August 2017

commentary

President Trump's Recommitment to Nation-Building in Afghanistan

In his speech on Afghanistan, President Trump maintained his stance against nation-building. But like President Obama's policy, the refreshed approach hinges on the U.S. developing Afghan government capabilities to fight the Taliban, provide for the country's long-term security, and serve as a counterterrorism partner.

Laurel E. Miller

commentary

Many Americans Face Bullying, Harassment, and Abuse at Work, but Bosses Can Help

Workers are experiencing high levels of hostile behaviors at work. Nearly one in five American workers have been subjected to some form of verbal abuse, unwanted sexual attention, threats, or humiliating behavior at work, with younger non-college educated workers bearing the most risk.

Kathleen J. Mullen, Jeffrey B. Wenger

commentary

Countering Chinese Coercion: The Case of Doklam

India and China have agreed to end a two-month border confrontation in the Doklam area claimed by both China and Bhutan. The immediate crisis seems to be over, but it offers insights into Chinese coercive strategies and how they may be thwarted.

Oriana Skylar Mastro, Arzan Tarapore

commentary

What Autonomous Vehicles Could Mean for American Workers

Autonomous vehicles are projected to hit American roads within the next few years. They promise safer transportation, greater mobility for millions of Americans, and other benefits. But they will also have enormous impacts on the workforce.

Nidhi Kalra

commentary

Hezbollah Has Been Active in America for Decades

Hezbollah has been active inside the United States for decades, engaging in a range of activities that include fundraising and money laundering. The U.S. and its allies should continue to combat the financing of terrorism and take action against the funding of terrorist groups on U.S. soil.

Colin P. Clarke

commentary

Why the Mental Ill Health of Academic Researchers Remains a Hidden Problem

The mental health and well-being of higher education staff is a significant challenge, probably even more so than the evidence indicates.

Susan Guthrie, Catherine A. Lichten

commentary

Campaign for Fair Food Makes a Real Difference

The Fair Food Program protects farmworkers while providing corporations with transparency in their supply chains and tremendous brand protection. It has been widely recognized for improving agricultural working conditions and for changing the culture of America's farm fields.

Susan L. Marquis

blog

How RAND Helped Cable TV Spread Far and Wide

In the late 1960s and early '70s, RAND released a series of reports about cable television — the technology, federal and state regulation, and its use in education. The researchers' interactive vision for cable TV was a lot like the internet.

commentary

Four Steps That Could Stabilize the Health Insurance Market

Congress will soon discuss options to stabilize the individual market and ensure that all Americans have access to affordable coverage. Policymakers could encourage enrollment, make targeted investments to lower premiums, fund cost-sharing reductions, and enforce the individual mandate.

Christine Eibner @Chrissyeibner

commentary

'Game of Thrones' Dragons, Nuclear Weapons, and Winning Whatever the Cost

HBO's hit series “Game of Thrones” may be fantasy, but it explores many challenges that are familiar to real-world leaders. The military use of dragons and the dilemma these beasts pose is one recent example.

Michael Shurkin

commentary

What Afghanistan Needs to Move Forward: A Political Solution

Although the U.S. military's role in maintaining stability has been crucial, a real solution needs to consider Afghan politics first. The United States and the international community should push for parliamentary elections to build confidence between the government and the people.

S. Rebecca Zimmerman

commentary

Gaming Policy in Cyberspace

Hacked devices and intellectual property theft are a rich hunting ground for policy development. The challenge posed by Internet-connect devices is only getting worse as the number of online devices continues to grow.

Michelle Price, Igor Mikolic-Torreira

q&a

The Post–Arab Spring Experience: Q&A with Shelly Culbertson

It's too early to say whether the Arab Spring will turn out to be a success or not. The Arab Spring was about people deciding what they did not want and rising up against it, but they hadn't worked out what they did want. Many of them still have hope.

commentary

Trump's New Afghanistan Strategy: Governing from the Center?

The president has embraced a national security establishment strategy for Afghanistan with a veneer that does not alter its essence. The result is likely to disappoint some of his supporters and to be criticized by his opponents, but it will also secure a measure of bipartisan support.

James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins

commentary

How We Can Keep Iran from Becoming the Next North Korea

The United States brokered an agreement to constrain North Korea's nuclear program 25 years ago, but hard-liners abandoned it with vague intentions of coercing the North into something better. They never did, and now a runaway North Korean program poses real danger. This offers a powerful reason to preserve the Iran nuclear deal.

Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr