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November 2015

Security Cooperation
commentary
Book Review: 'Strategic Asia 2015–16, Foundations of National Power in the Asia-Pacific'
Timothy R. Heath
Nov 30, 2015
War on the Rocks
Which nations have the resources and motivations to either cooperate with or frustrate Washington's designs? What liabilities and assets reside with each country? The book, Strategic Asia 2015–16, surveys some of the most powerful nations in Asia with such questions in mind.
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Arctic Region
commentary
It's Getting Harder and Harder to Live on Top of the World
Timothy William James Smith
Nov 30, 2015
Newsweek
In September, a relatively new kind of storm, made possible due to larger swaths of ice-free Arctic Ocean, battered Barrow, Alaska, washing away chunks of coastline, threatening businesses, houses, and the freshwater supply. While mitigation efforts are necessary on a macro level, adaptation measures are needed now for such Arctic communities.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
Brussels Locked-Down Heartbeat: A View from Within
Ines von Behr, Sonja Thebes
Nov 27, 2015
The RAND Blog
To understand Molenbeek, the Brussels district that can be linked to most of the terror attacks on European soil in the past 18 months, it's necessary to examine the broader political and cultural context in Belgium.
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United Kingdom
commentary
The SDSR: A Step Forward, but Questions Remain
Hans Pung
Nov 27, 2015
The RAND Blog
The United Kingdom's Strategic Defence and Security Review contains a number of commitments that will be welcomed by defense and security experts. But some unanswered questions will play a critical role in determining the overall success of Britain's security strategy.
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Refugees
commentary
France Is Right to Stay the Course
Stephanie Pezard @StephaniePezard
Nov 25, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
President Hollande announced that 30,000 Syrian refugees would be welcomed in France, honoring the commitment France made to its European partners before the Paris attacks. Altering its policy would only give the terrorists what they want.
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Health Insurance Cost Sharing
commentary
What Happens If the ACA's Tax Credits Are Replaced with Premium Support?
Evan Saltzman, Christine Eibner @Chrissyeibner
Nov 24, 2015
The Commonwealth Fund Blog
As policymakers consider alternatives to reduce the federal government's financial burden from providing subsidies under the ACA, they should consider the consequences for enrollees. Existing premium-support models yield considerable savings for the federal government but could create age and income disparities in coverage.
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Global Climate Change
commentary
COP 21 Not a Silver Bullet on Climate Change
Robert J. Lempert @RobertLempert
Nov 24, 2015
The RAND Blog
The Paris climate conference cannot provide the engine that will drive a solution to the world's climate change challenge. Rather, it can best serve as a mediator that will help guide and structure the swirling, bottom-up process of radical change that is the best hope of preserving Earth's climate.
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Nuclear Sciences
announcement
RAND Is Accepting Applications for Stanton Nuclear Security Fellowships
Nov 23, 2015
RAND is accepting applications for up to three Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows. The application deadline is February 8, 2016. The program was created to stimulate the development of the next generation of thought leaders on nuclear security.
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Educational Program Evaluation
commentary
A Comprehensive Approach to Early Education
Gail L. Zellman, M. Rebecca Kilburn
Nov 23, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
A relatively new approach to improving long-term educational outcomes, called “preschool to third grade,” or P-3, focuses on the youngest students. Hawaii's recent initiative has been successful at raising third-grade reading scores.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
Improving the U.S. Security Assistance Model
Michael Shurkin @MichaelShurkin
Nov 18, 2015
The Cipher Brief
The United States often approaches security assistance the same way it did in Vietnam, with the same results. A better way would be to focus on politics and shaping the political context.
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Politics and Government
commentary
Flirting with Genocide in Burundi: Paying Attention Could Save Lives
Michael Shurkin @MichaelShurkin
Nov 18, 2015
Newsweek
Burundi has been afflicted by political violence since April. President Pierre Nkurunziza, who helped bring peace to the country in the last decade, is risking everything for the sake of staying in power. He is dragging the country backwards after 10 years of progress.
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Teachers and Teaching
announcement
Harold and Colene Brown Endow Faculty Chair at Pardee RAND Graduate School
Nov 18, 2015
The Harold and Colene Brown Faculty Chair will enable exceptional RAND researchers and faculty to be in residence at the school each year, allowing them to work on independent research and provide mentorship and guidance to students.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
ISIS Will Become More Deadly Before It Dies
Seth G. Jones
Nov 18, 2015
Slate
The lesson with ISIS is straightforward. Western populations should be prepared for an upsurge in violence if ISIS continues to lose territory. There has already been a growth in attacks and plots across the West with operational or inspirational ties to ISIS.
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France
commentary
Insights on the Paris Terror Attacks from RAND Experts
Nov 17, 2015
RAND experts weigh in on what the wave of coordinated terror attacks across Paris means for France, the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, the global refugee crisis, and more.
