International Diplomacy

Taiwan
commentary
Ambiguity Has Its Uses
Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr
Sep 24, 2020
Foreign Affairs
As China's thirst to resolve the Taiwan issue intensifies, the United States' halfhearted commitment to the island will become increasingly perilous: too weak to deter Chinese aggression but strong enough to drag the United States into a war. No U.S. approach to Taiwan will offer a perfect guarantee of peace. But the United States has many options short of the provocative, costly, and diplomatically risky step of an unconditional security pledge.
Read More »

Middle East
commentary
In the Middle East, Russia and China Expand Their Influence
Ali Wyne, Colin P. Clarke
Sep 18, 2020
Lawfare
While the United States is concerned primarily about a resurgent China's inroads in the Middle East, it is also nervous about the gambits of a revanchist Russia. As the United States decides when and how to contest China and Russia—in and beyond the Middle East—it will have to resist alarmism as vigorously as complacency.
Read More »
Wildfires
blog
Wildfires, America's Wealth Gap, Screening for COVID-19 at Work: RAND Weekly Recap
Sep 18, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on the growing risk of wildfires, how Americans' incomes have grown (or not), workplace screenings for COVID-19 symptoms, and more.
Read More »
International Diplomacy
commentary
The Lost Generation in American Foreign Policy
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins, Gabrielle Tarini @gabbytarini
Sep 15, 2020
The Hill
Throughout the 55 years following World War II, successive U.S. administrations racked up major foreign policy successes at an average rate of about once a year. Since 2001, the pace of foreign policy achievement has fallen to once every four years. The result has been a lost generation in American foreign policy.
Read More »
Afghanistan
commentary
The Islamic State in Afghanistan Is Down, but Not Out
Abdul Sayed, Colin P. Clarke
Sep 14, 2020
Newsweek
The Afghan Taliban is on the verge of entering into a power-sharing agreement with the Afghan government in a peace deal facilitated by the United States. Washington seems to be holding out hope that the deal will stabilize the country. But the Islamic State Khorasan Province remains a concern. The Islamic State in Afghanistan may be down, but it's not out.
Read More »
Security Cooperation
commentary
America's Indo-Pacific Vision Is Becoming a Reality—Because of China
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Sep 14, 2020
Nikkei Asian Review
The Trump administration's Indo-Pacific strategy has received a significant boost in recent months toward achieving its goal of keeping the region “free and open” from Chinese coercion. Ironically, China itself has been doing the boosting.
Read More »
Japan
commentary
What Abe Leaves Behind
Jeffrey W. Hornung
Sep 11, 2020
Defense One
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's unexpected resignation leaves several of his policy priorities unfinished, including revising Japan's constitution and finalizing a peace treaty with Russia. But the security issues facing Japan and the region remain unchanged, and Abe's successor may be forced to confront several of them on his very first day.
Read More »
Al Qaida
commentary
Is Ayman al-Zawahiri Really the Future of Al-Qaida?
Colin P. Clarke, Asfandyar Mir
Sep 11, 2020
Foreign Policy
Nineteen years after 9/11, al Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri has yet to achieve the household notoriety evoked by his immediate predecessor, Osama bin Laden. But even though Zawahiri has conjured less of a personality cult, al Qaida's current leader is just as dangerous to the United States as its old one.
Read More »
Globalization
blog
America's Declining Global Influence, COVID-19 and Schools, Pardoning Snowden: RAND Weekly Recap
Sep 11, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on America's declining status on the world stage, why schools need long-term plans to address COVID-19, what Shinzo Abe's resignation means for the U.S.-Japan alliance, and more.
Read More »
Japan
commentary
Abe's Resignation Could Leave Japan Less Secure—and Destabilize Its U.S. Alliance
Zack Cooper, Jeffrey W. Hornung
Sep 8, 2020
Los Angeles Times
Under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's leadership, Japan tightened its alliance with the United States and took on a more proactive role in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world. His resignation, announced last month for health reasons, could very well leave Japan less secure and the U.S.-Japan alliance unstable.
Read More »
Security Cooperation
commentary
America Is Betting Big on the Second Island Chain
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Sep 8, 2020
The Diplomat
The United States has deep and abiding interests in the Second Island Chain. But China's growing influence in the region could complicate U.S. plans. Washington will almost certainly seek to strengthen security cooperation with Pacific Island states in the Second Island Chain and bolster defensive positions on U.S. territories in the region.
Read More »
Taiwan
commentary
Secretary Azar's Taiwan Visit Should Be Celebrated—for the Right Reasons
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Aug 21, 2020
South China Morning Post
HHS Secretary Alex Azar's August 9th visit to Taiwan should be celebrated by Taipei and Washington as it presents the latest evidence that bilateral relations are significantly strengthening. But Taiwan should view the United States' moves to bolster bilateral ties with some measure of trepidation. U.S. objectives with Taiwan over the past few years remain unclear.
Read More »
Political Reform Movements
blog
Radicalization, the Gender Pay Gap, Israel-UAE Deal: RAND Weekly Recap
Aug 21, 2020
This weekly recap focuses on the potential for a new era of radicalization, insights into the gender pay gap, why the Israel-UAE deal doesn’t merit the hype, and more.
Read More »
International Diplomacy
commentary
Why Israel-UAE Deal Doesn't Merit the Hype
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Aug 18, 2020
Al-Monitor
Some have called the Israel-UAE normalization agreement a geopolitical earthquake. But the hyperbole is not warranted; this deal is unlikely to be a strategic game changer in the Middle East.
Read More »
Belarus
commentary
The West's Role in Belarus
William Courtney @courtneywmh, Michael Haltzel
Aug 18, 2020
RealClearWorld
Belarus may be on the verge of political change. If allowed to help, how could the West support free and fair elections and the formation of a legitimate government?
Read More »
Fighter Aircraft
commentary
Russia's Su-57 Heavy Fighter Bomber: Is It Really a Fifth-Generation Aircraft?
Ryan Michael Bauer, Peter A. Wilson
Aug 17, 2020
The RAND Blog
Russia's Su-57 aircraft has been in development since 2002 and is considered a key part of Russia's arms export industry as a fifth-generation fighter. Despite continued Russian efforts to sell the aircraft, it is unlikely that a fully developed and full production–ready Su-57 will be available for sale before the late 2020s.
Read More »

