareable cybersecurity information.
134. Afghanistan and US Security
- Author:
- Hon. James Cunningham
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- It is the core purpose of the Atlantic Council to foster bipartisan support for policies that promote the security of the United States and the transatlantic community. The signatories of this piece have either served in Afghanistan, been involved in the formation of US policy in government, or otherwise devoted considerable time to Afghan affairs. They have come together to register a broad, bipartisan consensus in support of certain principles that they believe should guide policy formation and decision-making on Afghanistan during the remainder of the Obama administration and the first year of a new administration, of whichever party. It is critical that the current administration prepare the path for the next. A new president will come into office facing a wave of instability in the Islamic world and the threat from violent extremism, which stretches from Asia through the Middle East to Africa. This will continue to pose a considerable challenge and danger to American interests abroad, and to the homeland. The signatories support the continued US engagement required to protect American interests and increase the possibilities for Afghan success.
135. Crude Oil for Natural Gas: Prospects for Iran-Saudi Reconciliation
- Author:
- Jean-Francois Seznec
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Despite the sectarian barbs traded between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Iran's unique ability to meet the kingdom's fast growing demand for electricity may help spur a reconciliation, according to the Atlantic Council's Jean-François Seznec. In his report Crude Oil for Natural Gas: Prospects for Iran-Saudi Reconciliation, Seznec argues that the two dominant energy producers do not necessarily need to see their energy production as competition. Saudi Arabia's currently fuels its stunning 8 percent annual rise in demand for electricity with precious crude oil due to little low cost domestic natural dry gas reserves. Iran's vast gas reserves could be used to meet the kingdom's growing needs, but after decades of punishing sanctions its dilapidated gas fields need an estimated $250 billion in repairs. If Saudi Arabia used its investment power or buying power to help revitalize Iran's gas industry, it would both secure the energy it needs to meet its citizens' demands and free up its crude oil for export. While the sectarian rhetoric hurled back and forth may seem unstoppable and the timeline for reconciliation may be long, Seznec contends that both sides are rational at heart and highlights that that the benefit of economic cooperation on energy issues could open up better relations on a range of issues.
- Topic:
- Energy Policy, Oil, and Natural Resources
- Political Geography:
- Iran and Saudi Arabia
136. Tunisia: The Last Arab Spring Country
- Author:
- Mohsin Khan and Karim Merzan
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, a civil society group comprising the Tunisian General Labor Union; the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts; the Tunisian Human Rights League; and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, October 9, 2015 "for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia." In a new Atlantic Council Issue Brief, "Tunisia: The Last Arab Spring Country," Atlantic Council Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East Senior Fellows Mohsin Khan and Karim Mezran survey the successes of Tunisia's consensus-based transition and the challenges that lie ahead. "The decision to award this year's Nobel Peace Prize to Tunisia's National Dialogue Quartet is an extremely important recognition of the efforts made by Tunisian civil society and Tunisia's political elite to reach a consensus on keeping the country firmly on the path to democratization and transition to a pluralist system," says Mezran. With the overthrow of the authoritarian regime of President Zine El Abedine Ben Ali in 2011, Tunisia embarked on a process of democratization widely regarded as an example for transitions in the region. The National Dialogue Conference facilitated by the Quartet helped Tunisia avert the risk of plunging into civil war and paved the way for a consensus agreement on Tunisia's new constitution, adopted in January 2014. In the brief, the authors warn that despite political successes, Tunisia is hampered by the absence of economic reforms. Facing the loss of tourism and investment following two terror attacks, Tunisia's economy risks collapse, endangering all of the painstaking political progress gained thus far. Unless the Tunisian government moves rapidly to turn the economy around, Tunisia risks unraveling its fragile transition.
