Commentaryby RAND Staff » RAND

RAND: Commentary by RAND Staff 2010-03-19T10:16:10Z Copyright (c) 2007-2008, The RAND Corporation Bricolage RAND Corporation urn:uuid:380E7B92-30B6-11DC-A368-64E9D44B69C5 Below the Radar urn:uuid:0E344AE4-3361-11DF-8537-55C038788F35 2010-03-18T10:09:00Z 2010-03-18T10:09:00Z The string of recent arrests involving American citizens in terror plots against the U.S. have highlighted what appears to be a trend in transnational Islamist terrorism: growing domestic radicalization, writes Peter Chalk. Dueling Doctrines: Mullen vs. Powell? Or Mullen & Powell vs. Rumsfeld? urn:uuid:39966C7E-31FB-11DF-981D-55C038788F35 2010-03-17T15:27:00Z 2010-03-17T15:27:00Z Reflecting changes in the American approach to counterinsurgency, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen recently enunciated a new and apparently more restrained doctrine for the use of armed force. But is this really a repudiation of the so-called Powell Doctrine, asks James Dobbins. The Cost Of Reuniting Korea urn:uuid:D66D6938-32D9-11DF-968A-55C038788F35 2010-03-15T18:00:00Z 2010-03-15T18:00:00Z Prospects for reuniting South and North Korea may be better than at any time since the demise in 1994 of North Korea's "Great Leader," Kim Il Sung. Several indicators suggest a possible move in this direction, writes Charles Wolf Jr. Jihad Jane and the Risk of Domestic Terrorism urn:uuid:280A2E0E-2E14-11DF-9F13-55C038788F35 2010-03-12T15:16:00Z 2010-03-12T15:16:00Z The revelation of the arrest in October of Colleen Renee LaRose, who had adopted the pathetically predictable nom de guerre Jihad Jane, once again focuses national attention on homegrown terrorism. But while worrisome, this threat needs to be kept in perspective, writes Brian Michael Jenkins. How Can We Keep Los Angeles Secure? urn:uuid:A9E98400-2AC3-11DF-A7A2-55C038788F35 2010-03-05T10:02:00Z 2010-03-05T10:02:00Z High-ranking officials in Washington tell Americans that the threat from terrorists—principally self-radicalized homegrown terrorists—is high. Do terrorists pose a threat to Los Angeles? asks Brian Michael Jenkins. Do Higher Crime Rates Cause a Decrease in Religiosity? urn:uuid:13F0DCE2-2ACC-11DF-AB79-55C038788F35 2010-03-01T11:02:00Z 2010-03-01T11:02:00Z If we observe that high crime and low levels of religious belief or high levels of belief and low crime go hand in hand, how should we interpret that correlation? asks Paul Heaton. Iran's Counter-Strike urn:uuid:B601BDE8-22E4-11DF-9764-54C038788F35 2010-02-25T09:38:00Z 2010-02-25T09:38:00Z Iran's headstrong attempt to join the world's nuclear-weapons club is setting the stage for a military confrontation that nobody wants, but may happen anyway, writes David E. Johnson. A Month After the Earthquake: Opportunities Slipping Away urn:uuid:B0BF9CF0-2182-11DF-8BBB-55C038788F35 2010-02-24T15:18:00Z 2010-02-24T15:18:00Z Previous efforts by the international community to stabilize Haiti have met with little or only short-term success. This time, following the earthquake, the U.S. response could actually leverage the response and recovery opportunities into a broader international plan, write Agnes Gereben Schaefer and Anita Chandra. Europe's Empty Promises urn:uuid:5FB01522-221A-11DF-9144-55C038788F35 2010-02-24T09:30:00Z 2010-02-24T09:30:00Z American frustration with Europe's dwindling military capabilities is reaching new heights, as was clear in a speech by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates at the National Defense University on Tuesday, writes Christopher S. Chivvis. Obama's Health Plan: New Federal Role for Insurance Regulation urn:uuid:615AA6A8-2099-11DF-9480-55C038788F35 2010-02-22T11:29:00Z 2010-02-22T11:29:00Z In general, health insurance premiums are set at a level that will cover the expected payouts for insured people plus profit. To provide a context for