The RAND Blog

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Southeast Asia Loves ISIS, but Is the Feeling Mutual?

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.

Zachary Abuza, Colin P. Clarke

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The Promise and Peril of Offshoring Prescription Drug Pricing

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.

Andrew W. Mulcahy @AndrewWMulcahy

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

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.

Alonzo L. Plough, Anita Chandra

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

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.

Paula G. Thornhill

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

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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A Tale of Two Cities China Ignores at Its Peril

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.

Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman

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

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.

Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral, Rosanna Smart @RosannaSmart

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

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.

Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc

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

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.

Tianjia Liu, Miriam E. Marlier, et al.

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Why Ethiopia Sailed While Zimbabwe Sank

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.

Hilary Matfess, Alexander Noyes

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

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.

Dara Massicot @MassDara

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

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.

Melissa L. Finucane @MelissaFinucane, Joie D. Acosta

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Social Manipulation, Boko Haram, Citizen Scientists: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap looks at hostile social manipulation, stopping the next Boko Haram, a citizen-science success story, and more.

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Al Qaeda Is Ready to Attack You Again

As al Qaeda continues to evolve, one of the most pressing questions is to what extent the group is still focused on attacking the West. Does the absence of spectacular attacks attributed to al Qaeda since 9/11 represent a lack of capability or merely a shift in priorities?

Colin P. Clarke, Charles Lister

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Saving Farmworkers from Slavery-Like Conditions, Field by Field

Those at the bottom of the European agricultural supply chain are vulnerable to abuse. The same was true in the tomato fields of Florida until recently. The solution developed there may offer a roadmap for doing right by workers in Europe.

Susan L. Marquis @susanlmarquis