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Military Strategy
commentary
The French Way of War
Michael Shurkin @MichaelShurkin
Nov 17, 2015
Politico
There is a French way of warfare that reflects the French military's lack of resources and its modest sense of what it can achieve. They specialize in carefully apportioned and usually small but lethal operations, often behind the scenes.
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Educational Technology
commentary
Step Aside, 'Screen Time.' Make Room for 'Screen Purpose.'
Lindsay Daugherty
Nov 17, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Technology is simply another way to communicate, learn, and play. It shouldn't automatically be regarded as a threat. Whether technology helps or harms children largely depends on how it is used.
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Syria
commentary
Bosnia Was Hard, Syria Is Harder
William Courtney @courtneywmh
Nov 16, 2015
Foreign Policy Concepts
To find peace in Syria, cooperation among outside powers will be an essential first step. But before going forward, the great powers should soberly assess prospects for an enduring peace accord, as well as the resources required.
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Water Resources Management
commentary
Ensuring Robust Water Management Strategies in Lima-Callão, Peru
Laura Bonzanigo, Nidhi Kalra, David G. Groves, Carter Brandon
Nov 16, 2015
The World Bank Water Blog
Water resource agencies around the world are grappling with how to make smart investments to ensure long-term water reliability at a time of unprecedented water stress, growing demands, uncertain climate change, and limited budgets.
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Counterterrorism
commentary
Why the Paris Terrorists Couldn't Be Stopped
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Nov 16, 2015
Slate
Terrorists almost always have the advantage. Theoretically, they can attack anything, anywhere, anytime. And governments cannot protect everything, everywhere, all the time.
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Emergency Preparedness
commentary
Time to Prepare for the Unthinkable
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Nov 16, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Given ISIS's strategy, it seems only a matter of time before these extremists might attempt an attack in the United States. The irony is that the very rights that Americans hold so dear (liberty, privacy, freedom) place it at greater risk. So what should America do to prepare?
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Terrorist Bombings
commentary
Big Questions Facing France
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Nov 14, 2015
CNN
In Paris, the heavily armed terrorists reportedly struck at six locations, including restaurants, a football stadium, and a theater during a rock concert. It seems clear the killers must have had some confederates. That would mean some terrorists are still at large.
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Education Reform
commentary
Implementing Education Reforms to Enhance School Performance
Rita Karam
Nov 13, 2015
The RAND Blog
Although countries differ greatly in how their education systems are structured, financed, and the extent to which they are centralized, they share common obstacles that undermine reform success. Beyond the obvious steps of providing adequate resources and professional development, there are ways to improve the implementation of school-wide reforms.
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Cybercrime
commentary
The Two Sides of Cybersecurity
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Nov 13, 2015
GlobalSecurity.org
Securing government networks is certainly necessary, but authorities should not lose sight of the need to couple their defense of America's networks with appropriate resources dedicated to combatting criminal, terrorist, and other threats in cyberspace.
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Health Care Quality
commentary
How Can Regulation Improve Quality of Care in the English Health Care System?
Christian Van Stolk
Nov 13, 2015
The RAND Blog
Inspections have become more prominent in England's approach to health service regulation as a way to identify problems before they occur. But the evidence of regulation contributing to better quality of care in different systems is scarce.
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United States
blog
What Is America's Role in the World?
Nov 12, 2015
One Night with RAND brought together leaders in business, philanthropy, government, academia, and media for a discussion about the international strategic choices that will shape the U.S. role in the world for years to come.
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Russia
commentary
Is Winter Coming? Or, Our Russia Strategy
Michael Spirtas
Nov 12, 2015
Breaking Defense
Many ask if Russian actions represent a new challenge to international order, and, if so, what is the best course of action to respond to it.
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Aircraft
commentary
Passing Judgment on Russian Plane Crash Before the Facts Are In
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Nov 12, 2015
The Hill
A bright flash and catastrophic event suggest an explosion, but do not necessarily exclude the possibility of a mechanical failure. This would not, in fact, be the first time evidence pointed to a terrorist attack when none existed.
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Affordable Care Act
commentary
Insurance Enrollment Holds Steady in Advance of the 2016 Open Enrollment Period
Katherine Grace Carman @KGCarman, Christine Eibner @Chrissyeibner
Nov 12, 2015
The RAND Blog
Since September 2013, the number of people with health insurance coverage has increased by 16.6 million. But since the second ACA open enrollment period in February 2015, the number of people with coverage has remained relatively flat. The third open enrollment period began on November 1. Whether the number of uninsured will continue to decline remains an open question.
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Suicide
commentary
Veterans Day 2015: Three Priorities for Preventing Veteran Suicide (And It's Not All on the VA!)
Rajeev Ramchand @RRamchand
Nov 11, 2015
The RAND Blog
The suicide rate among veterans is three times that of nonveterans. Additional research and policy intervention in three important areas could help ensure that fewer veterans die at their own hands.
