2012-05-24T14:50:45Z Copyright (c) 2012, The RAND Corporation RAND Corporation http://www.rand.org/topics/military-strategy.html http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20120054.html Jun 1, 2012 Jun 1, 2012

This article enumerates challenges facing efforts to inform, influence, and persuade in pursuit of national policy objectives first for the U.S. government in general, and then specific to the Department of Defense.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/05/22/FP.html May 22, 2012 May 22, 2012

Khamenei faces a critical choice in the months ahead: make a compromise to lessen tensions with the United States and the international community, or maintain a status quo that may set in motion the demise of his regime, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/news/press/2012/05/03.html May 3, 2012 May 3, 2012

The U.S. Department of Defense will receive more detailed, transparent and credible assessments of its counterinsurgency campaigns by replacing its top-down approach with a bottom-up method driven by contextual, narrative reporting provided by commanders on the ground.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1086.html May 3, 2012 May 3, 2012

The U.S. Department of Defense will receive more detailed, transparent, and credible assessments of its counterinsurgency campaigns by replacing its top-down approach with a bottom-up method driven by contextual, narrative reporting provided by commanders on the ground.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/04/30/NJ.html Apr 30, 2012 Apr 30, 2012

Over time, al Qaeda could just fade away. Always resilient, it may morph to survive. Developments on any of several fronts might even enable it to rise again. In a long contest, surprises must be expected, writes Brian Michael Jenkins.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/04/29/WSJ.html Apr 29, 2012 Apr 29, 2012

As the administration looks eastward—a strategy that incorporates China's rise—underestimating al Qaeda would be a dangerous mistake, writes Seth G. Jones.

http://www.rand.org/news/press/2012/04/26.html Apr 26, 2012 Apr 26, 2012

Lt. Gen. Glenn A. Kent, a strategist, analyst and teacher whose career spanned World War II, the Cold War and the post-Cold War eras, died April 25.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/04/17/USIP.html Apr 17, 2012 Apr 17, 2012

Beset by economic problems, political divisions, and domestic discontent, Iranian leaders may compromise—or appear to make compromises—to cushion the regime from the mounting internal and external pressures, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1103.html Apr 17, 2012 Apr 17, 2012

A new book by the late French scholar Thérèse Delpech provides a critical review and update of nuclear deterrence theory, focusing a critical eye on nuclear issues during the Cold War, examining the lessons of past nuclear crises, and outlining ways in which these lessons apply to major nuclear powers and nuclear pretenders today.

http://www.rand.org/news/press/2012/04/17.html Apr 17, 2012 Apr 17, 2012

A new book by the late French scholar Thérèse Delpech provides a critical review and update of nuclear deterrence theory, focusing a critical eye on nuclear issues during the Cold War, examining the lessons of past nuclear crises, and outlining ways in which these lessons apply to major nuclear powers and nuclear pretenders today.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9657.html Apr 17, 2012 Apr 17, 2012

Presents scenarios to illustrate possible sources of military conflict with China over the next thirty years.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9645.html Apr 13, 2012 Apr 13, 2012

Current processes used by the U.S. military do not provide accurate assessments of counterinsurgency campaigns. A new process that adds transparency and context to assessments would make them more credible and useful at all levels of decisionmaking.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9652.html Apr 9, 2012 Apr 9, 2012

The authors identify factors critical to the coalition victory over Jaish al-Mahdi in the 2008 Battle of Sadr City and describe a new model for dealing with insurgent control of urban areas.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/04/02/ALMON.html Apr 2, 2012 Apr 2, 2012

For Khamenei, increasing US and Israeli concerns regarding the nuclear program may enhance its value as a deterrent and point of leverage in Iran's conflict with the US, making the nuclear program a major tool to be used against the US, rather than a prize to be bargained away, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/03/05/USNEWS.html Mar 5, 2012 Mar 5, 2012

Essential to any Israeli government decision to bomb Iran is confidence that whatever advice Washington might provide before the attack, the U.S. administration will feel bound to help Israel cope with the consequences of its action, writes James Dobbins.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/02/23/PBS.html Feb 23, 2012 Feb 23, 2012

Many Iranians are increasingly concerned that the supreme leader is taking Iran down a dangerous path and is unwilling to turn back, whatever the pressures, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/02/21/LAT.html Feb 21, 2012 Feb 21, 2012

While a nuclear-armed Iran that hasn't been attacked is dangerous, one that has been attacked may be much more likely to brandish its capabilities, to make sure it does not face an attack again, writes Dalia Dassa Kaye.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/02/14/USNEWS.html Feb 14, 2012 Feb 14, 2012

If the Syrian opposition clearly asks for American help, if the rest of the Arab world supports such a military intervention, and if America's European allies prove ready to join in—and indeed lead—such an effort, the United States should contribute those military assets which only it can provide, writes James Dobbins.

http://www.rand.org/commentary/2012/01/26/FP.html Jan 26, 2012 Jan 26, 2012

The United States should not pursue sanctions with the intent of changing the regime, but to contain it in order to give Iranians a chance to effect change themselves, writes Alireza Nader.

http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG1133.html Jan 16, 2012 Jan 16, 2012

Reviews a 2003 RAND evaluation of the risks and costs of the United States having little or no competition among companies involved with designing, developing, and producing fixed-wing military aircraft and related systems; examines changes in industrial-base structure and capabilities that have taken hold since that analysis was performed; and assesses how these and future changes will affect the industrial base.