The RAND Blog

Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
U.N. Peacekeeping Is a Good Deal for the U.S.
Heather Peterson
Apr 2, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Why should America spend taxpayer dollars on foreign peacekeepers when it could use the money to increase the capabilities of its own military? It turns out that U.N. peacekeepers are an incredibly good deal when compared to U.S. forces.
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Cyber Warfare
commentary
Why It's So Hard to Stop a Cyberattack — and Even Harder to Fight Back
Christopher S. Chivvis, Cynthia Dion-Schwarz
Mar 30, 2017
Zócalo Public Square and the Berggruen Institute
Cyber weapons attack the underlying network or computer systems. The possibility of unexpected effects in the cyber world is therefore greater than in conventional warfare. Not knowing if the effects were intentional complicates the response.
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commentary
Belarus: Between Russia and the West
Kenneth Yalowitz, William Courtney @courtneywmh
Mar 29, 2017
The National Interest
Public demonstrations in Minsk and across Russia hint that winds of political change and disillusionment with stagnation and corruption may be reaching both countries. Their leaders will blame the West, try to ride out the protests and, despite differences, will likely stick together.
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United Kingdom
commentary
Brexit and the Politics of Raising Barriers
Charles P. Ries @charles_ries
Mar 29, 2017
Newsweek
A lot is known about bringing new members into alliances and trade relationships. Not much is known about dismantling these bonds peaceably. Since Brexit will be more about adding barriers than taking them down, it will be a leap into the dark.
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European Union
commentary
Sixty Years Later European Integration Has Benefited EU Countries
Stijn Hoorens @StijnHoorens
Mar 28, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Sixty years after the Treaty of Rome, the EU is facing one of its most challenging periods. Closer ties and shared values across EU member states have provided social and economic benefits but any moves towards closer integration in Europe will fail to materialize in the absence of political will.
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Disadvantaged Students
commentary
The Urgent Need for an Education Plan in Mosul
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Mar 27, 2017
Fox News Channel
In addition to restoring Mosul's damaged infrastructure, efforts to stabilize the city must include a plan to rebuild education. Students need to make up years of missed K-12 and university education, and ISIS indoctrination needs to be undone.
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commentary
Strategic Consequences of U.S. Withdrawal from TPP
Timothy R. Heath
Mar 27, 2017
The Cipher Brief
America's withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership has exacerbated doubts about U.S. international leadership and America's role in Asia. Future trade agreements could face similar fates until they do a better job outlining how domestic workers can prosper.
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Russia
commentary
What Americans Need to Know if Russia Intervenes in Libya's Civil War
Christopher S. Chivvis, Amanda Kadlec
Mar 26, 2017
Fortune
Indications that Russia could intervene militarily in Libya's civil war are growing. If it does, the Trump White House will face a tangle of unpleasant choices with far-reaching consequences.
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North Korea
commentary
Murder, Missiles, and Messages from North Korea
Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett
Mar 24, 2017
RealClearWorld
Pyongyang launched a ballistic missile on February 12 — one day before Kim Jong Nam, half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was murdered in Malaysia — and four more on March 6. What would lead North Korea to carry out these provocations?
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
commentary
Al Qaeda in Syria Can Change Its Name, but Not Its Stripes
Colin P. Clarke
Mar 23, 2017
The Cipher Brief
Al Qaeda in Syria, by any name, remains a dangerous and capable terrorist organization with the ability to conduct attacks in the West. Those seeking to grapple with the threat the group poses should focus less on its names and more on its actions.
Read More »
The Internet
commentary
Reining in Internet Abuse
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Mar 23, 2017
Inside Sources
The internet is being used for harmful, unethical, and illegal purposes. Examples include incitement and recruitment by terrorists, cyber bullying, and malicious fake news. Americans say they are unhappy with the tone of the online discourse, but are reluctant to consider potential remedies.
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Chemical Weapons and Warfare
commentary
Holding Bashar al-Assad Accountable for Chemical Weapons Use in Syria
Natasha Lander
Mar 22, 2017
The National Interest
With two no votes from China and Russia, the UN Security Council failed to pass a resolution punishing Syrian officials for their roles in chlorine attacks in 2014 and 2015. Leadership from the United States on this issue could show allies that despite a change in government, the U.S. remains committed to holding those who use chemical weapons accountable.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Why China Will Not Unify with Taiwan by 2020 — and Beijing Lacks Compelling Military Options
Timothy R. Heath
Mar 21, 2017
Lawfare
The prospects for peaceful unification of China and Taiwan continue to dim. Nothing Beijing has tried to woo or coerce Taiwan has worked. For those determined to compel Taiwan's unification, military subjugation remains a last option. But it would only worsen China's security environment.
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Teachers and Teaching
commentary
Cambridgeshire Is at the Heart of England's Teacher Shortage Problem
Miriam Broeks, Julie Belanger
Mar 21, 2017
Education Media Centre
Teacher shortages could be a real threat in Cambridgeshire, unless larger numbers of secondary school teachers are attracted and retained. There are simply too few new teachers replacing those who retire, with this gap being even more pronounced in STEM subjects.
Read More »
Military Strategy
commentary
Thinking Constructively About Overmatch
Robert W. Button
Mar 21, 2017
RealClearDefense
To regain military superiority the Pentagon has suggested a strategy that focuses on emerging technologies and deterrence. But it will need more than new technologies to deter and respond to aggression; it should also take into account grand strategy and acquisition considerations and keep countering Russia and China a top priority.
Read More »

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Quoted

Moscow wants to annex large parts of Ukraine, it wants to demilitarize the country so that the government cannot fight against its actions, and it wants a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv. The sad reality is that annexing four regions is unlikely to be the end of Russia's mission in Ukraine, but just one phase in Putin's much longer project. Both Ukraine and its backers must be prepared for a protracted war.

Dara Massicot

Senior Policy Researcher

Source: Foreign Affairs

The strength of NATO is that it is at its essence an ongoing consultation based on trust, and where needed a central meeting point for smaller groups of allies to collaborate on an issue-by-issue basis. Finland and Sweden could benefit by working from the outset to advance the dialogue, express their interests, and help to shape what can be a stronger, smarter NATO.

Gene Germanovich

International Defense Researcher

Source: United Press International

Where Has China Sent Weapons and Security Contractors?

Russia's Evolving Use of Information Confrontation

How Russia's Nuclear Double Cross of Ukraine Teaches Dangerous Lessons

Russian Forces in Ukraine: Muddling Through

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy with Research

The Policy Currents Podcast

Improving Psychological Wellbeing and Work Outcomes in the UK

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

The RAND Blog

U.N. Peacekeeping Is a Good Deal for the U.S.

Why It's So Hard to Stop a Cyberattack — and Even Harder to Fight Back

Belarus: Between Russia and the West

Brexit and the Politics of Raising Barriers

Sixty Years Later European Integration Has Benefited EU Countries

The Urgent Need for an Education Plan in Mosul

Strategic Consequences of U.S. Withdrawal from TPP

What Americans Need to Know if Russia Intervenes in Libya's Civil War

Murder, Missiles, and Messages from North Korea

Al Qaeda in Syria Can Change Its Name, but Not Its Stripes

Reining in Internet Abuse

Holding Bashar al-Assad Accountable for Chemical Weapons Use in Syria

Why China Will Not Unify with Taiwan by 2020 — and Beijing Lacks Compelling Military Options

Cambridgeshire Is at the Heart of England's Teacher Shortage Problem

Thinking Constructively About Overmatch

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