RAND is a world leader in research on terrorism, counterterrorism, counterinsurgency, disaster management, and homeland security—topics that affect a wide variety of policy areas and challenge individuals and nations worldwide. As a public service, RAND disseminates all its unclassified research online or in printed documents.
Report
The immediate risks posed by al Qaeda's online campaign do not justify attempting to impose controls that could be costly to enforce and produce unintended consequences. However, the situation warrants continued monitoring for signals of new dangers.
Journal Article
Describes commercially available products and services designed to convey personal health information in emergencies.
Journal Article
A novel and important issue in contemporary security policy is the impact of natural disasters on terrorism. Natural disasters can strain a society and its government, creating vulnerabilities which terrorist groups might exploit.
Research Brief
Discusses how to design a distribution network that takes advantage of the respective strengths of different modes of transportation to meet combatant command needs while minimizing total supply chain costs.
Report
As challenging as coalition warfare is during conventional conflicts, the difficulties are compounded in number and character when the contingency is instead a stability operation. The absence of a threat that puts survival interests at risk translates into weaker commitment and more-restrictive caveats on how a participant's capabilities are employed.
Report
Explores the relationship between natural disasters and terrorism and investigates and clarifies causal links between terrorism, female labor force participation, and larger gender disparities in the labor market.
Commentary
In focusing on the Haqqani network—which enjoys little popular support in Afghanistan—the United States is neglecting the more important (and difficult) task of dealing with the Taliban sanctuary in Pakistan's Baluchistan Province, writes Seth G. Jones.
Report
Document submitted on November 1, 2011 as an addendum to testimony presented before the House Armed Services Committee, Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, on June 22, 2011.
Report
Coal-fired electricity generating units (EGUs) provide about 46 percent of the electricity generated in the U.S., yet most of the existing coal-fired electricity fleet is 25–45 years old. Can the industry maintain the capability to design, construct, and operate coal-fired EGUs within reasonable cost, schedule, performance, environmental, and quality expectations?
Report
Violent drug-trafficking organizations in Mexico produce, transship, and deliver into the U.S. tens of billions of dollars worth of narcotics annually. A Delphi exercise offers an assessment of the security situation in Mexico through the lens of existing research on urban unrest, historical insurgencies, and defense-sector reform.
Journal Article
Technology diffusion, geostrategic changes, and a proliferation of well-armed adversaries are forcing Washington to deal with a mix of counterinsurgency and counterterrorism and at the same time provide against traditional challenges.
Commentary
Though Awlaki will be difficult to replace—since he effectively coupled both propaganda and operations—al-Qaeda will continue to plan attacks overseas against Western targets, writes Seth Jones.
Research Brief
Describes how nonstructural measures -- such as incentives for home elevation, incentives for relocation to lower-risk areas, and restrictions on the use of floodplain land -- can make New Orleans less vulnerable to storm surge.
Commentary
Without the support of U.S. troops, the Afghan government would likely collapse to Taliban forces, backed by neighboring Pakistan, writes Seth G. Jones.
Commentary
By June 2002 the EU and its 15 member states had passed into law its first Framework Decision on Combating Terrorism. It set out legally binding actions to facilitate and harmonize counterterrorism efforts across the EU, writes Lindsay Clutterbuck.
Commentary
For most of the past decade, the U.S. has pursued policies with very little regard to the costs they impose on travelers or the net reduction in risk that they generate, writes K. Jack Riley.
Report
The EC Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General commissioned RAND Europe to provide support in developing a comprehensive data strategy for DG SANCO that meets the needs of increasingly evidence-based policymaking in the future.
Commentary
A typical Iranian has many reasons to disobey the government, whether he or she is young, an ethnic minority, a poor teacher or laborer, or a struggling student, writes Alireza Nader.
Report
This book identifies the procedures and capabilities that the U.S. Department of Defense, other agencies of the U.S.government, and its allies and partners require to support the transition from counterinsurgency to conditions of greater stability.
Report
This book examines six case studies of insurgencies from around the world to determine the key factors in the successful transition from counterinsurgency toward stability.
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