understanding price increases, this document identifies the factors that insurance companies consider when setting rates for the next year, writes Elizabeth McGlynn. How Washington Can Really Help the Greens in Tehran urn:uuid:FF27BFC8-1654-11DF-8FFC-55C038788F35 2010-02-09T09:59:00Z 2010-02-09T09:59:00Z History shows that intervention is easier said than done. Past U.S. attempts to sway Iranian internal affairs have proven costly for U.S. interests. But between the extremes of doing nothing and doing everything, there is a middle ground, write Alireza Nader and Trita Parsi. Managing Catastrophic North Korea Risks urn:uuid:4FA677F0-0773-11DF-95D1-48C038788F35 2010-01-21T11:28:00Z 2010-01-21T11:28:00Z In recent years, U.S. commanders of the ROK/U.S. Combined Forces Command have been unanimous in stating that CFC could defeat a North Korean invasion. Nevertheless, they have also expressed concern about the catastrophic damage that North Korea could do to the ROK before losing, writes Bruce Bennett. Why We Need to Study the Tutors urn:uuid:B5687C94-05F9-11DF-9BC1-40C038788F35 2010-01-20T14:26:00Z 2010-01-20T14:26:00Z Based on the results of statewide standardized tests, more than 15 percent of U.S. schools are in need of improvement. The students attending these schools need help, writes Megan Beckett. Terrorists Will Strike America Again urn:uuid:6003E1E4-0509-11DF-A572-40C038788F35 2010-01-19T09:45:00Z 2010-01-19T09:45:00Z Americans should understand that preventing every attack is simply an unattainable goal, writes Gregory F. Treverton. Skip the Graft urn:uuid:5C575C66-03BE-11DF-A572-40C038788F35 2010-01-17T18:16:00Z 2010-01-17T18:16:00Z The latest disaster to befall Haiti creates the opportunity to combine bipartisan accord on Haiti in Washington with keen and perhaps sustained American public interest, writes James Dobbins. The Coming Afghanistan Surge—and the Severely Wounded urn:uuid:F3480572-FCA1-11DE-B7C9-54C038788F35 2010-01-15T17:05:00Z 2010-01-15T17:05:00Z As America starts its ninth year at war, more than 32,000 U.S. service members have already been wounded in action in Iraq and about 3,500 in Afghanistan. Will U.S. resolve to strengthen care for wounded Americans be maintained, asks Ralph Masi. Reducing Traffic Congestion and Improving Travel Options in Los Angeles urn:uuid:E6284A24-020E-11DF-A572-40C038788F35 2010-01-08T14:47:00Z 2010-01-08T14:47:00Z While traffic congestion plagues many cities, Los Angeles stands apart, routinely ranking first for both total and per-capita congestion delay, with an estimate annual cost at close to $10 billion, writes Paul Sorensen. How a Decade of Terror Changed America urn:uuid:BE9A0774-F622-11DE-935E-54C038788F35 2009-12-30T10:39:00Z 2009-12-30T10:39:00Z Two foiled airliner bombings bracket a decade that changed the world's understanding of terrorism as a new form of global warfare and has had profound ramifications we are still coming to grips with in the U.S., writes Brian Michael Jenkins. Punish Iran's Rulers, Not Its People urn:uuid:499042DC-E8D9-11DE-8BF1-24C138788F35 2009-12-14T12:50:00Z 2009-12-14T12:50:00Z Time is running out for the U.S. to persuade Iran to halt its nuclear program. As the potential for a diplomatic solution wanes, the administration must consider what steps might dissuade Tehran from continuing its nuclear program without punishing the Iranian people, writes Alireza Nader.. Ends, Ways, and Means—the Debate We Still Need on Afghanistan urn:uuid:73EAB830-E516-11DE-9B86-24C138788F35 2009-12-09T17:58:00Z 2009-12-09T17:58:00Z When President Obama explained his decision to send 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan to support General Stanley McChrystal's new counterinsurgency campaign, he left a key question unanswered: Will this be enough to achieve U.S. strategic ends in Afghanistan? writes David E. Johnson.