Politics and Government

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Human Rights Issues in Russia May Offer U.S. Leverage

The 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights reminds us of how much human rights diplomacy has reshaped and enriched international relations. Inspired by this, Washington might pursue more proactive human rights diplomacy with Moscow. If the United States takes this path, how might it proceed?

William Courtney @courtneywmh

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Cherish Allies While You Can: What Should the U.S. Do To Support the Incoming Polish Government?

Plenty has been said about what lessons Poland's recent elections hold for pro-democracy forces across the wider West, as well as the message this election sends about a feared inevitability of autocracy, and the significance of this opposition win for European security. But what does the election of an opposition alliance mean for U.S. relations with Warsaw?

Krystyna Marcinek @KMMarcinek

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Dismantling the Disinformation Business of Chinese Influence Operations

Some commercial actors benefit from involvement in Chinese influence operations. What steps could the U.S. government take to address this?

Bilva Chandra, Lev Navarre Chao

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Trauma in the Intelligence Community, Climate Change, Cybersecurity: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the toll that trauma takes in the intelligence community, how climate change will affect the federal budget, why it may be time for a new cybersecurity standard, and more.

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UFO Research Is Only Harmed by Antigovernment Rhetoric

There is an undercurrent of conspiracy theory and, relatedly, antigovernment sentiment brewing around the issue of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). If it grows, it could prove toxic to any factual and scientific discussion of UAPs.

Marek N. Posard @mnposard, Caitlin McCulloch

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Teacher Pay, the Costs of Insomnia, Wildfire Prevention: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on teachers' dissatisfaction with their pay and work hours, the staggering costs of insomnia, connections between wildfires and food insecurity., and more.

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How to Put RAND Findings on Veteran Support for Extremism in Context

A RAND survey found that U.S. veterans appeared to support extremist groups at a rate lower than the general population. In contrast, a new University of Maryland study found that veteran status was the most prominent characteristic among extremists involved in terrorism attacks with four or more victims.

Todd C. Helmus @Helmus, Ryan Andrew Brown, et al.

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U.S. and Israel on Parallel Paths

From the political roles of religious fundamentalism, to the inability of either side to find compromise with the other, to leaders facing legal struggles, the United States and Israel have a lot in common.

Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

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Private Military Contractors, Tibet's Prisons, Truth Decay: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on undermining Russia's private military contractors, what nighttime lighting reveals about the Chinese Communist Party's efforts to imprison Tibetans, how Truth Decay damages national security, and more.

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Truth Decay and National Security

Even if the U.S. national security apparatus can operate entirely outside of politics, it remains exposed to the effects of Truth Decay—the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life. Little work is being done to understand how severe the impact of Truth Decay is on national security and, more importantly, how to mitigate it.

Heather J. Williams @HeatherJWill, Caitlin McCulloch

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The Wagner Revolt, Housing in L.A., Cyberstalking: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the Wagner Group's power play against Russian leadership, how Truth Decay affects national security, why the U.S. legal system is underprepared to handle cyberstalking cases, and more.

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Truth Decay Is Putting U.S. National Security at Risk

Truth Decay—the diminishing role of facts and analysis in public life—could weaken the U.S. military, costs America credibility with its allies, and calls into question the nation's ability to respond to the next big crisis. How can the United States guard against these risks?

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An Emboldened West Confronts a Weakened Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin may remain in office for now, but his power—and Russia's—are ebbing. The West might take advantage of new opportunities.

William Courtney @courtneywmh

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Is Ecuador in the Middle of a Self-Coup?

On May 17, the president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, dissolved the country's legislature in the midst of impeachment proceedings against him. Did Ecuador just have a self-coup? The answer matters greatly for the country's democratic trajectory and for the international community's response.

Alexander Noyes @alexhnoyes

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Putin Is Following Brezhnev to a Dead End

Four decades ago, Leonid Brezhnev led the USSR into what many Soviets called the “era of stagnation.” Vladimir Putin is taking Russia down a similar path. The USSR tried to recover by turning to reform-minded leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, but too late. The USSR collapsed. Could Russia?

William Courtney @courtneywmh, Mark Stalczynski