Collapse in Afghanistan: Early Insights from RAND Researchers
The sudden end to America's longest war came as the Taliban rolled into Kabul and the government collapsed. RAND researchers share their thoughts on how to help displaced Afghans, whether the country could again become a safe haven for terrorists, and the geopolitical implications of the collapse.
Aug 17, 2021
Abraham Accords Offer Historic Opportunity to Spur Mideast Growth
The Abraham Accords have heralded a dramatic shift in the relationship between Israel and the Muslim nations of the world. While these accords represent a major political breakthrough, they also represent a possible new chapter in the region's development: away from conflict and toward a shared economic vision of prosperity.
Mar 25, 2021 United Press International
Iraq at the Crossroads
The protests gripping Iraq pose an extraordinary challenge to Baghdad's political leadership, which must move the country ahead or step aside. Unless it finds the will to compromise for the common good, the governing class could risk thrusting the country into civil war.
Dec 18, 2019 Fox News Channel
Stabilization Is Essential to Accomplishing the Mission
There's good reason to hope that the forthcoming policy on stabilization in places like Iraq will get the United States to the right middle road. But this new effort will fall short if Congress doesn't maintain the necessary funding for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Apr 24, 2018 The RAND Blog
Political Warfare Is Back with a Vengeance
The United States' principal adversaries are fighting and gaining ground by employing a host of tactics short of all-out war. This form of warfare, once called political warfare, is back with a vengeance, empowered by new tools and techniques.
Apr 13, 2018 The National Interest
If We Don't Get the Peace Right, Iraq Will Slide Back into the Morass
Actions taken now by the United States, the Iraqi government, and private parties could determine the war-torn country's future. The message the Sunnis receive in these next six months will determine whether Iraq is on the path to stability.
Feb 12, 2018 Newsweek
Managing Chaos in an Era of Great Power Competition
As Washington policymakers seek a new strategic course, U.S. national security strategy should not neglect the importance of competition short of armed conflict. A U.S. strategy that incorporates this perspective from the beginning could manage chaos at a reasonable cost.
Sep 5, 2017 War on the Rocks
Moving Beyond Mosul
The Islamic State group has been defeated in Mosul. But this military routing isn't enough to ensure lasting stability, either in Mosul or in Iraq more broadly. What comes next will require careful planning, diplomacy, implementation, and coordination.
Jul 18, 2017 U.S. News & World Report
SOF's Evolving Role: Warfare 'By, With, and Through' Local Forces
U.S. special operations forces are not providing the muscle of the frontline combat troops fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Instead, they are providing meaningful support to the various indigenous forces. If they succeed, this model could become a standard option in the U.S. military playbook.
May 9, 2017 The Cipher Brief
The Need for a Strategy from the Trump Administration
The Trump administration needs to articulate its policy toward Syria and Russia and its campaign to counter the Islamic State group. A coherent national security strategy could steer the U.S. through these complex problems.
Apr 10, 2017 Newsweek
To Take Raqqa, the U.S. Must Work with Its Partner in the Fight Against the Islamic State Group
Turkey strongly opposes the U.S. bid to arm the Syrian Kurds. Rushing into Raqqa without reaching agreement with Turkey would jeopardize larger U.S. regional and even global geopolitical objectives.
Mar 13, 2017 U.S. News & World Report
Stabilizing Mosul After the Battle Against ISIS
U.S.-backed Iraqi forces have retaken the east bank of Mosul and are planning to take the west soon. The military operations that oust ISIS are crucial to the city's liberation but failing to get the civilian response right risks a widening civil war.
Feb 9, 2017 Newsweek
ISIS vs Special Ops
However critical to the fight against ISIS, using special operations forces for raids represents only half of the needed military adjustment. The other half is the effort to build indigenous forces capable of taking and holding territory in Iraq and Syria.
Dec 8, 2015 Foreign Affairs
Book Review: 'God Is Not Here' by Bill Russell Edmonds
'God Is Not Here' shows how not to send a soldier to war. The experience is searing and often brutal, and only a well-led, well-trained, cohesive unit can help servicemen and servicewomen do their duty and survive both mentally and physically.
May 19, 2015 New York Times
The Future of Blackwater and Other Guns for Hire
The story of how private military security companies came to play a pivotal role in wartime operations is an important one, and Ann Hagedorn, a former reporter for the Journal, was right to take it on.
Oct 28, 2014 The Wall Street Journal
RAND Experts Discuss U.S. Strategy on ISIS
President Obama outlined a strategy last week to deal with the threat posed by the terrorist group known as ISIS. RAND experts discuss the speech and the follow-up efforts so far.
Sep 15, 2014
Train Afghans, Corral Al Qaeda: America's Enduring Mission in Afghanistan
The mission of preventing al Qaeda from threatening the U.S. is an enduring one that will require a long-term commitment not just to counterterrorism, but to training, advising, and assisting Afghan forces so that they are better able to prosecute their own campaign against terrorists.
Feb 11, 2014 Breaking Defense
Five Profound Choices Special Ops Face Next Year
If 2013 was the year of decisions, 2014 will be the year special operations forces implement their roadmap for the future. But where exactly does that road lead? The trajectory will be determined by several budgetary and policy choices that the U.S. military, policymakers and Congress will make in 2014.
Nov 1, 2013 Breaking Defense
The Downside of Drones
The chief political drawback is that target countries' populations view drone attacks as violations of their sovereignty every bit as much as manned raids. The chief military drawback: A drone attack destroys the critical intelligence that is needed to ensure that the tactical strike can be converted to strategic advantage.
Nov 1, 2013 U.S. News & World Report
The Future of Counterterrorism: Fewer Drones, More Partnerships
Drones are just one of three principal U.S. counterterrorism tools. Special Operations forces are now relying on a more balanced mix of tactics: Launching raids and developing partner forces offer more versatility than drone strikes and will probably become the wave of the future as America's big wars wind down.
Oct 21, 2013 The Washington Post
Special Ops Global Whack-a-Mole
A new model for our nation's special forces could follow the approach used in Colombia and the Philippines, where special forces planned ongoing campaigns that use numerous advisory, civil affairs, and informational activities to address those governments' weaknesses in providing security and ending conflicts.
Apr 8, 2013 USA Today and CFR
