The RAND Blog

Democracy
commentary
African Dictators Have Been Losing Power—Some to Democratic Governments. Militaries Can Tip the Scales Toward Democracy
Nathaniel Allen, Alexander H. Noyes @alexhnoyes
Sep 16, 2019
The Washington Post Monkey Cage Blog
Africa's security forces most often make headlines when they commit atrocities, crack down on protesters, or seize power in coups. But Africa's troops can also contribute to democracy and peace when they lay down their arms or refuse orders to turn their guns against the people.
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Democracy
commentary
How Can the United States Support Democracies in the Former USSR?
Kenneth Yalowitz, William Courtney @courtneywmh
Sep 16, 2019
The National Interest
The West has only modest capacity to influence circumstances in most post-Soviet countries. In Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova, however, the West has the potential to make a real difference by supporting civil society and improved governance.
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Israel
commentary
Israel’s War with Iran May Be Going Too Far
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Sep 16, 2019
The National Interest
Israel has a right to defend itself from Iranian threats to its country. American leaders should consider balancing support for Israel's efforts to counter Iran with firm redlines about activities negatively impacting American interests.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
Southeast Asia Loves ISIS, but Is the Feeling Mutual?
Zachary Abuza, Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke
Sep 16, 2019
Foreign Affairs
As the ISIS core in Iraq and Syria attempts to rebuild, Baghdadi and his lieutenants will have to make difficult decisions about where to allocate resources. Now that the caliphate is gone and ISIS must transform into an insurgency, the largely untested lands of Southeast Asia may yield rich rewards.
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Pharmaceutical Drugs
commentary
The Promise and Peril of Offshoring Prescription Drug Pricing
Andrew W. Mulcahy
Sep 16, 2019
The Hill
Most Americans, including Congress and the president, agree that prescription drug prices are too high. Policy proposals from both major parties could promise some relief. Several of them look to drug prices in other countries to help set prices in the United States.
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Social Determinants of Health
commentary
New Data on How We're Measuring a Culture of Health
Alonzo L. Plough, Anita Chandra
Sep 13, 2019
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health blog
We are seeing small but positive changes in the appreciation of the social determinants of health and the need for broader community health investments. People are expanding their views of what influences health and there have been some targeted improvements in health care and public health access. Yet, the critical systemic changes needed for more transformative health improvements have been slower to follow.
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Civil-Military Relations
commentary
Americans Have Faith in the Military, but They Don't Understand It
Paula G. Thornhill
Sep 13, 2019
The National Interest
The U.S. military is a central element of America's power and history. It dominates discretionary spending and remains the country's most trusted institution. However, it is peripheral to the daily life of most citizens.
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Hurricanes
blog
Hurricane Dorian, Al Qaeda, Veterans' Health: RAND Weekly Recap
Sep 13, 2019
This weekly recap looks at Hurricane Dorian recovery, al Qaeda 18 years after 9/11, veterans' mental health care, and more.
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Taiwan
commentary
A Tale of Two Cities China Ignores at Its Peril
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Sep 12, 2019
South China Morning Post
Beijing may believe that, eventually, Taiwanese politics will turn in its favor. But it should consider experiences from the other two territories currently living under the formula—Hong Kong and Macau—to better understand why “one country, two systems” will never work in Taiwan, regardless of politics.
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Crime and Violence Prevention
commentary
'Stand Your Ground' Laws May Be Causing More Harm Than Good
Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral, Rosanna Smart @RosannaSmart
Sep 12, 2019
Orlando Sentinel
Americans have debated whether “stand your ground” laws or gun-free zones make us safer or less safe for decades. These are debates about factual matters that are, in principle, knowable. Without research on these and other topics, bad laws will inadvertently be passed or retained.
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Artificial Intelligence
commentary
A Code of Conduct for AI in Defense Should Be an Extension of Other Military Codes
Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc
Sep 11, 2019
Friends of Europe's Debating Security Plus 2019 Programme
An AI code of conduct for defense should look a lot like all other defense codes of conduct. A global society that would create the Geneva Convention is a society that believes in a moral code for warfare. This same code could extend into its weaponized algorithms.
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Environmental Pollution
commentary
We Built an App to Detect Areas Most Vulnerable to Life-Threatening Haze
Tianjia Liu, Miriam Elizabeth Marlier, Jonathan J. Buonocore, Loretta J. Mickley, Ruth S. DeFries
Sep 10, 2019
The Conversation
Forest and land-use fires are ravaging Indonesia's Sumatra and Kalimantan islands. Haze from these fires is life-threatening; inhaling smoke can cause heart and respiratory diseases, leading to premature deaths. We developed a new tool to provide decisionmakers with information to protect people who live downwind.
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Political Reform Movements
commentary
Why Ethiopia Sailed While Zimbabwe Sank
Hilary Matfess, Alexander H. Noyes @alexhnoyes
Sep 9, 2019
Foreign Policy
At a time when outside powers are calibrating how they respond to political transitions around the world, the divergent paths of Ethiopia and Zimbabwe illustrate their precariousness and offer lessons for how the international community can support democratization processes in Africa and beyond.
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Military Doctrine
commentary
Anticipating a New Russian Military Doctrine in 2020: What It Might Contain and Why It Matters
Dara Massicot @MassDara
Sep 9, 2019
War on the Rocks
The United States and its allies should anticipate the possibility of an updated Russian military doctrine as early as 2020. Evaluating this document closely is important for understanding Russian threat perceptions and the leadership's methods to address those threats.
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Disaster Recovery Operations
commentary
Hurricane Recovery in the Bahamas: Turning Good Intentions into Good Decisions
Melissa L. Finucane @MelissaFinucane, Joie D. Acosta
Sep 6, 2019
The RAND Blog
Recovery in the Bahamas will have to be a balancing act. Plans will need to allow for transition toward long-term strategic goals for the nation, but also be mindful of not perpetuating inequities.
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277

Turkey's Nationalist Course and How It Affects U.S.-Turkish Relations

U.S. Airport Infrastructure Funding and Financing

How Washington Could Make Beijing Listen on Xinjiang

U.S.-Turkish Relations, Airports, Opioids: RAND Weekly Recap

Built to Last: Planning and Funding Resilient Infrastructure

The Policy Currents Podcast

Helping Children Cope with Trauma: A School-Based Intervention

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

Addressing the Invisible Wounds of War

Helping Coastal Communities Plan for Climate Change

The RAND Blog

African Dictators Have Been Losing Power—Some to Democratic Governments. Militaries Can Tip the Scales Toward Democracy

How Can the United States Support Democracies in the Former USSR?

Israel’s War with Iran May Be Going Too Far

Southeast Asia Loves ISIS, but Is the Feeling Mutual?

The Promise and Peril of Offshoring Prescription Drug Pricing

New Data on How We're Measuring a Culture of Health

Americans Have Faith in the Military, but They Don't Understand It

Hurricane Dorian, Al Qaeda, Veterans' Health: RAND Weekly Recap

A Tale of Two Cities China Ignores at Its Peril

'Stand Your Ground' Laws May Be Causing More Harm Than Good

A Code of Conduct for AI in Defense Should Be an Extension of Other Military Codes

We Built an App to Detect Areas Most Vulnerable to Life-Threatening Haze

Why Ethiopia Sailed While Zimbabwe Sank

Anticipating a New Russian Military Doctrine in 2020: What It Might Contain and Why It Matters

Hurricane Recovery in the Bahamas: Turning Good Intentions into Good Decisions

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