June 2019

q&a

Searching for Truth: Q&A with Jennifer Kavanagh

Senior political scientist Jennifer Kavanagh helps lead RAND's work on Truth Decay, the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life. In this interview, she discusses her latest research on how news presentation has changed over time and across platforms.

commentary

Changing the Way America Goes to War

America's vast power, and the weakness of most of its enemies, has allowed it to get away with a striking absence of deliberative judgment when deciding on war, as the Iraq case makes clear. But that free pass is coming to an end. It's time for the United States to rethink the way it decides on wars of choice.

Michael J. Mazarr @MMazarr

commentary

Here's What an AI Code of Conduct for the Pentagon Might Look Like

Advocates want a code of conduct for how artificial intelligence will be used and oversight to ensure it is being followed. DoD could identify areas where it might use AI in the foreseeable future and set rules and guidelines for business uses, non-lethal military uses, and lethal uses.

Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc

commentary

Fighting and Winning the Undeclared Cyber War

Russia has executed deliberate intrusions into U.S. critical infrastructure since at least 2011. These systems have included government entities, commercial facilities, water resource plants, and aviation institutions. What actions or policies can the U.S. execute to improve security?

Isaac R. Porche III

essay

How to End U.S. Roadway Deaths by 2050

Tens of thousands of people die on American roads every year. Bringing that number down to zero by 2050 is possible. We would have to change how we think about road safety, stop accepting car crashes as accidents, and make smart investments in technology.

commentary

Preparing for a Venezuela After Maduro

If it becomes evident that Maduro isn't about to fall, then the Trump administration should revisit its sanctions and rescind those that weigh most heavily on the Venezuelan people, while targeting and isolating the regime.

James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins

commentary

One Country, Two Systems, Lots of Problems

The enormous protests in Hong Kong since spring have led to fresh fears about the viability of China's “one country, two systems” policy. It's an idea that Macau and Hong Kong officially subscribe to and Taiwan fiercely resists—but one increasingly questioned from all sides.

Derek Grossman @DerekJGrossman

blog

Iran, School Discipline, North Korea: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on the costs of U.S.–Iran confrontation, discipline reform in America's schools, why the North Korea problem is bigger than nukes, and more.

commentary

A Post-2020 U.S. Return to the Iran Nuclear Deal?

Now that the United States is out of the Iran nuclear deal, signing back on will not be as simple or as practical as some may hope. Too much has happened since it was first inked in 2015. With the political landscape in Tehran and Washington still taking shape, those who want to return to some kind of deal should start planning.

Ariane M. Tabatabai, Elisa Catalano Ewers

commentary

Waking Up to the Costs of Nocturia

Nocturia is a troublesome lower urinary tract condition that causes people to wake up two or more times a night to empty their bladder. Researchers calculated the overall economic cost associated with nocturia in a working-age population across six countries.

Marco Hafner, Christian Van Stolk

commentary

One Year After Singapore: The North Korea Problem Is Bigger Than Nukes

After two summits between the United States and North Korea, and little to show in the way of deliverables on dismantlement, hopes that a third summit may yield a denuclearization deal seem a bit unrealistic. Essentially, there has been no indication of intent on Kim's part to denuclearize. But the North Korea problem is much greater than nukes.

Soo Kim

commentary

The Costs of Confrontation with Iran Are Mounting

Even if the United States and Iran avoid a direct military clash, recent escalation and the U.S. maximum pressure campaign are exacting long-term costs for U.S. interests and regional stability in ways that may be difficult if not impossible to reverse.

Dalia Dassa Kaye

blog

Hong Kong, Education Reform, Baghdad: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on lessons for state education reform, retaining women in the U.S. Coast Guard, recounting the Battle for Baghdad, and more.

commentary

Can Washington and Moscow Agree to Limit Political Interference?

After his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia had proposed a mutual non-interference pledge. The concept of elaborating norms of non-interference on a mutual basis might be the best way to stabilize U.S.-Russian relations and prevent the damaging episodes of recent years from happening again.

Samuel Charap @scharap, Ivan Timofeev

commentary

A Democratic Spring Could Be Stirring in Eurasia. The West's Quiet Support Can Help

An incipient Eurasian “democratic spring” may not yet be on the horizon, but political awareness and civil society are gaining ground. The West could contribute by continuing to help to fill information vacuums, and by offering training and support for nurturing civil society, conducting free and fair elections, and developing competitive politics.

Denis Corboy, William Courtney @courtneywmh, et al.