Politics and Government

Politics and Government
commentary
Terrorists on the Border and Government Secrecy
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins, Richard Daddario
Feb 13, 2019
The Hill
Detailed information on how many would-be terrorists may have sought to cross the southern border is being withheld on the grounds that it is sensitive. The refusal of officials to offer a fuller explanation of the numbers illustrates how the continued expansion of secrecy in government is damaging the ability of the public to assess the risk and evaluate the response.
Read More »

Personal Savings
commentary
What the Shutdown Revealed About the Fragility of American Life
Krishna B. Kumar @kbkumar_
Feb 11, 2019
RealClearPolicy
The government shutdown highlighted the lack of resilience many suffer from when they encounter unexpected economic events. The median American family has been losing ground for decades. Policy responses to address this situation will be complex and difficult, but are much needed.
Read More »
Politics and Government
commentary
Hezbollah Is in Venezuela to Stay
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke
Feb 11, 2019
Foreign Policy
Whatever the benefits of replacing the current Venezuelan regime with Washington's preferred alternative, Juan Guaidó, there's reason to doubt that it would change the country's problematic relationship with Hezbollah. Hezbollah is well-entrenched in Venezuela, where it has established a vast infrastructure for its criminal activities.
Read More »
Border and Port Security
commentary
The Wall Is Not the Only Answer
Blas Nunez-Neto
Feb 8, 2019
The Hill
The president and Congress have just days to negotiate an agreement over border security, or the government may shut down once again. Until a bipartisan effort is made to reform U.S. immigration laws, policy options to address the incentives that cause people to risk their lives to come to the border to claim asylum will continue to be limited.
Read More »
Iran
commentary
The Islamic Republic's Foreign Policy at Forty
Ariane M. Tabatabai @ArianeTabatabai
Feb 8, 2019
Atlantic Council
Forty years have passed since the Islamic Revolution. While Iran hasn't departed from its revolutionary roots, its foreign policy today is largely shaped by threat perceptions and interests, not ideology.
Read More »
United States
blog
State of the Union 2019: Insights from RAND
Feb 6, 2019
To shed light on a wide range of topics that figured in President Trump's second State of the Union address, we've rounded up insights from some of RAND's objective and nonpartisan research, analysis, and expertise.
Read More »
Democracy
commentary
Democratic Bright Spots in the South Caucasus
Denis Corboy, William Courtney @courtneywmh, Kenneth Yalowitz
Jan 23, 2019
The National Interest
Democratic bright spots are emerging in Armenia and Georgia despite their being wedged between less-than-democratic regional powers. Both countries seek to consolidate democratic gains and overcome poverty while managing daunting challenges from Russia and separatist conflicts. While pursuing these priorities, the countries deserve continued, strong Western support.
Read More »
Lebanon
commentary
Helping Lebanon Succeed Is More Than About Countering Iran
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Jan 16, 2019
The National Interest
As tensions increase on the Israeli-Lebanese border the possibility is growing that a confrontation with Iran may move from Syria to Lebanon. For the United States, turning its back on this small but strategically critical country and conflating U.S. interests in Lebanon solely with countering Iran could be short-sighted, and a missed opportunity at a time when the region has few.
Read More »
Politics and Government
commentary
Modern American Heroes: Let's Not Lose Sight of the Nameless Government Workers
Andrew R. Hoehn
Jan 14, 2019
USA Today
There are 800,000 government employees that aren't being paid during the partial U.S. government shutdown. These workers play a critical role in making America safer and more secure, healthier and more prosperous.
Read More »
Globalization
commentary
Questioning the Presumption of a U.S.-China Power Transition
Ali Wyne @Ali_Wyne
Jan 9, 2019
The Diplomat
The United States occupies the central role in a world order that, while under growing duress, remains a central organizing framework in world affairs. There are many trajectories along which U.S.-China relations might evolve if China aims to displace the United States for global pre-eminence.
Read More »
United States Department of Defense
commentary
Book Review: The Heart of War—Misadventures in the Pentagon by Kathleen McInnis
Jonathan P. Wong @jonpwong
Jan 8, 2019
War on the Rocks
Both Washington insiders and the general public may be inspired by Kathleen McCinnis's The Heart of War. The novel prompts readers to think more realistically about the Pentagon and its role in policymaking.
Read More »
International Diplomacy
commentary
The End of the End of History?
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Jan 8, 2019
The Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration has taken steps that represent a significant retreat from the norm-based, world order that the United States has championed since 1945. If this shift continues, what might be the impact?
Read More »
Taiwan
commentary
Is a Sustainable Peace Possible in the Taiwan Strait?
Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman
Jan 7, 2019
Foreign Policy
Between now and the next Taiwanese presidential election in 2020, the prospects of forging a sustainable peace between Taiwan and China are exceptionally low. Both Chinese President Xi and Taiwanese President Tsai are dug into their respective positions.
Read More »
The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
The United States Can't Rely on Turkey to Defeat ISIS
Colin P. Clarke @ColinPClarke, Ahmet S. Yayla
Jan 2, 2019
Foreign Policy
Relying on Turkey to shoulder the burden of countering the Islamic State will provide the terrorist group with an opportunity to revive itself at a critical stage in the fight. Turkey's main focus is on the Kurds and Erdogan's opposition. Eradicating the Islamic State is a secondary priority that has often been ignored.
Read More »
Globalization
blog
Most Popular RAND Blog Commentary of 2018
Dec 20, 2018
RAND experts publish hundreds of pieces of RAND Blog commentary every year, weighing in on pressing policy questions, breaking down current events, and untangling complex trends. To look back on some of the policy stories that defined the year, we've rounded up the RAND Blog pieces that resonated most with rand.org visitors.
Read More »
Cambodia
commentary
Does Nuon Chea Still Have No Regrets?
Shelly Culbertson @SC_Culbertson
Dec 19, 2018
The Diplomat
Nuon Chea was convicted of genocide in a tribunal in Phnom Penh in November for his role in the Cambodian genocide. Shelly Culbertson relays the story of her trip to interview him at his home in Pailin in 2003.
Read More »

Page 1 of 34

…

Politics and Government

Terrorists on the Border and Government Secrecy

What the Shutdown Revealed About the Fragility of American Life

Hezbollah Is in Venezuela to Stay

The Wall Is Not the Only Answer

The Islamic Republic's Foreign Policy at Forty

State of the Union 2019: Insights from RAND

Democratic Bright Spots in the South Caucasus

Helping Lebanon Succeed Is More Than About Countering Iran

Modern American Heroes: Let's Not Lose Sight of the Nameless Government Workers

Questioning the Presumption of a U.S.-China Power Transition

Book Review: The Heart of War—Misadventures in the Pentagon by Kathleen McInnis

The End of the End of History?

Is a Sustainable Peace Possible in the Taiwan Strait?

The United States Can't Rely on Turkey to Defeat ISIS

Most Popular RAND Blog Commentary of 2018

Does Nuon Chea Still Have No Regrets?

Contact Us

Follow