2017

Obesity
commentary
What the World Can Learn from Chile's Obesity-Control Strategies
Deborah A. Cohen
Dec 30, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Nearly 30 years into the ongoing global epidemic of obesity and chronic diseases, Chile has taken the lead in identifying and implementing obesity-control strategies that could prove to be the beginning of the end of the epidemic. The country's success on this front can serve as a lesson plan other countries could follow.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
What to Make of Trump's Decision on Jerusalem
Dalia Dassa Kaye
Dec 28, 2017
Jewish Journal
While the Israeli-Palestinian issue is not a high priority in the Arab world today with all the other turmoil engulfing the region, not even the Trump administration's closest allies support the president's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. And it risks inflaming regional tension and increasing anti-American sentiment.
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International Diplomacy
commentary
America's New Security Strategy Reflects the Intensifying Strategic Competition with China
Timothy R. Heath
Dec 27, 2017
World Politics Review
The United States unveiled its National Security Strategy last week, describing China as a revisionist power that actively competes against the United States and its allies and partners. China had strong words of its own in response. Both will need to navigate the relationship in a way that supports stability and prosperity for both countries.
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Data Privacy
commentary
A Smart Toy Could Have Personal Details for Life, Not Just for Christmas
Erik Silfversten
Dec 21, 2017
The RAND Blog
Parents shouldn't avoid buying smart toys during the holidays, particularly if these devices top children's Christmas lists. But parents should definitely be wary of the security and privacy risks that smart toys can pose.
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Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
Russia Trapped in Syria
Colin P. Clarke, William Courtney @courtneywmh
Dec 20, 2017
The Cipher Brief
Russia alone can neither guarantee the future security of Syria nor mobilize the resources to enable it to recover and rebuild. Only by linking arms with the international community to edge out Iran, forge broader-based governance and spur economic growth can Russia hope to achieve lasting success in Syria.
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Decisionmaking
commentary
The American Intellectual Property
Timothy Marler
Dec 19, 2017
RealClearDefense
In a continued search for competitive advantage, the United States may be asking the wrong question. Perhaps the question should be, how to most effectively cultivate what is inherent in Americans.
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Global Climate Change
commentary
Moving Countries, Seeking Refuge from Climate Change
Gulrez Shah Azhar
Dec 19, 2017
The Conversation
By the middle of this century, experts estimate that climate change is likely to displace between 150 and 300 million people. It is daunting to envision such large flows of people, but that is why the global community should start doing so now.
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Emergency Services and Response
blog
RAND Researchers Visit Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria
Dec 19, 2017
A small team of RAND researchers went to Puerto Rico two weeks after the island was struck by Hurricane Maria. They are compiling their observations into a series of studies for the Army, with recommendations to smooth its response to future disasters.
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Terrorism Threat Assessment
commentary
Navigating the Latest Terrorism Trend
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Dec 19, 2017
U.S. News & World Report
Terrorists are increasingly using vehicles as attack weapons, killing more than 150 people in the last 18 months. If this trend continues, the urban landscape will change as bollards, barricades and barriers, chicanes and checkpoints surround and subdivide public spaces. But do they make us safer?
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Civil-Military Relations
commentary
Minding the Gap: The Military, Politics, and American Democracy
Raphael S. Cohen
Dec 18, 2017
Lawfare
The gap between Americans' confidence in the military versus its civilian counterparts has widened over the last several decades. This has led former military officers to play an increasingly prominent role in politics and changed the civil-military balance in potentially unhealthy ways.
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commentary
Economic Instability Endangers Democracy
Jordan Willcox
Dec 16, 2017
The National Interest
The Western political community is retreating from its own institutions. The problem stems from the fact that the health of democracies is crucially dependent on their economic growth rate.
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Information Operations
commentary
Invisible Doomsday Machines: The Challenge of Clandestine Capabilities and Deterrence
Brendan Rittenhouse Green, Austin Long
Dec 15, 2017
War on the Rocks
As the United States increasingly contemplates acquiring clandestine capabilities for deterrence and warfighting, it should consider rethinking its approach to managing these programs. A unified management approach would go a great distance toward meeting the challenges of these capabilities.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
ISIS Could Rise Again
Benjamin Bahney, Patrick B. Johnston
Dec 15, 2017
Foreign Affairs
ISIS has a tried-and-true playbook for bringing itself back from near death. Just a few years ago, it managed to resurrect itself after apparent defeat. And the history of that resurrection should serve as a warning of what may be coming now.
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Wages and Compensation
q&a
Justice for Florida Farmworkers: Q&A with Susan Marquis
Dec 15, 2017
In her new book, Susan Marquis takes readers inside the fight in Florida tomato fields. She traces the history and victories of a grassroots group of farmworkers and community leaders who wrested better wages and working conditions from major tomato growers and their corporate buyers.
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Social and Emotional Learning
commentary
Building Support for Social and Emotional Learning: Having an Evidence Base Is Critical
Sean Grant, Laura S. Hamilton
Dec 14, 2017
The Measuring SEL Blog
Students need more than proficiency in reading or math. Perseverance, active listening, empathy and good decision-making help kids succeed both academically and in life. Schools need access to high-quality social and emotional learning assessment measures to ensure programs will improve student learning and their futures.
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Integrated Care
commentary
Collaboration Is the Best Strategy to Combat Population Health Concerns
Vivian L. Towe
Dec 14, 2017
The Hill
The greatest opportunities to improve health happen pretty much everywhere but the doctor's office. Collaborative programming that merges strategies from housing, education, or labor could make a big difference.
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