June 2015

commentary

Book Review: 'Uphill Battle' by Frank Scotton

This book provides a more sympathetic understanding of the Vietnam War at the working level when everything now known about it was still in the future.

James T. Quinlivan

commentary

Veterans Battle Mental Health Issues After Iraq and Afghanistan

Researchers have made great progress capturing the consequences of coping with injuries sustained in the theater of war, but the emerging picture is shadowed in grays. A series of recent findings presents a bleak portrait of the cost of modern war to service members, their families, and their health care providers.

Terri Tanielian, Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand

commentary

Are Airport Security Screeners Looking for the Wrong Things?

An investigation revealed that the TSA has failed in contraband testing, at a 95 percent rate. This shouldn't be perceived as an indictment of TSA workers. But it may be an indictment of the particular assignments they've been given.

K. Jack Riley @K_Jack_Riley

commentary

Islamic State's Global Expansion

The radical Islamist group, also known as ISIS or ISIL, is now expanding in roughly a dozen countries across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia by exploiting local grievances, doling out money, and leveraging its battlefield successes.

Seth G. Jones

commentary

What the Ebola Crisis Taught Us About Emergency Preparedness in Africa

The 2014 Ebola outbreak was the most severe of its kind. At the height of the crisis, 800 to 1,000 new cases were reported per week in Africa across the three most heavily affected countries. As of last week, there were only 12 confirmed cases. What must be done to prevent and mitigate future crises of this nature?

Adeyemi Theophilus Okunogbe

commentary

Claims of Wellness Cost Savings Are Overblown

Workplace wellness has become a $6 billion industry in the United States. Employers hope wellness programs can help control health care costs, but they are having little if any effect on costs. Companies seeking a healthy ROI should target higher-risk employees.

Soeren Mattke

commentary

Faith-Based Organizations as Force Multipliers

Faith-based organizations are an important community-based resource for veterans who are adjusting to civilian life. What current and potential roles can they play in reintegration?

Laura Werber

commentary

What Does the Future Hold for Atrial Fibrillation?

Longer-term thinking, enhanced public awareness, and more thorough engagement among stakeholders are critical components of a strategy to deal with atrial fibrillation.

Catherine A. Lichten

commentary

Should There Be a Hostage Czar?

In light of recent kidnappings ending in the deaths of American hostages, appointing a 'hostage czar' may seem like a sound idea. But the creation of a high-profile position for hostage issues raises policy questions and comes with operational risks.

Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

blog

Puzzles, Paradoxes, Controversies, and the Global Economy, a New Book by Charles Wolf, Jr., to Be Published by Hoover Press

In a wide-ranging collection of essays first published between 2007 and 2014, Charles Wolf Jr. shares his insights on the world's economies, including those of China, the United States, Japan, Korea, India, and others.