Page 1 of 59

…

Quoted

The United States should find ways to deter Chinese aggression that don't involve making an unambiguous and costly military commitment to Taiwan. Short of such a guarantee, Washington can still make much more explicit that invading Taiwan will entail economic, political, and military consequences for China.

Michael J. Mazarr

Senior Political Scientist

Source: Foreign Affairs

The failure of the jihadists can be judged a victory—albeit a costly one—over an organized effort to instigate violence in the United States. The country, however, has not exhausted its inventory of disaffected young men (and women) who may, in the future, embrace jihadism or other extremist ideologies on offer to convey their discontent.

Brian Michael Jenkins

Senior Adviser to the RAND President

Source: The Hill

The Digital Divide and COVID-19

The Role of Allies and Partners in U.S. Military Strategy and Operations

When It Comes to U.S. Health Systems—Diversity Matters

Taiwan’s KMT May Have a Serious '1992 Consensus' Problem

Reducing the Transmission of COVID-19 in Schools

The Policy Currents Podcast

Measuring Wellbeing to Help Communities Thrive

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Planning for the Rising Costs of Dementia

Assessing and Articulating the Wider Benefits of Research

International Diplomacy

Ambiguity Has Its Uses

In the Middle East, Russia and China Expand Their Influence

Wildfires, America's Wealth Gap, Screening for COVID-19 at Work: RAND Weekly Recap

The Lost Generation in American Foreign Policy

The Islamic State in Afghanistan Is Down, but Not Out

America's Indo-Pacific Vision Is Becoming a Reality—Because of China

What Abe Leaves Behind

Is Ayman al-Zawahiri Really the Future of Al-Qaida?

America's Declining Global Influence, COVID-19 and Schools, Pardoning Snowden: RAND Weekly Recap

Abe's Resignation Could Leave Japan Less Secure—and Destabilize Its U.S. Alliance

America Is Betting Big on the Second Island Chain

Secretary Azar's Taiwan Visit Should Be Celebrated—for the Right Reasons

Radicalization, the Gender Pay Gap, Israel-UAE Deal: RAND Weekly Recap

Why Israel-UAE Deal Doesn't Merit the Hype

The West's Role in Belarus

Russia's Su-57 Heavy Fighter Bomber: Is It Really a Fifth-Generation Aircraft?

Connect

Contact Us

I am interested in

Follow

Stay Informed

Resources

Site Information