July 2014

United States
blog
A Summer Reading List for Congress
Jul 31, 2014
No matter how policymakers spend their break—meeting with home-state constituents, traveling abroad with congressional delegations, or spending time with family—this summer reading list contains policy ideas that can help them hit the ground running when they return.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
An Evil Wind
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Jul 31, 2014
Slate
The threat of global terrorist enterprises has been enhanced by Western fighters joining al Qaeda offshoots like the Islamic State. With the terrorist threat evolving, the United States has little choice but to evolve with it.
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Terrorist Bombings
commentary
TSA's Cellphone Rule Part of Deadly Race
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Jul 29, 2014
CNN
While placing explosives inside a cellphone is plausible, it is almost impossible to do so with iPhones without rendering them non-functional, which is why the TSA is now checking cell phones are actually working.
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
commentary
Streamlining Congressional Oversight of DHS
Henry H. Willis @HenryHWillis
Jul 29, 2014
The RAND Blog
At a time when terrorist threats abound both at home and abroad, the DHS and Congress should be working as one to bolster America's defenses. To do this Congress should simplify the way it oversees homeland security.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
France Gets Tougher on Terrorism
Michael Shurkin
Jul 29, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
The launch of Barkhane, a new military operation by France, signals a change. Rather than simply reacting to an emergency as it did in Mali, France is committing to a long-term counterterrorism campaign, a much greater and more public commitment. This is welcome news for the United States.
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Health Insurance
commentary
RAND Helps to Develop From Coverage to Care, a New CMS Initiative
Laurie T. Martin, David M. Adamson
Jul 29, 2014
The RAND Blog
Health coverage is a means to an end: the aim is to help more Americans use their coverage to access routine primary care and preventive services. For many of the newly insured, however, the leap between obtaining insurance and establishing a regular source of care is substantial.
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Alzheimer's Disease and Dementias
commentary
Demographics Add Urgency for Action on Dementia Long-Term Care
Esther M. Friedman
Jul 28, 2014
Modern Healthcare
Dementia takes a huge toll on those afflicted with it. But it also has major consequences for those who must care for them, most often family and friends.
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Health Care Quality Measurement
commentary
Putting Patients First Can Result in Better Care Overall
Rebecca Anhang Price, Marc N. Elliott, Ron D. Hays
Jul 28, 2014
The RAND Blog
Better patient care experiences are associated with higher levels of adherence to recommended prevention and treatment processes, better clinical outcomes, better patient safety within hospitals, and less health care utilization.
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Health Care Quality Measurement
commentary
The ACA's Opportunity to Improve Care for Substance Use Disorders
Katherine E. Watkins
Jul 28, 2014
The RAND Blog
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will significantly increase coverage for the publicly funded treatment of substance use disorders. But in order to maximize the benefit to patients, families, and society, it's critical to invest in the development, validation, and use of performance measures.
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Nuclear Disarmament
commentary
Gaza and the Nuclear Negotiations
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Jul 28, 2014
Foreign Affairs
Whether a deal materializes that meets Iranian demands for a civilian nuclear program, but is limited enough to satisfy the United States and its partners remains to be seen. But the longer the Gaza conflict continues, the harder it'll be to insulate the negotiations from broader regional trends, which doesn't bode well for a successful outcome.
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Ukraine
commentary
A Missile's Deadly Message
Michael D. Rich @michaeldrich
Jul 25, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
Putin's stubbornness on Ukraine has attracted international scorn, threatened Russia's already shaky economy, and focused NATO on countering potential Russian aggression. It's also sparked anti-Russian and pro-NATO sentiments in Central and Eastern Europe. The tragic loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 only intensifies these sentiments.
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Health Screening
commentary
Should You Get Screened for Heart Disease?
Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD
Jul 24, 2014
Sister to Sister
Many think of cardiovascular disease (CVD) primarily as a male problem. But one in three adult women has some form of CVD, which has killed more American women than men every year since 1984. Cardiovascular risk assessments can help women understand their current risk and health behaviors.
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Obesity
commentary
What's Behind the Obesity Epidemic? Easily Accessible Food, and Lots of It
Roland Sturm
Jul 22, 2014
The Health Care Blog
That no group is immune to rising obesity rates suggests that universal environmental factors are driving the trend. The clearest change concerns food availability and cost.
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Gaza Strip
blog
With the Death Toll Rising in Gaza, Is There Any Hope for Peace?
Jul 22, 2014
Casualties are rising in the conflict between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. Are there any realistic expectations for peace in the region? Who could broker a settlement between Hamas and Israel?
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Iraq
commentary
Defeating the Islamic State: Crafting a Regional Approach
Douglas A. Ollivant, Terrence Kelly
Jul 22, 2014
warontherocks.com
While ISIL may achieve temporary tactical gains from declaring the caliphate, it made the strategic error of declaring all other Sunni political actors illegitimate. This may provide an opening to build a coalition that can create and implement a regional strategy to attack ISIL.
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Ukraine
blog
Like Flight 370, the MH17 Crash in Ukraine Could Remain a Mystery
Jul 18, 2014
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was reportedly shot down yesterday near the Russia-Ukraine border. But like Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which vanished in March, what happened to MH17 is shrouded in mystery.
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