2015

International Diplomacy
commentary
Here's What Will Happen If the Iran Deal Falls Through
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Jul 7, 2015
Foreign Affairs
Even a strong nonproliferation agreement that prevents all pathways toward the Iranian bomb won't magically transform the Middle East. But on balance, the region would be better off with a good nuclear deal than without one.
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Cybersecurity
commentary
U.S. Needs a New Electronic Identity-Protection Strategy to Prevent 'Hybrid Warfare' Attacks
Daniel Gonzales @gonzadan
Jul 6, 2015
The RAND Blog
The U.S. government needs to develop a strategy to protect its citizens that includes a unique identifying number or code and a method for protecting these identity keys in online transactions.
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Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
Afghanistan After the Drawdown
Stephen Watts, Sean Mann
Jul 6, 2015
Lawfare
If neither victory nor a political settlement are likely in the short term, and if complete withdrawal is unpalatable, then the United States must ensure that its support of Afghanistan remains politically sustainable.
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Civilian Military Workforce
commentary
A Frontline Civilian's Invisible Wounds of War
S. Rebecca Zimmerman
Jul 6, 2015
Los Angeles Times
For frontline civilians, daily life built around war often involves waking up on a remote base and working side by side with soldiers in hazardous places. They often don't get the care and support that they need, whether in an area of crisis and instability, or when they return home.
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Global Security
commentary
The Baltic Balance: How to Reduce the Chances of War in Europe
Christopher S. Chivvis
Jul 2, 2015
Foreign Affairs
Recent announcements of increased U.S. military support in the Baltics are a positive step in addressing a major new challenge to European security.
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Iran
commentary
Who Benefits from Iran Sanctions Relief?
Alireza Nader
Jul 2, 2015
The National Interest
More than $100 billion of Iranian oil proceeds are “frozen” in foreign bank accounts under the current sanctions regime. The repatriation of Iran's money would no doubt boost a flagging economy.
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Maternal Health
commentary
Family Planning Must Be Part of the Humanitarian Response in Africa's Conflict Zones
Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik
Jul 1, 2015
The RAND Blog
Worldwide, nearly 800 women die every day due to mostly preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. More than half of these deaths occur in fragile states torn by armed conflict and generalized violence.
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Sleep
q&a
Your Questions About Sleep, Answered
Jul 1, 2015
RAND's Wendy Troxel, an expert on sleep, hosted an 'Ask Me Anything' session on Reddit to answer questions about how to improve sleep health, what to do about a snoring partner, and more.
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Diet and Eating Habits
essay
Putting Health to the (Taste) Test
Jul 1, 2015
Researchers teamed up with a dozen Los Angeles lunch trucks to test healthier menu items—chicken breasts and grilled fish alongside the usual tacos and hamburgers.
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Greece
commentary
The Political Solution to the Greek Financial Crisis
Charles P. Ries @charles_ries
Jun 30, 2015
FOX News Channel
The outcome of Greece's financial crisis will have broad consequences for its already-devastated economy and, to a considerable extent, for the rest of Europe. The core problem is less about economics than about politics.
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China
commentary
China's Foreign Aid Offensive
Charles Wolf, Jr.
Jun 29, 2015
The Weekly Standard
China has given an average of $174 billion per year in foreign assistance for the last six years. How will the scale of its foreign aid change in the future?
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Military Personnel
commentary
Understanding the U.S. Military's Morale 'Crisis'
Raphael S. Cohen
Jun 29, 2015
Lawfare
The military's discontent may stem from dissonance between the commitment to, and pride in, the mission in Iraq and Afghanistan and the knowledge that these sacrifices have not yielded the desired results. Those wars arguably have prompted a crisis of confidence within the military itself.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
After Attacks in France, Tunisia, and Kuwait, West Must Do More to Fight Surge of Terrorist Attacks
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Jun 29, 2015
New York Daily News
The terrorist attacks in France, Tunisia, and Kuwait are just the latest warnings that ISIS is turning its campaign into a global enterprise.
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China
commentary
The 'Holistic Security Concept': The Securitization of Policy and Increasing Risk of Militarized Crisis
Timothy R. Heath
Jun 27, 2015
China Brief
Reflecting critical developments under the Xi administration, China's recent 'Military Strategy' white paper signals a turn toward a potentially more coercive phase of China's rise.
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Criminal Justice
commentary
In the Interest of Justice
K. Jack Riley @K_Jack_Riley
Jun 26, 2015
As the line between criminal justice and national security continues to blur, K. Jack Riley offers three principles that can help young criminology practitioners and scholars.
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