The RAND Blog

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The Limits of Russian Strategy in the Middle East

The greatest limitation of Russia's Middle East strategy is that it is not Russia, but the Middle Eastern states themselves that determine the depth of their relations with Moscow. Just as Russia seeks to engage in the Middle East for its own benefit, these states also seek to use Russia to their advantage.

Ben Connable, Becca Wasser

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How to Increase Participation in Workplace Health and Wellbeing Initiatives

Many employers are actively looking at ways to improve health and well-being in their workplaces. Increasing employee participation in health and wellness programs requires strategies to address health risks, engagement with staff, and buy-in and support from management.

Christian Van Stolk

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How Russia's Blunders Abroad Have Galvanized Europe

Russia overrates the efficacy of the military and underrates political and economic assets. Through this outdated prism the Kremlin sees Europe as America's weak sister. This miscalculation has led Russia repeatedly to err, as shown by decades of frustrated efforts to divide Europeans and split them from the U.S.

William Courtney @courtneywmh, Michael Haltzel

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The Strategic Fallout of U.S. Withdrawal from the Iran Deal

President Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear agreement. What will happen next? Friction between the United States and its European allies will likely increase, while Iran moves closer to China and Russia. Also, the resentment of a new generation of Iranians toward America is likely to grow.

Dalia Dassa Kaye

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The Greater Danger of U.S.-China Trade Tensions

Trade tensions between the United States and China could escalate into a full-blown trade war, with ramifications for economic ties and the global economy. The long-term danger, however, is that tensions could begin to undercut the interdependence that has been so essential to keeping strategic competition between the two giants in check.

Ali Wyne

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70 Years of Innovation at RAND

Seventy years ago, a group of researchers established the independent RAND Corporation. From the first satellite design, to helping ensure GPS as a public good, to laying the groundwork for the internet, RAND has been making a difference ever since.

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The U.S. Is Out of the Iran Deal. What Now?

Abandoning the nuclear agreement with Iran isolates the United States, reneges on an American commitment, adds to the risk of a trade war with U.S. allies and a hot war with Iran, and diminishes the prospects of an agreement to eliminate the North Korean threat.

James Dobbins

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Cluster Munitions and Rearming for Great Power Competition

The United States might need Cluster munitions, anti-personnel landmines, and tactical nuclear weapons to deter or defeat aggression. If policymakers choose to lift bans on these munitions, the ensuing policy restrictions might be tailored to address where these capabilities are necessary.

David E. Johnson

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Recalibrate, Rather Than Abandon, U.S. China Policy

China does not necessarily seek to succeed the U.S. as the world’s superpower, especially if such a mantle would impose on it real and/or perceived obligations for steering global affairs. What is the verdict, then, on America’s China policy, and where should the two countries go from here?

Ali Wyne

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Four Ways 3D Printing May Threaten Security

3D printing has the potential to improve lives. But it could also bring new perils, such as disrupting weapons regulations and jeopardizing manufacturing jobs. While there's reason to be cautious about this technology, there's also danger in overreacting and overregulating what could be a new era of innovation.

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Russia Chooses Autarchy—and Isolation—Over Cooperation

Russia says it is ending a centuries-long quest to join the West and preparing for “100 years of geopolitical solitude.” If Russia goes this way it will be because of its own unwise policies, not a Western cold shoulder.

William Courtney @courtneywmh

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What Do Meltdown, Spectre, and RyzenFall Mean for the Future of Cybersecurity?

Unlike most previous cyber threats, a new wave of vulnerabilities attack a computer's hardware, rather than its software. What does this mean for cybersecurity as a whole?

Andrew J. Lohn

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Toward One Understanding of Multiple Domains

The U.S. defense community can and should do what it can to get the most benefit from operating across domains. It just needs to remember to proceed carefully to discern between actual benefits and falsehoods that may do more harm than good.

Michael Spirtas

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Can Humans Survive a Faster Future?

Life is moving faster and faster. Just about everything—transportation, weapons, the flow of information—is accelerating. How will decisionmakers preserve our personal and national security in the face of hyperspeed?

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The Human Side of Artificial Intelligence: Q&A with Osonde Osoba

Osonde Osoba has been exploring AI since age 15. He says it's less about the intelligence and more about being able to capture how humans think. He is developing AI to improve planning and is also studying fairness in algorithmic decisionmaking in insurance pricing and criminal justice.