April 2014

Ukraine
commentary
Exposing Russia's Covert Actions
Daniel Gonzales @gonzadan, Sarah Harting
Apr 29, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
It is paramount that U.S. and European officials and the people of Ukraine understand the true situation on the ground and the extent of covert Russian operations in eastern Ukraine.
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Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
commentary
10 Ways Innovation Could Help Cure the U.S. Health Spending Problem
Steven Garber
Apr 29, 2014
The Health Care Blog
Many studies grapple with how to control spending by considering changing how existing technologies are used. But what if the problem could be attacked at its root by changing which drugs and devices are invented in the first place?
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Maritime Piracy
commentary
Why the Dangerous New Turn for Piracy Matters
Anthony L. Russell
Apr 29, 2014
CNN
Off the western coast of Africa, just north of the equator, the Gulf of Guinea has endured piracy for decades. But recent spikes in new, more dangerous forms of piracy imply a troubling sense of invincibility in the minds of the perpetrators.
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Al Qaida
commentary
A Bigger, but Less Unified, al Qaeda
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Apr 25, 2014
The Hill
In the long run, al Qaeda might be able to reel in its more unreliable offspring, assert more control, demand their obedience, and call upon their resources to assist in global operations. But without a stronger center, that possibility seems remote.
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Passenger Traffic
commentary
Make HOT Lanes Permanent
Martin Wachs, Brian D. Taylor
Apr 23, 2014
Los Angeles Register
The first HOT lanes in L.A. have improved traffic flow and travel time reliability, are fair to users of the facilities, have improved transit service and have generated revenue needed to fund those improvements from voluntary toll payments.
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Military Acquisition and Procurement
commentary
Improving DHS Accountability for Acquisitions
Henry H. Willis @HenryHWillis, Jeffrey A. Drezner, Andrew R. Morral @AndrewMorral, Laura Patton
Apr 22, 2014
The RAND Blog
While management at the Department of Homeland Security progressed in many areas during the past decade, there is still plenty of room for growth and improvement, especially in the area of acquisition management.
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Affordable Care Act
commentary
Tracking the Affordable Care Act with the RAND Health Reform Opinion Study
Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman
Apr 22, 2014
RWJF's Human Capital Blog
The HROS uses panel data to track changes in public opinion regarding the ACA and insurance coverage. By surveying the same respondents each month, the HROS observes not only aggregate changes, but also individual changes in opinion or insurance coverage over time.
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Health Care Technology
commentary
Health Care Innovation: The Challenge Ahead
Jeffrey Wasserman
Apr 22, 2014
The RAND Blog
Substantial progress could be made toward the goals of reducing spending and increasing value by altering the financial incentives faced by inventors, investors, payers, providers, and patients.
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Parenting
commentary
Take Charge with Teens' Auto Safety
Jeffrey Wasserman
Apr 21, 2014
Orange County Register
Driving is a risk that virtually all of us take on a daily basis. But we can do much to mitigate risks and protect our children, our community, and ourselves.
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Operational Readiness
commentary
The U.S. Army Must Remain Prepared for Battle
Gian Gentile
Apr 18, 2014
The Washington Post
Converting the Army into a force suited only for homeland defense or humanitarian missions abroad, without the ability to fight sophisticated foes as part of a joint force, would result in an unprepared Army.
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Arms Proliferation and Control
commentary
Too Important to Fail
Rebecca Gibbons
Apr 18, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
Preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear weapons state would contribute to global security, and especially to the security and stability of the Middle East, but these are not the only considerations at hand.
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Ukraine
commentary
The Partition of Ukraine
Jana Kobzova, Svitlana Kobzar
Apr 17, 2014
openDemocracy
The argument for splitting Ukraine has little to do with either real divisions in the country or popular preferences. Until the Russian invasion of Crimea, the issue of separatism was simply absent from public debate.