- Topic:
- Security, Democratization, Economics, Political Activism, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Arab Countries and Tunisia
137. Foreign Policy for an Urban World: Global Governance and the Rise of Cities
- Author:
- Peter Engelke
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- In the latest FutureScape issue brief from the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security's Strategic Foresight Initiative, author Peter Engelke discusses the long-term economic, environmental, and policy implications of urbanization. Entitled "Foreign Policy for an Urban World: Global Governance and the Rise of Cities," the brief examines how urbanization is hastening the global diffusion of power and how cities themselves are increasingly important nodes of power in global politics.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Development, and Urbanization
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
138. Beyond Camp David: A Gradualist Strategy to Upgrade the US-Gulf Security Partnership
- Author:
- Bilal Y. Saab and Barry Pavel
- Publication Date:
- 05-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- President Barack Obama's summit meeting with Gulf leaders at Camp David on May 14 will end in failure if the administration does not propose a substantial upgrade in US-Gulf security relations that is as bold and strategically significant as the nuclear agreement–and likely formal deal–with Iran. While the summit will not suddenly eliminate mistrust and resolve all differences, it presents an historic opportunity to put back on track a decades-old US-Gulf partnership that has served both sides and the region well, yet lately has experienced deep turbulence. Failure to strengthen these ties will have consequences, the most dramatic of which could be the acceleration of the regional order's collapse. In a March 2015 Atlantic Council report entitled Artful Balance: Future US Defense Strategy and Force Posture in the Gulf, we made the case for a mutual defense treaty between the United States and willing Arab Gulf partners. In this issue in focus, we offer a more comprehensive and detailed assessment of the risks, concerns, benefits, and opportunities that would be inherent in such a treaty. We recommend a gradualist approach for significantly upgrading US-Gulf security relations that effectively reduces the risks and maximizes the benefits of more formal US security commitments to willing Arab Gulf states.
- Topic:
- Security, Defense Policy, Nuclear Weapons, and Treaties and Agreements
- Political Geography:
- Iran and Persian Gulf
139. Ukraine: From Evolutionary to Revolutionary Reforms
- Author:
- Olan Bilen, Mike Duane, Yuriy Gorodnichenko, and Ilona Sologoub
- Publication Date:
- 09-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- Since the Maidan revolution, the Ukrainian government has embarked on a comprehensive reform agenda. But almost two years since the revolution, reforms are still lacking in core areas. The most prominent achievements are the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau to fight high-level corruption, the introduction of a new police force in the cities of Kyiv, Odesa, and Lviv, the reform of the banking system, and the restructuring of the natural gas sector. However, there were few attempts to reform the civil service and businesses continue to claim that middle-and low-level employees at tax and customs agencies remain corrupt. The authors of "Ukraine: From Evolutionary to Revolutionary Reforms" warn that, if the Ukrainian government does not follow through with an ambitious reform agenda, public support for reforms will wane while dissatisfaction will increase, threatening political stability and the country's successful future. There is no time for slow evolutionary changes. Radical and revolutionary reforms are the only way to success.
- Topic:
- Security, Political Violence, Civil Society, and Reform
- Political Geography:
- Ukraine
140. Nordic-Baltic Security and the US Role
- Author:
- Mark Seip
- Publication Date:
- 09-2015
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- Atlantic Council
- Abstract:
- The United States and the Nordic states enjoy a strong, productive relationship. However, stability in the Nordic-Baltic area is under increasing stress, which has implications for both NATO and its partner members, Finland and Sweden. In "Nordic-Baltic Security and the US Role," the Atlantic Council's US Navy Senior Fellow Mark Seip argues that the United States must prioritize bolstering assurance among NATO members, principally the Baltic states. Additionally, the United States and NATO should enhance its capabilities through collaboration, leverage soft power instruments, and find mutuality between NATO and its key partners, Finland and Sweden. In doing so, the United States and the Nordic nations stand to solidify the gains of the thriving region and strengthen European security.
- Topic:
- Security, NATO, and Politics
- Political Geography:
- Nordic Nations