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February 2020

commentary

If U.S. Forces Have to Leave the Philippines, Then What?
If the United States were to lose access to bases in the Philippines, the effects would ripple outward. Maintaining alliances in the Indo-Pacific in all their manifestations is critical—and the details matter.
Feb 28, 2020

commentary

The First Step on a Long Path to Peace in Afghanistan
It has taken 10 years to reach the brink of a first substantial step in toward peace in Afghanistan. Much could still go wrong. Can the Taliban and the Afghan government come together to jointly govern the country?
Feb 27, 2020
essay

Supportive Housing Can Help Keep People with Mental Illness Out of Jail
Hundreds of thousands of people with serious mental illnesses cycle in and out of American jails every year. In Los Angeles, some of them are getting diverted into a supportive housing program where they can get the treatment they need. And the results are promising.
Feb 27, 2020
blog

Panel: How the Media Can Help Fight Truth Decay
Truth Decay is the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life. As part of this phenomenon, Americans are losing faith in once-trusted sources of information, including the news. How might media organizations address this?
Feb 25, 2020
commentary

More Engagement in West Africa Could Blunt Looming Crisis
There is a very real possibility that the security crisis afflicting Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger will spread to the countries of the West African coastal region. Early action including security-sector support could be the key to staving off worst-case scenarios.
Feb 25, 2020
blog

National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence Requests New Ideas; RAND Responds
The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence put out an open call for submissions about emerging technology's role in the global order. RAND researchers stepped up to the challenge and submitted a wide range of ideas.
Feb 21, 2020
commentary

How to Train Your AI Soldier Robots (and the Humans Who Command Them)
While AI-enabled robots will have human-like characteristics, they will likely develop distinct personalities of their own. The military will need an extensive training program to inform new doctrines and concepts to manage this powerful, but unprecedented, capability.
Feb 21, 2020
commentary

Power and Legitimacy Go Hand in Hand
The United States has a truly distinct approach to power which has made all the difference in the post-war world. We abandon it at our peril.
Feb 21, 2020
commentary

Where Does China's 'One Country, Two Systems' Stand in 2020?
Hong Kong and Macau live under “one country, two systems,” and China aspires to include Taiwan in the future as well. But President Tsai Ing-wen's landslide re-election in Taiwan on January 11 resoundingly demonstrates that the arrangement is dead on arrival there.
Feb 13, 2020
commentary

Jumpstarting Arms Control Talks with Russia: A Low-Risk Gambit
In 2019, Russia proposed a moratorium on missile deployments in Europe. If the United States does not accept, it could increase the threat to NATO allies and provide Moscow with more bargaining chips in future arms negotiations.
Feb 13, 2020
commentary

Peace with the Region Is Not a Peace Plan
Acceptance of Israel from the broader Arab world will not resolve the dilemma of how the Israelis and the Palestinians can agree to live on the same land together. A viable plan for the future, one that is about real peace and not a one-sided political gambit, must recognize these realities.
Feb 13, 2020
commentary

Stabilizing the Nuclear Cold War
Russia and the United States are still locked in a nuclear cold war. Thousands of nuclear weapons are deployed, some on high alert. Although the United States prudently withdrew from several past arms control treaties with Russia, it could be in America's interest to extend New START.
Feb 13, 2020
commentary

Green Infrastructure in Los Angeles: An Olympian Feat
Los Angeles has an opportunity to reinvent itself by harnessing the collective spirit of Olympics development, climate activism, and Measure W funding. No single project can address all LA's environmental needs, but many diverse projects could provide an opportunity for synergies and to create a new “city feel,” the way palm trees, traffic, and movie-touting billboards do now.
Feb 11, 2020
commentary

Little Has Changed in Post-Mugabe Zimbabwe
After decades in power, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was toppled via a military coup in November 2017. His successor Emmerson Mnangagwa promised a break from Mugabe's authoritarian rule and economic mismanagement. After two years in power, to what extent has Mnangagwa delivered on his promises? In short, it's bleak.
Feb 7, 2020
commentary

Our Actions Determine What We Read and See Online. Algorithms Are Only a Part of That Process
As social media has increasingly become the main outlet for people to acquire news and opinion, there are concerns about the effect of algorithm-driven services on the spread of misleading information. But the issue doesn't merely lie with how social platforms use algorithms to deliver content.
Feb 7, 2020
commentary

How to Actually Recruit Talent for the AI Challenge
In the global race to dominate AI technologies, talent is everything. The Pentagon should consider redesigning its personnel policies to accommodate a much greater degree of speed and permeability in its cyber and AI workforce, regardless of what pay and benefits it offers.
Feb 5, 2020
blog

State of the Union 2020: Insights from RAND
The final State of the Union address of President Trump's four-year term may be viewed through the lens of the unprecedented circumstances surrounding the evening. But the speech touched on a range of policy challenges that will remain, regardless of how politics play out in 2020.
Feb 5, 2020
commentary

Rx Civic Engagement: Keeping the Public Engaged in Public Health
Civic engagement—activities like voting and volunteering—is essential for the health of democracy. A turn at the ballot box might also improve physical and mental health.
Feb 4, 2020
commentary

Los Angeles River Revitalization: Taking Inspiration from Near and Far
Currently a predominantly concrete channel running through the city, the Los Angeles River has great potential to revitalize Los Angeles's water resources, landscape, and identity. Creating a new vision for the river presents a complex challenge for policymakers, engineers, and urban planners.
Feb 4, 2020
commentary

What Can FEMA Learn from the Historic 2017 Hurricane and Wildfire Seasons?
When a hurricane comes ashore or a wildfire ignites, most of a community's vulnerability to disaster is already set. Emergency managers including FEMA, states, and localities could do much more to identify statewide risks and build community resilience before an event makes headlines.
Feb 3, 2020