The RAND Blog

commentary

Cutting the Islamic State's Money Supply

Airstrikes have hit ISIL tanker trucks, oil fields, refineries, and banks, but it would be a mistake to view the group as a poor man's version of its old self. New steps are needed to counter its multi-million dollar taxation and extortion machine.

Eric Robinson @RobinsonEricD

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Inspiring Better Teacher Planning and Instruction or Just Adding Noise?

Teachers can and should have the freedom to select and develop at least some of their own instructional resources. But whether sites like Amazon Inspire will actually save teachers time and help them find high-quality resources is up for debate.

Julia H. Kaufman @juliahkaufman

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A Spotlight on the Supreme Court, and Its Vacancy

More than four months have passed since President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. In a time of contentious politics, a clear majority of Americans want the court to have a full bench. But they appear unlikely to get it soon.

Geoffrey McGovern

commentary

Points to Consider When Using Surveys of Cancer Patients

Patient surveys provide unique insights for improving cancer care quality and new opportunities for research. However, features of survey populations such as sampling and early mortality should be accounted for when analyzing the findings.

Catherine L. Saunders, Gary A. Abel

commentary

The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Intelligence Agencies

The defense community has already begun a healthy dialogue about the ethics of AI in combat systems. The intelligence community should develop standards for AI risk assessments and assign responsibility for conducting them.

Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc

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'In the Deployment Life Study, I Saw My Own Family'

RAND's Deployment Life Study was designed to examine how deployment affects the health and well-being of military families. M.M. Smith, an active-duty military spouse, offers her response to the study.

M. M. Smith

commentary

Is America's Crisis 'System' in Crisis?

The United States has made life-saving progress on crisis support for veterans. Now other suicide prevention services need help. Progress made by the VA could provide a blueprint for improving suicide prevention services for all Americans.

Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand

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Fatal Crash Shouldn't Kill Self-Driving Cars

The first known fatality in an autonomous vehicle occurred on May 7 and raises important questions. It does not, however, mean that self-driving cars are less safe than human drivers or that development of the technology should be stopped.

Nidhi Kalra

blog

Froman and Shatz Discuss U.S. Trade Policies, Brexit Implications

Days before British citizens voted to exit the EU, RAND experts and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman gathered to discuss U.S. international economic policies that can expand strategic options, as well as the potential implications of Brexit.

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NATO's Russia Problem: The Alliance's Tough Road Ahead Post-Warsaw Summit

NATO emerged from Warsaw more unified than some had predicted it would, especially after the shock of Brexit. But with strained economies, rising populism, and persistent threats from the East and the South, NATO still faces an uphill battle.

Christopher S. Chivvis, Stephen J. Flanagan

commentary

This Is the Problem with Trying to Destroy the Islamic State

Would counterterrorism forces be better served by containing terrorist groups instead of attempting to destroy them? Dismantling and destroying the Islamic State and similar organizations is a worthy strategic goal, but policymakers must also be prepared to limit the effectiveness of splinter groups as they emerge in the aftermath.

Colin P. Clarke, Chad C. Serena

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It's Getting Harder to Define Military Readiness. Here's What to Do About It.

Focusing on one type of threat or the other — whether state or non-state in its general nature — is becoming a less tenable option as the United States considers how to assess and improve its military readiness.

Chad C. Serena, Colin P. Clarke

q&a

RAND Experts Q&A on the Iran Nuclear Deal, One Year Later

Looking back on the past year, five RAND experts respond to a series of critical questions about the Iran nuclear deal, its implementation, and potential challenges ahead.

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Is the Surge in Terrorist Attacks Coincidence or Coordinated Campaign?

Whatever the investigations of recent terrorist attacks reveal, the facts may be portrayed (or ignored) to fit narratives written even before the blood has dried.

Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

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A Sweet Fix to Tackling Obesity in the UK?

It is hard to tell whether or not the new sugar tax proposed in the UK budget will actually make a difference. There is no conclusive proof that a tax on sugar-based beverages leads to reductions in obesity levels.

Marco Hafner