May 2015

Intelligence Collection

commentary
The USA Freedom Act: The Definition of a Compromise
The USA Freedom Act does not 'balance' privacy and national security, nor is it clear that any legislation can credibly do so. There's no monolithic view of what such a balance should look like.
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May 29, 2015
The Hill
Sina Beaghley

Migrants

q&a
How to Solve the Mediterranean's Migrant Crisis
Destroying smugglers' vessels could contribute to reducing illegal migration and impact the business model that makes smuggling so profitable. But it won't stop smuggling altogether.
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May 28, 2015
Giacomo Persi Paoli
European Union

commentary
'Better Regulation': Why Timmermans Should Go Beyond the Regulatory Scrutiny Board
Promoting the 'Better Regulation' agenda in the EU could be given a real boost by turning the proposed Regulatory Scrutiny Board into an impartial evidence and scrutiny centre, putting high-quality and objective impact assessment at the heart of the legislative process.
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May 27, 2015
EurActiv
Stijn Hoorens @StijnHoorens
Russia

commentary
Will Putin Gamble All on a Broader Ukraine Invasion?
If the Kremlin is contemplating further action in Ukraine, it faces a tough choice. The decision could have an enduring impact on Russia's fortunes.
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May 26, 2015
Newsweek
Denis Corboy, William Courtney @courtneywmh, et al.
Iraq

commentary
Iraq Is Bankrolling ISIL
Iraq continues to fund ISIL by continuing salaries to the many Iraqi government employees who live in ISIL-controlled territory. That fact is a reminder of how poorly the country has been governed.
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May 26, 2015
Politico
Howard J. Shatz @HowardJShatz
The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)

commentary
Who Runs the Islamic State Group?
Despite the Islamic State's notoriety, a wide range of theories are still circulating about who really runs the group.
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May 22, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Benjamin Bahney, Patrick B. Johnston
China

commentary
China's Emerging Vision for World Order
China's mulling of the risks and benefits of assuming greater global responsibility reveals its judgment that it can't entrust the protection of its interests to U.S. goodwill.
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May 21, 2015
The National Interest
Timothy R. Heath
Military Strategy

commentary
Land Power and a Third Offset Through a Wide-Angle Lens
The so-called 'third offset' is intended to guide U.S. defense strategy. The right way to view it is as part of a comprehensive vision for competitive advantage, one in which land power, often minimized in offset analyses, can play a central role.
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May 21, 2015
War on the Rocks
Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr
Military Personnel

commentary
Book Review: 'God Is Not Here' by Bill Russell Edmonds
'God Is Not Here' shows how not to send a soldier to war. The experience is searing and often brutal, and only a well-led, well-trained, cohesive unit can help servicemen and servicewomen do their duty and survive both mentally and physically.
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May 19, 2015
New York Times
Linda Robinson
China

commentary
China's Island-Building Stirs Fears, but Creates Openings for U.S.
News of proposed Navy patrols nearby disputed islands claimed by China suggests that the United States is toughening its response to Beijing's assertive territorial claims in the South China Sea.
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May 18, 2015
World Politics Review
Timothy R. Heath
Life Skills

commentary
He Lived Cautiously, and Then Died Suddenly
After his father's unexpected death, RAND's Jeffrey Wasserman questions his instinct to always play it safe, and decides what risks in life are worth taking.
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May 15, 2015
Los Angeles Times
Jeffrey Wasserman
commentary
A Conservative Ambition for the Defence of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister David Cameron and his new Cabinet are spending their first days in office articulating a policy and legislative agenda, to be delivered in the form of the Queen's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament on 27 May. National strategy and defence are certain to feature on that agenda.
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May 14, 2015
The RAND Blog
Paul Cornish
Emergency Preparedness

commentary
Another Nepal Earthquake Makes Disaster Relief Planning Even More Important
Leadership, coordination, communication, and involvement of local stakeholders are critical in order to mount an informed response to natural disasters. Improved disaster management in Nepal could help limit the suffering of impacted communities and help secure a more successful recovery in the long run.
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May 13, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Mahshid Abir, Melinda Moore
International Diplomacy

commentary
How Durable Is the China-Russia 'Friendship?'
Though China and Russia share key economic interests and oppose what they claim to be a U.S.-dominated world order, their relationship over time promises to be uneven and tense.
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May 13, 2015
Reuters, The Great Debate blog
William Courtney @courtneywmh, David Sedney, et al.
Yemen

commentary
Yemen: Victim of the Saudi-Iranian Rivalry
Instability in Yemen does not benefit Iran, Saudi Arabia, or the United States. AQAP is a major threat to all three countries. And neither side in the Yemeni conflict has the capability to impose central authority in Yemen by itself.
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May 12, 2015
The Arab Weekly
Alireza Nader
Sleep

commentary
U.S. Soldiers Denied Sleep Suffer Major Health Effects
More than 60 percent of service members don't get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep per night. About a third get by on five hours or less. The military, and society at large, needs to recognize the importance of sleep as a crucial link to physical and mental well-being.
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May 11, 2015
U.S. News & World Report
Wendy M. Troxel @wendytroxel, Regina A. Shih @ReginaShih