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RAND's international affairs research comprises a range of cross-cutting issues, including global economies and trade, space and maritime security, diplomacy, global health and education, nation building, and regional security and stability. RAND also analyzes the policies and effectiveness of international organizations such as the UN, NATO, European Union, and ASEAN.

Report

How Does North Korea Evade Sanctions?

Sep 23, 2021

The United Nations has imposed increasingly restrictive sanctions on North Korea after each of the six nuclear weapons tests that it conducted between 2009 and 2016. Enforcement has been mixed and North Korea has become adept at several techniques to evade sanctions.
Commentary

China and Pakistan See Eye to Eye on the Taliban—Almost

Sep 21, 2021

Beijing and Islamabad share a long history of cooperation and have much in common on Afghanistan. Both are poised to benefit strategically from the Taliban's success. But the Taliban's resurrection almost certainly will add some stress to an otherwise positive and productive bilateral partnership.

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Blog

China and Russia, Wages and Insurance, Refugees and Technology : RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on China-Russia ties, considerations when raising the minimum wage, how refugees use digital devices, and more.

Oct 15, 2021
Commentary

North Korea's 'Business as Usual' Missile Provocations

North Korea has revved up its cycle of missile provocations, its go-to method of securing leverage against the United States and South Korea in the on-again off-again nuclear negotiations. How will the United States and South Korea choose to respond?

Oct 14, 2021
Blog

Gen. Charles Flynn Says Army Has Crucial Role in the Pacific Theater

What is the U.S. Army's role in an oceanic theater that spans half the globe, where China increasingly asserts itself for strategic advantage? Gen. Charles A. Flynn, head of the U.S. Army Pacific, discussed this and other topics related to the Army's role in the Pacific theater at a recent event at RAND.

Oct 13, 2021
Report

The Chinese-Russian Relationship and Its Risks to U.S. Interests

Over the past 70 years, China and Russia have experienced the full range of interstate relations, from conflict to alliance. Beijing and Moscow have become much closer since 2014, increasing political, military, and economic cooperation. What does this mean for the United States?

Oct 12, 2021
Announcement

Erik Mobrand Named RAND Corporation's Korea Policy Chair

Erik Mobrand, a political scientist whose research focuses on political transformation in South Korea and Asia more broadly, has joined the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation as its Korea Policy Chair.

Oct 8, 2021
Brochure

Select RAND Research on Counterinsurgency, Stability Operations, Support to Foreign Internal Defense, Nation-Building, and Special Operations: 1962-2019

This volume is an important resource for those interested in gaining an informed understanding of a persistent, though usually low-level, military threat to U.S. security.

Oct 7, 2021
Brochure

Select RAND Research on China: 1999-2019

This volume is an important resource for anyone who is interested in gaining an informed understanding of China, a major strategic competitor of the United States in the economic, technological, diplomatic, and security realms.

Oct 7, 2021
Brochure

Select RAND Research on Security Cooperation: 2006-2019

This volume is a resource for those interested in gaining an informed understanding of security cooperation, a term that refers to the variety of activities that the United States undertakes to strengthen its military partners and partnerships.

Oct 7, 2021
Commentary

The Big Unanswered Question of the Afghanistan War

The United States' war in Afghanistan may be over, but the debate over the legacy of America's longest war has just begun. The U.S. defeat raises many questions. For the future of American defense strategy, one big question perhaps stands out above all: Does the United States still have the grit necessary to fight and win long wars?

Oct 4, 2021
Blog

Panel Discusses Biden Strategy of Diplomacy as Tool of First Resort in the Middle East

A distinguished panel of Middle East and national security experts expressed concerns about potential side effects of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan on U.S. Middle East policy and encouraged the Biden administration to proactively engage allies in the future.

Oct 1, 2021
Report

What Drives U.S. Adversaries to Use Military Forces Abroad?

Where, how, and how often have China, Russia, and Iran intervened militarily since 1946? A review of their behavior and that of other U.S. adversaries identifies why they initiated military interventions and why they might do so in the future.

Sep 27, 2021
Report

Russia's Military Interventions: Patterns, Drivers, and Signposts

Despite Russia's relatively small global economic footprint, it has engaged in more interventions than any other U.S. competitor since 1991. In this report, the authors assess when, where, and why Russia conducts military interventions.

Sep 27, 2021
Report

China's Military Interventions: Patterns, Drivers, and Signposts

China has undertaken two broad types of military interventions in its post-1949 history. The authors assess which one of two patterns is likely to predominate in China's future and on what factors the answer to this question is likely to depend.

Sep 27, 2021
Report

Iran's Military Interventions: Patterns, Drivers, and Signposts

In this report, the authors assess when, where, why, and how Iran conducts military interventions and identify key signposts of Iranian military interventions that can be used as early warning indicators for U.S. military planners.

Sep 27, 2021
Report

Enhancing US-Finnish and regional defence cooperation: An exploratory analysis

This study examines Finland's defence posture and the transatlantic dimensions of Finnish security policy in the context of a potential crisis in the Nordic-Baltic region.

Sep 24, 2021
Commentary

As U.S. Shifts Arctic Strategy to Counter Russia, Allies Offer Valuable Info

U.S. strategy is shifting toward a renewed focus on the Arctic region, reflecting increasing Russian military activity there. U.S. forces could benefit from the knowledge and capabilities of partners and allies with extensive Arctic experience.

Sep 24, 2021
Visualization

Potential Drivers of Crises in the Arctic

Historically in the Arctic, regional tensions have been resolved before turning into major crises. With the Arctic gaining more attention in recent years, are existing governance mechanisms enough to handle future diplomatic challenges?

Sep 22, 2021
Commentary

What Instability at the Top Means for Japan's Alliance with the United States

Having shorter-serving prime ministers tends to minimize Japan's ability to operate as a strategic player. If Suga's resignation is the start of a revolving door, then the implications for Japan's policies and the U.S.-Japan alliance could be significant.

Sep 22, 2021
Journal Article

Written Evidence Submitted by RAND Europe: TFP0036 Tech and the Future of UK Foreign Policy

This document is RAND Europe's submission to the UK Parliament's call for evidence on how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office could support the UK's response to the opportunities and challenges presented by new and emerging technologies.

Sep 21, 2021

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