February 2014

commentary

Facing Syrian Realities

President Barack Obama’s upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia to meet with King Abdullah offers an opportunity to engage in a much needed dialogue about the future of the conflict in Syria and to hear what a strong ally and friend has to say about stability in the region.

William Young

commentary

Making Informed Investment Decisions in an Uncertain World

Changing how we make development decisions requires a cultural shift as much as it requires an analytical shift. Methodological innovations like Robust Decision Making can help. By motivating and equipping analysts to manage uncertainty, they can shape how we think about, discuss, and make decisions.

Nidhi Kalra, Laura Bonzanigo

commentary

Should the U.S. Move the Marines to Guam?

The option to permanently base Marines on Guam should hinge on the benefits of the location and the costs. Guam scores poorly on both counts and better options exist. However, previous guidance provided to the Marine Corps constrains consideration of such options.

Michael J. Lostumbo

commentary

Caring for Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes, Why Gender Matters

High-quality routine care for both cardiovascular disease and diabetes is at least as relevant to women's health and survival as it is to men's. Yet evidence suggests that women continue to face gaps in even low-cost, routine aspects of care.

Chloe E. Bird @ChloeBirdPhD

commentary

Dear Military Spouses: I'm Sorry

Kayla Williams describes her difficult transition from soldier to spouse, sergeant to civilian, team leader to caregiver. Two books by military wives opened her eyes to the challenges and rewards of marrying into the military, and the unique kind of service military families experience.

Kayla M. Williams @KWilliams101

commentary

No Insurance Last Year? Then You Might Be Undecided About the ACA

As open enrollment in insurance continues, many of those who were uninsured in 2013 remain uninsured. They may be still learning about how the ACA will affect them.

Katherine Grace Carman

blog

Medical Homes Show Limited Quality Improvements, No Cost Reductions

A study suggests that medical home interventions may require further refinements before their full potential can be realized. Evaluations like this can help guide the improvement of the medical home model.

commentary

NATO Needs a Southern Strategy

If NATO wants to avoid strategic irrelevance, it needs to give increasing attention to the threats from the Middle East and North Africa region. A southern strategy should draw on recent experience, such as NATO's intervention in Libya and the successful operation in Mali.

F. Stephen Larrabee, Peter A. Wilson

commentary

Discord Among Terrorists

Overall, divisions in Al Qaeda's ranks are good news for the United States. While the split will not end the jihadists' terrorist campaigns, it will preoccupy Al Qaeda's leaders and create uncertainty in its ranks.

Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

commentary

America's New Missile Gap

With the end of the Cold War, the U.S. military refocused on the non-nuclear realm. In most cases, military professionals moved seamlessly into this realm, but the land-based missileers lacked the option to shift their focus.

Paula G. Thornhill

commentary

What Might Terrorists Do Next?

No one can predict with any certainty what terrorists might do next. If there is one lesson America learned about counterterrorism on 9/11, it's that the coming attack may look nothing like those that preceded it.

Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins

commentary

The Egyptian Regime's Achilles' Heel

As the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood reclaiming power recedes, it will become difficult for the new authorities in Egypt to hold together a coalition that is built solely on its members' shared antipathy for the Islamist group.

Jeffrey Martini

commentary

What to Make of P-TECH Schools

There is no doubting the viability of STEM skills in the 21st century job market and the long-term benefits of going to college. But the P-TECH program could be promising for two reasons that have nothing to do with technology.

Rafiq Dossani

q&a

Quick Takes: Do Workplace Wellness Programs Make Business Sense?

The press and trade publications strongly endorse workplace wellness programs as a good investment for employers. Soeren Mattke, a physician and RAND senior scientist, explains why his work tells a different story.

commentary

Health Matters

Everyone should take the time to ask themselves what they can do to improve their health, and to support the health of friends, families, and communities. When it comes to good health, it takes a community.

Jeffrey Wasserman