From the RAND Blog

Below, you'll find the most recent commentary from RAND experts on topics related to Asia. For a complete list of all commentaries by RAND staff, visit The RAND Blog.

  • Beijing street life

    Blog

    The Paradoxes of China: Understanding Our Rival

    Nov 5, 2012

    China is rife with paradoxes...of class, foreign aid, military spending, and corruption. Whether and how they are resolved will seriously affect the evolution of policies within China, as well as its future relations with the United States, writes Charles Wolf, Jr.

  • North Korean postage stamp

    Multimedia

    Deterrence and North Korea

    Oct 30, 2012

    Senior defense analyst Bruce Bennett discusses why North Korea presents uniquely difficult challenges and suggests new and creative approaches to deterrence.

  • North Korean postage stamp

    Event

    Deterrence and North Korea

    Oct 30, 2012

    Although the United States has, in recent years, successfully deterred a North Korean invasion of South Korea, it has not deterred many North Korean provocations. Senior defense analyst Bruce Bennett discusses why North Korea is such a uniquely difficult challenge and suggests new and creative approaches to deterrence.

  • Police training in northern Afghanistan

    Blog

    What the Soviets Can Teach Us About Leaving Afghanistan

    Oct 18, 2012

    Afghanistan will fail if it does not have a central government with enough strength, support, and willpower to maintain control of the bulk of its forces, writes Olga Oliker.

  • The Bund, Shanghai, China

    Blog

    Confronting a Rising China Begins at Home

    Oct 17, 2012

    As long as the United States holds tight to its values and solves its problems at home, it will be able to manage the rise of China, write Andrew Scobell and Andrew J. Nathan.

  • a U.S. Army Soldier and Afghan National Policemen

    Blog

    Difficult Questions on Afghanistan and Pakistan

    Oct 17, 2012

    In Afghanistan, the U.S. military has been fighting the longest war in the nation's history—and many Americans don't understand why. The final presidential debate on Monday affords President Obama and Governor Romney an excellent opportunity to provide answers, writes Jonah Blank.

  • Taliban insurgents turning themselves in to Afghan National Security Forces

    Commentary

    Bringing the Taliban to the Table: Long-Term Prospects for the Afghan Peace Talks

    Oct 11, 2012

    The Afghan government and the Taliban have signaled that the United States would be the most suitable third-party interlocutor and most effective at holding the parties to their word in any agreement. Yet the U.S. must accept that the timeline must be organically determined by the Afghans and not manufactured to meet a predetermined schedule, writes Jason Campbell.

  • News Release

    News Release

    RAND Stanton Research Fellows Issue New Studies Examining Nuclear Security Issues

    Oct 2, 2012

    Three Stanton Nuclear Security Fellows at the RAND Corporation—Robert Reardon, Markus Schiller, and David Kearn—have published new research examining nuclear security issues.