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Military Veterans
commentary
Honor Veterans Day by Learning Veterans' Stories
Paula G. Thornhill
Nov 11, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Veterans Day is a time to reflect, but it's also a time to help veterans find their voices, so Americans can collectively find their voice as a nation.
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Employment and Unemployment
commentary
The Changing Landscape of Veteran Employment Programs
Kimberly Curry Hall, Caroline Batka
Nov 10, 2015
The RAND Blog
To understand trends in veteran employment, data must be collected on such factors as gender, race/ethnicity, military career field, and period and length of military service. In turn, this information will help policymakers tailor and adjust programs to target obvious gaps in career assistance efforts.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
Building Interoperability for European Defense
Christopher G. Pernin, Jakub P. Hlavka
Nov 9, 2015
Defense News
To make the most out of declining defense budgets, the U.S. needs to engage European forces to build interoperability that would enable joint operations to deter and defeat potential adversaries, even with little advance notice. But building interoperable units has often proved difficult even among the friendliest of nations.
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Russia
commentary
Could the Russian Jet Crash in Egypt Prompt a Change of Direction for Putin and Russia?
William Courtney @courtneywmh
Nov 9, 2015
Fox News Channel
If ISIS was responsible for the downing of Metrojet Flight 9268, a Russian passenger jet, this may alter the strategic equation for Moscow.
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Family Planning
commentary
Policy Barriers to Best Practices: The Impact of Restrictive State Regulations on Access to Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives
Priya Batra, Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD
Nov 6, 2015
Women's Health Issues
Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods of birth control, which include the intrauterine device and subdermal implant, are highly effective, very safe, preferable to women, and cost effective. But some states' contraceptive policies create direct and indirect barriers to LARC use.
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Military Personnel Retention
commentary
Investing in Military Human Capital
Daniel B. Ginsberg, Raymond E. Conley
Nov 5, 2015
Military Times
A new effort to review the military's personnel system will focus initially on policies to assign, evaluate, and promote service members. To truly address systematic challenges, however, the scope will need to widen to include how the various military services might size, structure, and support key missions.
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Gun Violence
commentary
Gun Violence: Where Is the Research That Might Save Lives?
Jeffrey Wasserman
Nov 5, 2015
Newsweek
Gun violence is an important public health problem that accounts for more than 33,000 deaths each year in the United States but in 1996, Congress stripped the CDC of funding for any research that could be associated with gun control advocacy. The lack of CDC funding has deterred researchers.
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Afghanistan
commentary
Saving Afghanistan: More Than Just Troops
S. Rebecca Zimmerman @_rebeccaz
Nov 5, 2015
War on the Rocks
President Obama's decision to preserve troop strength in Afghanistan is a major step in the right direction. But his commitment to continued support for President Ghani and the national unity government as they pursue critical reforms will determine whether the U.S. troop commitment has any value.
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Health Care Costs
commentary
A Tale of Two Deliveries, or an Out-of-Network Problem
Erin Audrey Taylor, Layla Parast
Nov 4, 2015
Health Affairs Blog
Two mothers gave birth within weeks of each other, at the same hospital, using the same employer-sponsored insurance. Both had an epidural. But one received a surprise physician bill for anesthesiology, while the other didn't have to pay a dime. Why?
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Prisoner Reentry
commentary
What's Next on the Convicted Terrorist's Timeline?
Michael A. Brown
Nov 4, 2015
The Hill
As inmates near the end of their sentences for terrorism-related offenses, and with some individuals already freed, it's time to explore what considerations may be necessary.
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Education Reform
commentary
Standardized Tests Can Be Smarter
Laura S. Hamilton @HamiltonLauraS, Brian M. Stecher
Nov 2, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Capping the amount of time students spend testing is a reasonable response to unchecked growth. However, a better response would be to systematically review testing programs, focusing on tests that offer the most value.
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International Economic Relations
commentary
Unlocking Iran's Economy
Alireza Nader
Nov 2, 2015
The Cipher Brief
While Rouhani and his team want Iran's gradual opening, reactionary forces aligned with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, much of the security establishment, and the clergy are likely to stand guard against “anti-revolutionary” tendencies and policies.
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Economic Policy
commentary
Zero Interest, Greater Inequality?
Charles Wolf, Jr.
Nov 2, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Low interest rates mandated by the Federal Reserve may have had and possibly continue to have adverse effects on income inequality. Those who argue for continuing near-zero short-term interest rate policy should be cognizant of this.
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Syria
commentary
Partition Syria to Crush the Islamic State
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Nov 1, 2015
USA Today
The Islamic State will never join in any settlement. Peace in Syria therefore requires that everyone else stop fighting each other and join in suppressing the Islamic State.
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Russia
commentary
The West Needs to Take a Tougher Line with Putin
William Courtney @courtneywmh, Donald Jensen
Nov 1, 2015
Newsweek
By responding more robustly to Russia's interventions, the West could reduce military asymmetries in Ukraine and Syria and improve prospects for negotiated outcomes.
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