This week, we discuss how the China-Russia relationship affects U.S. interests; how raising the minimum wage could affect workers’ health insurance coverage; the benefits of increasing funding for women’s health research; improving supply chain resilience; one approach to countering extremism in the military; and how refugees use digital technology during displacement. Photo by Ramil Sitdikov/Sputnik… Continue reading China and Russia, Wages and Insurance, Refugees and Technology : RAND Weekly Recap
Category: Intel
The U.S. Doesn’t Need More Nuclear Weapons to Counter China’s New Missile Silos
The discovery of what appear to be hundreds of new missile silos under construction in China has inspired arguments that imply the United States needs more nuclear weapons. Matthew Kroenig, a Defense Department adviser during the Trump administration, suggested in a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed that “the Pentagon should study whether it can meet… Continue reading The U.S. Doesn’t Need More Nuclear Weapons to Counter China’s New Missile Silos
Danchenko Indictment: How Dossier Non-Source Sergei Millian Was Framed
Above, Sergei Millian and Donald Trump — a fateful picture for the targeted Belarusian-American. By Paul Sperry, RealClearInvestigationsNovember 10, 2021 In January 2017, Igor Danchenko, a primary source for the Steele dossier, told FBI officials in a debriefing that one of his sources for derogatory information about Donald Trump’s alleged ties to Russia was merely an… Continue reading Danchenko Indictment: How Dossier Non-Source Sergei Millian Was Framed
Reducing the Role of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Could Make North Korea Happy
Editor’s note: In late September, The National Interest organized a symposium on nuclear policy, nonproliferation, and arms control under the Biden administration. A variety of scholars were asked the following question: “Should Joe Biden seize the opportunity of his administration’s Nuclear Posture Review to redefine the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. security planning? How… Continue reading Reducing the Role of U.S. Nuclear Weapons Could Make North Korea Happy
Biden Administration Shows Unwavering Support for Taiwan
Ten months into the Biden administration, it is abundantly clear that the United States will continue to strengthen ties with Taiwan and defend the island if ever attacked by China. As I have previously argued, the Biden administration has routinely signaled its willingness to do both of these things, in effect doubling-down on Trump administration-era… Continue reading Biden Administration Shows Unwavering Support for Taiwan
The Definition of Mobilisation
In Australia, the prevailing view of mobilisation is that it is an activity associated with going to war. In the event of an armed conflict, the nation mobilises to support the Australian Defence Force. Against recent events, including the 2019–20 bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic, the ADF has mobilised to support the nation. As the range… Continue reading The Definition of Mobilisation
Engaging Different Types of Practitioners in the Complex Social Policy Area of Adverse Childhood Experiences
Evidence-based or evidence-informed policymaking and practice is increasingly championed by governments and decisionmakers. To make this a reality, it is important to know how stakeholders, such as policymakers and practitioners, already view and use evidence. Therefore, the support and engagement of these relevant stakeholders may be invaluable. Understanding how stakeholders make sense of and prioritise… Continue reading Engaging Different Types of Practitioners in the Complex Social Policy Area of Adverse Childhood Experiences
Medical Research Rapidly Adopts ‘Systemic Racism’ as Truth, Risking Scientific Credibility (2 Parts)
Part 1 of 2 Articles (Part 2 Here) Rejection used to be common for medical sociologist Thomas LaVeist when he tried to get his research published on the effects of racism on the health of black people. “Now,” said the 60-year-old dean of Tulane University’s School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, “I have those… Continue reading Medical Research Rapidly Adopts ‘Systemic Racism’ as Truth, Risking Scientific Credibility (2 Parts)
The Russians and Iranians Show Us Why We Need Influence Ranger School
On November 16, 2021 The Brookings Institute ran an article “How the Kremlin has weaponized the Facebook files” (see: https://brook.gs/3CAi3Dll, which is also a photo source). Many of us have followed France Haugen’s denouncements of Facebook to learn more about the internal workings of the internet juggernaut. This article describes how the Russians have… Continue reading The Russians and Iranians Show Us Why We Need Influence Ranger School
Treating Supervised Drug Consumption Sites Like Cannabis
Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear arguments about the federal ban on Philadelphia’s proposed supervised drug consumption site. For those wanting to pilot and research these programs, there may be other avenues for addressing federal barriers. Supervised consumption sites—also referred to as supervised injection facilities or overdose prevention sites—are places where… Continue reading Treating Supervised Drug Consumption Sites Like Cannabis