Global efforts to assist underdeveloped nations and aid victims of environmental disasters and violent conflict can help ease human suffering, achieve long-term strategic goals in the affected region, and promote stability. RAND research on global health, nation-building, and stabilization and reconstruction operations has explored humanitarian activities undertaken by the Department of Defense and other U.S. government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and international organizations.
Commentary
The ROK and the United States should take actions to deter subsequent North Korean provocations while punishing the country for its nuclear weapon test. Such actions could convince it that the ROK/U.S. are serious and able to impose high costs, writes Bruce Bennett.
Journal Article
The participation of East Asian militaries (Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea) in international disaster relief is a relatively new phenomenon having many implications that will shape the global landscape of the 21st century.
Commentary
China is rife with paradoxes...of class, foreign aid, military spending, and corruption. Whether and how they are resolved will seriously affect the evolution of policies within China, as well as its future relations with the United States, writes Charles Wolf, Jr.
Report
The U.S. and its European allies have a strong interest in Assad's fall, largely due to that regime's alignment with Iran. Syria provides the main bridge by which Iran is able to support Hezbollah and Hamas, influence Lebanon, outflank its Sunni Gulf adversaries and threaten Israel.
Project
Efforts to improve human development outcomes in Southeast Asia are often hindered by problems with the governance of social assistance programs. The World Bank commissioned RAND Europe to develop a toolkit on how to improve governance in ASEAN countries.
Commentary
The U.S. response to the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami showcased its lasting commitment to Japan, as well as the unique logistical and material capabilities that the U.S. military forces stationed in the Pacific can provide, write Eric Heginbotham, Ely Ratner, and Richard J. Samuels.
Report
RAND developed a prototype handbook to provide humanitarian assistance project staff with an introduction to monitoring and evaluation terms, approaches, and best practices and a step-by-step user's guide for project assessment.
News Release
Recent stabilization and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq have underlined the need for the United States to shift the burden of these operations away from the Defense Department and onto other government agencies better suited to the work.
Report
The U.S. military is ill-equipped to fight extremists who hide in populations. The use of deadly force can harm and alienate the people whose cooperation U.S. forces need. To solve this problem, a new RAND study proposes a ''continuum of force.''
Report
A new metric for measuring expeditionary medical support based on the medical STEP rate of each component of the system -- a more accurate measure of capability than the current measure, number of beds.
Commentary
Today, tens of thousands of Iraqis are in grave danger, targeted because they have worked with the United States. Many have been murdered. Others have fled their homes because of attacks or threats… Many want to come to America, and we should welcome them, writes Olga Oliker.
Commentary
Spending Aid to Palestinians Wisely in the International Herald Tribune
Commentary
Blair's Project for a New Palestine, in Project Syndicate--an association
that distributes commentaries to 291 newspapers in 115 countries.
News Release
February 12, 2007 News Release: RAND Issues 'The Beginner's Guide to Nation-Building'.
Report
This volume presents a comprehensive compilation of best practices in nation-building and serves as an indispensable reference for planning future interventions.
Commentary
Published commentary by RAND staff: How to Deal with Hamas, in United Press International.
Commentary
Published commentary by RAND staff.
Commentary
Published commentary by RAND staff.
Report
Examines U.S. and UN nation-building missions since WWII, to analyze military, political, humanitarian, and economic activities in post-conflict situations, determine key principles for success, and draw implications for future missions.
Commentary
Published commentary by RAND staff.
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