The RAND Blog

Iran
commentary
Syria Changed the Iranian Way of War
Ariane M. Tabatabai @ArianeTabatabai
Aug 16, 2019
Foreign Affairs
As tensions rise between Washington and Tehran, the United States and its partners will begin to feel the effects of Iran's military transformation. To get a sense of the playbook that Tehran might consult in any future conflict with the United States, Washington should pay close attention to what the Iranians have learned in Syria.
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Japan
commentary
Japan's Hormuz Dilemma
Jeffrey W. Hornung
Aug 16, 2019
The Hill
With rising tensions between the United States and Iran, the United States wants to create a coalition to ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab, and wants Japan to join. While Japan is one of America's staunchest allies in the Indo-Pacific, any decision to support coalition efforts is likely to put Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a difficult position.
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Sleep
commentary
I'm a Sleep Specialist. Here's How I Prepare My Two Teenagers for the First Day of School.
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel
Aug 15, 2019
Thrive Global
Sleep deprivation has measurable negative effects on teens' behavior and health. Early school start times make it difficult for teens to get sufficient sleep. A sleep expert shares how she helps her teens transition from summer back to waking up early for school.
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India
commentary
India and Kashmir, Now One
Rafiq Dossani
Aug 13, 2019
United Press International
In a legally risky move that's already having consequences on the ground, the Modi government scrapped the part of the Indian constitution that gave Jammu and Kashmir special autonomous status. How consequential is this? And how should the international community react?
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Counterinsurgency
commentary
Making Headway Against the Sinai Insurgency
David E. Thaler, Yousuf Abdelfatah
Aug 12, 2019
Small Wars Journal
Since 2013 Egypt has been engaged in the Sinai peninsula against a deadly ISIS-affiliated insurgency. To make headway against militant groups on the peninsula, the Egyptian government could focus on providing services to its citizens there and repairing its relationship with them.
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North Korea
commentary
Searching for Signs of Doi Moi in North Korea
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman, Christian Curriden, Dung Huynh
Aug 12, 2019
38 North
President Trump's second summit with Kim Jong Un prompted voluminous commentary about whether Pyongyang might adopt the “Vietnam model” of economic reform and opening up, known as doi moi. Some version of doi moi is not impossible in North Korea, but it will likely be more difficult than it was in Vietnam and made all the more so by Kim's reluctance to risk losing absolute control.
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Taiwan
commentary
Making Sense of U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan
Scott W. Harold @ScottWHarold
Aug 9, 2019
Institut Montaigne
Why does the U.S. sell arms to Taiwan? And what is the impact on the cross-Strait military balance? Taiwan's arms purchase reflects a continuing concern over Beijing's military intentions; a balancing of operational and political considerations; a commitment by the United States to ensure that Taiwan can defend itself; and an American refusal to “stand down” in the face of China's aggressive behavior and coercion of Indo-Pacific democracies.
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Iran
commentary
Iran's Cooperation with the Taliban Could Affect Talks on U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan
Ariane M. Tabatabai @ArianeTabatabai
Aug 9, 2019
The Washington Post Monkey Cage Blog
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has acknowledged that his country has some level of cooperation with the Taliban. How did Iran's relationship with the Taliban come about? And how might it affect the future of U.S.-Taliban talks?
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Reagan's Cold War Lessons for Handling Russia
William Courtney @courtneywmh
Aug 9, 2019
RealClearWorld
Rising public protests in Russia may be putting the Kremlin on the defensive at home. But Moscow is playing offense abroad, challenging the West more than at any time since Ronald Reagan's presidency. Reagan's strategy to counter the Kremlin back then offers insights that could help guide U.S. policy today.
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India
commentary
Kashmir's Democracy—and the World's
Jonah Blank
Aug 8, 2019
The Atlantic
Prime Minister Narendra Modi just changed the status of the restive Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. This may be the most important event in an enormously volatile part of the world since the end of the last century, with repercussions that will extend far beyond Kashmir itself.
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Military Facilities
commentary
The Ramifications of China's Reported Naval Base in Cambodia
Timothy R. Heath
Aug 7, 2019
World Politics Review
China and Cambodia have reportedly signed a secret agreement allowing the Chinese navy to use a military facility near Ream, along Cambodia's southern coast, though both countries deny the reports. The installation of a Chinese military facility in Cambodia, if realized, would further complicate an already sensitive and tense situation in the region.
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Al Qaida
commentary
The Death of Hamza bin Laden Will Hurt al Qaeda
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke
Aug 2, 2019
Foreign Policy
Hamza bin Laden, the son of al Qaeda founder and architect of the 9/11 attacks Osama bin Laden, is reportedly dead. If true, this is more than just a symbolic loss for the terrorist organization.
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Decisionmaking
commentary
Measuring Up: How to Ensure Peer Review for Grant Applications Remains Up to the Mark
Daniela Rodriguez-Rincon, Susan Guthrie
Jul 26, 2019
Research Fortnight
Expert peer review is considered the gold standard for assessing the validity, significance and originality of research. When it comes to grant applications, however, peer review is not without its shortcomings. Addressing some of the challenges that peer review poses could ensure that the best research receives the financial support it deserves.
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China
commentary
Yes, Sam Huntington Has Insights to Guide U.S. Competition with China
Ali Wyne @Ali_Wyne
Jul 25, 2019
Financial Times
Many U.S. observers believe that the United States is declining relative to China. The United States' long-term competitiveness will be served neither by assuming that China is fated to collapse on account of its internal contradictions nor by presuming that it is destined to preside over a world order with Chinese characteristics. Sustainable strategy requires a measured disposition.
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Military Doctrine
commentary
The Insurgent Counter-Insurgent: The French Army's Hero and Some Truths About Modern Warfare
Michael Shurkin @MichaelShurkin
Jul 25, 2019
War on the Rocks
When asked about their heroes, one name comes up with French Army officers more than any other: Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc. Saint Marc lived an extraordinary life, to be sure. But his story also contains important lessons about modern warfare and counter-insurgency warfare in particular, the work of training local forces, and the imperative of aligning military means with realistic political objectives.
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Workforce Development
commentary
How Work-Based Learning Can Bring Employers and Students Together
Monica Mean, Gabriella C. Gonzalez @GabCGonzalez
Jul 24, 2019
The RAND Blog
Work-based learning experiences help college grads better prepare for work. WBL programs often serve as a workforce pipeline for companies. WBL is also successful at the K–12 level and at "upskilling" adult workers. There are several ways Congress could foster and strengthen WBL.
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235

