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Table of Contents:
A. New Releases
1. Studies
2. Conference Proceedings
3. Op-Eds
B. About RAND
C. Subscription and Ordering Information
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A. NEW RELEASES
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1. Studies
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ALTERNATIVES FOR LANDMINE DETECTION
Authors: Jacqueline MacDonald, J. R. Lockwood, John McFee, et al.
At the rate that government and nongovernmental organizations are clearing
existing landmines, it will take 450-500 years to rid the world of them.
Concerned about the slow pace of demining, the Office of Science and
Technology Policy asked RAND to assess potential innovative technologies
being explored and to project what funding would be required to foster
the development of the more promising ones. The authors of this report
suggest that the federal government undertake a research and development
effort to develop a multisensor mine detection system over the next five
to eight years.
 Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1608/
Read the news release: http://www.rand.org/news/press/2003/02/18.html
DYNAMICS OF GROWTH IN WORLDWIDE SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS CAPACITY
Author: Michael G. Mattock
The Department of Defense does not own all the satellite communications
capacity it needs worldwide and must purchase capacity from commercial
vendors. Understanding what contributes to growth in satellite communications
capacity and predicting that growth would be useful to planners in their
decisions to lease or buy capacity. The author shows that the market
can adjust swiftly to a surge in demand, and thus there may be little
need to buy satellite capacity in advance simply to ensure that capacity
will be there if needed.
Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1613/
THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST
AND NORTH AFRICA
Authors: Grey Burkhart and Susan Older
This report explores the future of the information revolution in the
countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The development
gap in information and communication technology between MENA and OECD
countries and between rich and poor sectors within MENA countries is
likely to increase. It is unlikely that most MENA countries will fully
enjoy an information revolution during the next decade. They have too
many impediments and too few resources.
Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1653/
MOTIVATED METAMODELS SYNTHESIS OF CAUSE-EFFECT
REASONING AND STATISTICAL METAMODELING
Authors: Paul K. Davis, James H. Bigelow
A metamodel approximates the behavior of a more complex model. A common
and superficially attractive way to develop a metamodel is to generate
large-model data and use off-the-shelf statistical methods without attempting
to understand the model's internal workings. This report describes research
illuminating why it can be important to improve the quality of metamodels
by using even modest phenomenological knowledge to help structure them.
The work helps to understand multiresolution, multiperspective modeling.
Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1653/
OPTIMAL COMMERCIAL SATELLITE LEASING STRATEGIES
Authors: Michael G. Mattock
The Department of Defense needs far more satellite communications capacity
than it owns and thus must lease satellite communications services. Communications
planners can use the "rule of thumb" set forth in this study
to aid in making efficient satellite leasing decisions in the face of
uncertain demand for satellite services. It is a simple, graphical technique.
Extensions to the basic model show how price uncertainty and the ability
to salvage unused capacity change the appropriate amount of capacity
to lease.
Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1402/
RECONFIGURING FOOTPRINT TO SPEED EXPEDITIONARY
AEROSPACE FORCES DEPLOYMENT
Authors: Lionel A. Galway, Mahyar A. Amouzegar, Richard J. Hillestad,
Don Snyder
To ease the burden of deploying large amounts of aircraft, personnel,
and equipment to theaters of operation in times of crisis, the Air Force
has reorganized into an Expeditionary Aerospace Force. This report discusses
a new framework--footprint configuration--for defining and streamlining
the necessary support structure to speed deployment to forward operating
locations.
Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1625/
REFUELING AND COMPLEX OVERHAUL OF THE USS NIMITZ (CVN
68)
LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE
Authors: John F. Schank, Mark V. Arena, Denis Rushworth, John Birkler,
James Chiesa
The midlife refueling/complex overhaul (RCOH) of the USS Nimitz (CVN
68) took five years to plan and three years to execute. Numerous budget
and work-requirements changes and a four-month labor-union strike during
the overhaul caused the project's completion to slip and resulted in
significant cost growth. This report analyzes the planning and execution
of the CVN 68 RCOH to identify changes in processes and procedures that
could lead to better cost and schedule performance for the nine remaining
Nimitz-class RCOHs.
Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1632/
A STRATEGIC GOVERNANCE REVIEW FOR MULTI-ORGANIZATIONAL
SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Glenn A. Daley, Dina G. Levy, Tessa Kaganoff, et al.
Undertaken for the Department of Defense's Office of the Chancellor for
Education and Professional Development, this report outlines an approach
for describing and evaluating external governance in a multi-organizational
system of education, training, and professional development, which should
be of interest to those charged with oversight of such systems. The approach
consists of two main tasks: a structural analysis, which maps governance
arrangements, and an implementation audit, which assesses effectiveness.
Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1560/
TERRORISM AND DEVELOPMENT
USING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Authors: Kim Cragin, Peter Chalk
This report examines the social and economic development policies enacted
by three countries-Israel, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom-to
inhibit a resurgence of terrorism within their jurisdictions. Drawing
on a broad research base, including numerous first-hand interviews, the
authors outline the initiatives implemented by each country then assess
their effectiveness, with the aim of informing U.S. decisionmakers of
the benefits and pitfalls of such initiatives as they develop policy
to counter terrorism.
Read the report: http://www.rand.org/pubs/monograph_reports/MR1630/
Conference Proceedings
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DEMOCRACY AND ISLAM IN THE NEW CONSTITUTION OF AFGHANISTAN
Editors: Khaled M. Abou El Fadl, Said Arjomand, et al.
Reports on a conference held to identify ways in which the new constitution
of Afghanistan could help put the country on the path to a strong, stable
democracy characterized by good governance and rule of law. The participants
identified practical ideas for those involved in drafting the constitution,
particularly about the treatment of Islam.
Read the conference proceedings: http://www.rand.org/pubs/conf_proceedings/CF186/
Op-Eds
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The following is a list of national security related opinion pieces that
RAND researchers have contributed to several U.S. newspapers in the past
month. To retrieve them, please visit RAND's Op-Ed page: http://www.rand.org/commentary/
HOW DEEP AN OCEAN?
Author: Robert Hunter (Newsday)
HOPE - AND THE BIG "IFS"
Author: Gregory F. Treverton (San Francisco Chronicle)
"OLD EUROPE" AND THE NEW NATO
Author: F. Stephen Larrabee (San Diego Union-Tribune)
EUROPE IS SPLIT IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS
Author: James Dobbins (Albany Times Union)
THE NATION: TERRORISTS' TALK
Author: Bruce Berkowitz (New York Times)
FORUM: WHAT'S A "JUST WAR" THESE DAYS?
Author: Terrence K. Kelly (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
THE WEAPONS OF MASS CREATION
Author: Caroline S. Wagner (Los Angeles Times)
SHOULD UNCLE SAM WANT YOU?
Author: Beth Asch (Boston Globe)
THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE AND EVIDENCE
Author: Bruce Berkowitz (Washington Post) |