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Health Care Reform
blog
RAND Health Reform Opinion Study: Few Changes After Open Enrollment
Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman
Apr 16, 2014
At the close of the ACA's open enrollment period, no significant changes in opinion were observed in the RAND Health Reform Opinion Study. This may be because open enrollment has no bearing on the health insurance of many people.
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
commentary
After Boston, Beware DIY Attacks: Front & Center
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Apr 16, 2014
Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel editorial writer Darryl E. Owens interviewed Brian Michael Jenkins, senior adviser to the president of RAND. They discussed last year's Boston Marathon bombing and the current threat of terrorist acts in the United States.
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Developing Countries
commentary
Maternal Deaths: Turning the Tide in a Nigerian State
Adeyemi Theophilus Okunogbe
Apr 16, 2014
The RAND Blog
Bold and innovative approaches are being developed in different parts of the African continent in the quest to reduce maternal mortality. A noteworthy example of this is the Abiye Safe Motherhood program in Ondo State, Nigeria.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
Why Ukraine Crisis Has China in a Bind
Christopher S. Chivvis, Bonny Lin
Apr 16, 2014
CNN
As much as China may wish to lean on Russia should Beijing find itself at odds with the United States, Xi seeks a new type of great power relationship with the United States that calls for mutual respect, no confrontation, and cooperation.
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Military Caregivers
commentary
Four Ways to Help Military Caregivers
Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand, Terri Tanielian
Apr 15, 2014
The RAND Blog
As momentum continues to build, stakeholders across the board should keep in mind four broad recommendations for how to help military caregivers.
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Russia
commentary
Will Putin Fall Victim to One of History's Classic Blunders?
David C. Gompert, Hans Binnendijk
Apr 15, 2014
Foreign Policy
Russia's annexation of Crimea is proving costly. If Putin thought seizing Crimea would make the rest of Eastern Europe deferential to Moscow, the opposite is occurring, as anti-Russian/pro-NATO sentiment surges throughout the region.
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Primary Care
commentary
Improving Physical Health Care for Adults with Serious Mental Illness
Deborah M. Scharf
Apr 14, 2014
The RAND Blog
A promising strategy for helping adults with serious mental illness gain access to appropriate primary and preventive medical services is to integrate those services into a setting in which the population already receives care.
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The Internet
commentary
Net Gain: Washington Cedes Control of ICANN
Stacie L. Pettyjohn
Apr 11, 2014
Foreign Affairs
Had the U.S. kept its fist clenched around ICANN, it would have undermined faith in the multistakeholder model of Internet governance and empowered the ITU. Instead, Washington has disarmed critics and helped ensure that the Internet will remain open and free.
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Pakistan
commentary
Book Review: A Reporter Analyzes the Driving Role of Pakistan in the Afghan War
Seth G. Jones
Apr 11, 2014
NYTimes.com
With its focus on Pakistan, Gall's “The Wrong Enemy” is a valuable contribution to a body of work on the American war in Afghanistan that has become stale and hackneyed. It provides a raw, unvarnished look at one of the darkest and least understood parts of the war.
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Recidivism
commentary
Sending Prisoners to College Will Save You Money
Lois M. Davis @LoisMDavis, Jennifer L. Steele
Apr 11, 2014
Newsday
Correctional education works for states because it saves money and shrinks prison populations. It works for prisoners, the public, law enforcement, and the judicial system because educated prisoners are less likely to return to their criminal ways once released.
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Military Force Planning
commentary
Don't Chop the Air Force — Look to the Reserves
Janine Davidson, Margaret C. Harrell
Apr 11, 2014
The Hill
The Air Force's latest budget plan proposes to cut 25,000 airmen. The recommendations made by the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force (NCSAF) offer an alternative — and less risky — way forward.
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Cybercrime
commentary
The Hackers' Bazaar
Lillian Ablon
Apr 11, 2014
Politico
Today's cyber black markets have evolved into playgrounds of financially driven, highly organized and sophisticated groups, often connected with traditional crime organizations.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
Russia Is Outmanned and Outgunned
David A. Shlapak
Apr 10, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
Despite the smaller number of U.S. troops in Europe, the military balance there is far more favorable to NATO today than it was when nearly 10 times as many American soldiers, sailors and airmen were stationed on the continent.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
Pentagon's Reliance on Europe Is 'Wishful Thinking'
Michael Shurkin, Christopher G. Pernin
Apr 9, 2014
Defense One
There needs to be more frank and precise thinking about the kind of support allies are able and willing to provide. Counting on Europeans even just to pull as much weight as they have in the past is an increasingly doubtful proposition.
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North Korea
commentary
North Korea's Latest Military Operations
Bruce W. Bennett @bwbennett
Apr 8, 2014
The RAND Blog
Whatever form of chest thumping comes next from Kim, it is clear that his goal is to put forward the appearance of strength and power, when in reality he faces instability at home and scorn from the international community.
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Affordable Care Act
commentary
Survey Estimates Net Gain of 9.3 Million American Adults with Health Insurance
Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman, Christine Eibner @Chrissyeibner
Apr 8, 2014
The RAND Blog
Early survey evidence indicates that the Affordable Care Act has already led to a substantial increase in insurance coverage. Consistent with the ACA's design, this gain in insurance has come not only from new enrollment in the marketplaces, but also from new enrollment in employer coverage and Medicaid.
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Democracy
commentary
The Importance of the Election in Afghanistan
S. Rebecca Zimmerman
Apr 7, 2014
The Doctrine
It is easy to assume the outcome of the race doesn't really matter for U.S. policy. But an ossifying government excludes and disenfranchises youth with new ideas. Without popular participation, Afghanistan's future becomes more prone to partisan cleavages and extremism.
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Cyber Warfare
commentary
Cyberwarfare Goes Wireless
Isaac R. Porche III
Apr 7, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
For American audiences and policymakers alike, cyber activities in Crimea provide a chilling reminder that cyberspace is emerging as a 21st-century global battlefield.
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Nuclear Deterrence
blog
RAND Conference: Iran in the Days After a Nuclear Deal
Apr 3, 2014
Expressing optimism that a deal to end Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons could succeed, experts said during a panel discussion at RAND that such an agreement could open the door to a new era for Iran, free of international sanctions but still cautious of relations with the U.S.
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Health Care Costs
commentary
Is the ACA Keeping a Lid on Growth in Healthcare Spending?
Chapin White
Apr 3, 2014
The Hill
Some point to the healthcare spending slowdown as an early success of the Affordable Care Act. Others warn that it's merely a hangover from the recession, and that the inevitable spending rebound will be exacerbated by the ACA coverage expansions.
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Health Care Workforce
commentary
How to Avert a Doctor Shortage
Michael D. Rich @michaeldrich
Apr 2, 2014
RAND Review and The Health Care Blog
Within the next decade, the United States may face a shortage of 130,000 physicians due to a growing, aging population and the anticipated demands of those newly insured under the ACA. This shortage can be alleviated by early creative interventions.
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Military Caregivers
commentary
Military Caregivers Are Hidden Heroes
Elizabeth Dole, Michael D. Rich @michaeldrich
Apr 2, 2014
USA Today
Right now there are 5.5 million wives, husbands, siblings, parents, children and friends devoted to the care of those injured fighting America's wars. Theirs is an all-consuming, emotionally draining task, one that has been driven for too long by loyalty and love, but little support.
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Base Realignment and Closure
commentary
Why the Pentagon Can't Bypass BRAC
Stacie L. Pettyjohn
Apr 1, 2014
Defense News
By trying to cut Congress out of the loop and bypass the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC), the Pentagon is more likely to antagonize Capitol Hill and undermine its efforts to make sensible cuts in defense spending.
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blog
Conaton Named Head of International Security and Defense Policy Center at RAND
Apr 1, 2014
Erin C. Conaton joined RAND this week as director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center. She has 15 years of experience in defense policy, programs and budgeting; military strategy; and military personnel policy and readiness.
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