2015

commentary

Sleepless in the City

An alarming number of American city dwellers face sleepless nights, followed inevitably by days of productivity-sapping fatigue and, ultimately, the possibility of more serious health consequences. There are some things they can do to better their chances of falling and staying asleep.

Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel

commentary

Lessons from a Long History of Acquisition Reform

Congress and the DoD have a long history of efforts to improve the way weapon systems are acquired. Now, significant changes to DoD acquisition policies and processes are again being proposed in the House and Senate in an attempt to get needed military capabilities to soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines faster and cheaper.

Laura H. Baldwin, Cynthia R. Cook @CynthiaRCook

commentary

We Face a New, Dangerous Age of Nuclear Weapons Rivalry

Escalating competition among major powers is amplifying the role of nuclear weapons in defense policies, including more easily used — and thus especially dangerous — tactical nuclear forces. Before it becomes too late, the U.S. should design and lead a new campaign to control nuclear risk.

Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr

commentary

Iran Deal Not a Panacea, but a Pragmatic Necessity

The nuclear agreement signed between Iran and the P5+1 prevents Iran from developing a nuclear weapons capability in the near future while giving some space for Iranian proponents of change.

Alireza Nader

commentary

Let People Make Their Own End-of-Life Decisions

Major advances in health technology have helped people to live longer, but not necessarily better, lives. Medicare recently announced plans to reimburse providers for time spent counseling patients and their caregivers about the kind of care patients would want to receive near the end of their lives.

Sangeeta C. Ahluwalia @AhluwaliaPhD, Neil S. Wenger, et al.

commentary

How Global Terror Network Will Get a Boost from Iran Nuclear Deal

Iranian sponsorship of terrorist organizations cannot be divorced from the negotiations because the sanctions that will be lifted provide new sources of funding to reinforce the Iran threat network. A global strategy to address the Iran threat network is essential to stability in the region.

Colin P. Clarke

commentary

A 'Measured Approach' to Managing Military Officers

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's “Force of the Future” initiative may mean far-reaching changes in how military personnel are recruited, evaluated, assigned, promoted, retained, separated, and compensated. What is needed is a map that shows potential paths to reach the objectives.

Peter Schirmer, Dwight Phillips

commentary

Training Foreign Military Forces: Quality vs Quantity

The American model for large-scale development of partner nation armies is failing. The massive push for numbers and the attendant dilution of training is at odds with building a cohesive army with the will to stand and fight, predicated upon an unproven assumption that a “large footprint” is itself a decisive strategy.

S. Rebecca Zimmerman

q&a

The Iran Nuclear Deal: RAND Experts Answer Questions About the Days Ahead

Diplomats have reached a nuclear agreement with Iran. Now, the United States faces important policy decisions that will help shape the days ahead and the relationship that emerges between Iran and the other parties involved.

commentary

After Trans Fats, Target America's Overeating

In June, the FDA gave manufacturers three years to remove artificial trans fat from the food supply. This is an important step, but solving the problem of diet-related chronic diseases is much more complex than banning a single additive.

Deborah A. Cohen

commentary

RAND Conference Examines Chinese Aerospace Training and Leadership

To help foster a better understanding of the aerospace component of China's military modernization efforts, participants from the U.S. Air Force, the DoD, and the public policy research and academic communities gathered for the inaugural China Aerospace Studies Institute conference.

Lyle J. Morris

commentary

An Authorization for the Fight Against the Islamic State

The U.S. military is conducting some 2,000 airstrikes a month against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria but progress is slow and the terrorist group has expanded far beyond those two countries. Congress needs now more than ever to take up the issue of authorizing the use of military force.

Christopher S. Chivvis, Andrew Liepman

commentary

Ebola and Syria's Chemical Weapons Show U.S. Can Leave Nothing to Chance

There are key takeaways from the Ebola outbreak, Syria's chemical weapons, and the Fukushima nuclear disaster. The U.S. and its international partners should view these events as learning opportunities that could help improve preparedness and response capabilities before the next crisis strikes.

Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein

commentary

What's Next for REF?

In 2014, the research of 154 UK universities was evaluated, accounting for the efforts of 52,061 academic staff members. For the first time, the impact that the research had on wider society was part of the assessment. As we approach the next assessment period, there is opportunity for discussion to tweak and refine future measures of impact.

Catriona Manville

commentary

How to Improve Oregon's Mileage-Fee Experiment

Oregon is rolling out the nation's first large-scale pilot to examine switching to a mileage fee instead of the gas tax. The trial is a welcome next step toward understanding how mileage fees can be deployed.

Liisa Ecola, Laura Patton