Educators Turn to Colleagues for Help with Struggling Students

How to Improve Mental Health Care for Veterans

Syria Changed the Iranian Way of War

Japan's Hormuz Dilemma

Illicit Supply of Fentanyl and Other Synthetic Opioids

The Policy Currents Podcast

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Developing Strategies for Summer Learning

Getting to Know Military Caregivers and Their Needs

Helping Coastal Communities Plan for Climate Change

The RAND Blog

Syria Changed the Iranian Way of War

Japan's Hormuz Dilemma

I'm a Sleep Specialist. Here's How I Prepare My Two Teenagers for the First Day of School.

India and Kashmir, Now One

Making Headway Against the Sinai Insurgency

Searching for Signs of Doi Moi in North Korea

Making Sense of U.S. Arms Sales to Taiwan

Iran's Cooperation with the Taliban Could Affect Talks on U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Reagan's Cold War Lessons for Handling Russia

Kashmir's Democracy—and the World's

The Ramifications of China's Reported Naval Base in Cambodia

The Death of Hamza bin Laden Will Hurt al Qaeda

Measuring Up: How to Ensure Peer Review for Grant Applications Remains Up to the Mark

Yes, Sam Huntington Has Insights to Guide U.S. Competition with China

The Insurgent Counter-Insurgent: The French Army's Hero and Some Truths About Modern Warfare

How Work-Based Learning Can Bring Employers and Students Together

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