National Security
CONGRESSIONAL NEWSLETTER
This monthly bulletin summarizes RAND national security publications released in the last month. Click on any link to view the full report. To request free copies of RAND publications, write to ocr@rand.org.
Past issues of this bulletin can be viewed in the archive section of RAND's Web site for Congress.
August 2003
Contents: ----------------------------------------- 1. Reports AMERICA'S ROLE IN NATION-BUILDING FROM GERMANY TO IRAQ In Iraq, the United States is facing its most challenging nation-building project since the 1940s. The authors draw lessons from seven case studies-Germany, Japan, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan-then apply these to the Iraq case. The results suggest that nation-building will be difficult but possible. Success will, however, require investing sufficient financial, military, political resources, and time. BENCHMARKING SECURITY AND TRUST IN EUROPE AND THE US This report presents the results of two pilot surveys (for citizens and for businesses) held in 2002, which addressed respondents from the European Union, Switzerland and the United States on a number of topics, among others 'Security and Trust'. It explores how Europeans and Americans experience online threats and vulnerabilities. THE GLOBAL COURSE OF THE INFORMATION REVOLUTION RECURRING THEMES AND REGIONAL VARIATIONS Advances in information technology are heavily influencing ways in which business, society, and government work and function throughout the globe, bringing many changes to everyday life, in a process commonly termed the "information revolution." This book paints a picture of the state of the information revolution today and how it will likely progress in the near- to mid-term future (10 to 15 years), focusing separately on different regions of the world-North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa. PRELIMINARY BENEFIT/COST FRAMEWORK FOR COUNTERTERRORISM PUBLIC EXPENDITURES The author develops a range of rough estimates of the benefits and costs of a U.S. counterterrorism effort in the context of moderate (based on Northern Ireland in 1999), severe (recent Israeli experience), and nuclear terrorist attacks against the United States. The analysis suggests that short-run marginal benefit may exceed marginal cost, and thus that spending may in fact be too little. Another important facet of the problem is the financing source for the counterterrorism efforts-the federal government or state or local agencies. Documented Briefings & Conference Proceedings FORKS IN THE ROAD FOR THE U.S. NAVY Making the right decisions at turning points can be the difference between victory and defeat. The Navy asked RAND if it could identify "forks in the road"-future decision points that may require a significant change in direction. After defining the attributes of such forks, the authors use an interview process and an opportunity-risk analysis to identify nine forks that the Navy should consider first. These nine diverse forks were followed by two high-risk forks-unmanned vehicles and space-based capabilities-that could yield high payoffs. IMPLEMENTING BEST PURCHASING AND SUPPLY MANAGEMENT PRACTICESLESSONS FROM INNOVATIVE COMMERCIAL FIRMS RAND examined how innovative commercial firms implement purchasing and supply management (PSM) practices in their purchases of good and services. Three key findings are presented in this briefing: (1) innovative commercial firms are moving to a strategic, goal-oriented approach to PSM, (2) implementing new PSM practices can take a number of years and often requires significant, permanent change throughout the organization, and (3) the Air Force needs strategies to sustain continuity of support for serious PSM change from one leadership team to the next. On May 5-6, 2003, RAND and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy held a two-day conference in Geneva that examined the impact of the Iraq war on the security of the Middle East. It was attended by specialists from the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. This document summarizes the main issues and points of discussion at the conference: the impact of Iraq on the war on terrorism; the future of Iran and Iraq, repercussions of the war on Syria, the Levant, Turkey, Jordan, and the Arabian peninsula; and the effect of the war on transatlantic ties. Testimony COMPETITIVE SOURCING AND THE MORALE OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES Presented before the United States Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce, and the District of Columbia. Terrorism Incident Database RAND-MIPT TERRORISM INCIDENT DATABASE AVAILABLE ONLINE RAND has compiled a Terrorism Incident Database for the past 30 years and has joined forces with the Oklahoma City National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism to make the database available online. The system includes two RAND databases, the RAND Terrorism Chronology Database and the RAND-MIPT Terrorism Incident Database. The RAND Terrorism Chronology Database records international terrorist incidents that occurred between 1968 and 1997, while the RAND-MIPT Terrorism Incident Database records domestic and international terrorist incidents that occurred from 1998 to present. Op-Eds HEADLINES OVER THE HORIZON AMERICA NEEDS EUROPE, TO WIN PEACE IN IRAQ THE NEXT DEBATE: AL QAEDA LINK THE DECISION FOR WAR WAS STILL RIGHT WE'VE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE GETTING BEYOND BOUNDARIES U.S. FOREIGN POLICY MUST INCLUDE THE ERADICATION OF DANGEROUS DISEASES BE TOUGHER ON BURMA THAN CHINA |
ABOUT RAND
For more than 50 years, decisionmakers in the public and private sectors have turned to the RAND Corporation for objective analysis and effective solutions that address the challenges facing the nation and the world. These challenges include such critical social and economic issues as education, poverty, crime, and the environment, as well as a range of national security issues.
Today, RAND researchers and analysts continue to be on the cutting edge of their fields, working with decisionmakers in both the public and private sectors to find solutions to today's difficult, sensitive, and important problems. Through its dedication to high-quality and objective research and analysis and with sophisticated analytical tools developed over many years, RAND is engaged with its clients to create knowledge, insight, information, options, and solutions that will be both effective and enduring.
Read more
SUBSCRIPTION AND ORDERING INFORMATION
This bulletin has been sent to you as a courtesy update on RAND's ongoing national security research.
To unsubscribe, please write to ocr@rand.org or call (703) 413-1100 x5781.
To request a FREE copy of any RAND publication, please write to ocr@rand.org, or call (703) 413-1100 x5781.
RAND can also provide briefings, research assistance, testimony, and other services to Congressional offices.
Sign up for RAND email announcements for new services and products.