Category: Intel

And then there were 14. That was the new tally of Taiwan’s official diplomatic partners following Nicaragua’s decision earlier this month to swap ties with Taipei for Beijing. The Solomon Islands and Kiribati did the same in 2019. But a curious fact has been overshadowed in the coverage of Taiwan’s losses: Taipei has at times… Continue reading Taiwan Would Be Better Off Alone

Six years. That is how long Taiwan might have left before suffering a Chinese military attack. At least that was the estimate according to outgoing commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Philip Davidson, back in March during open Congressional testimony. Since then, observers have seized on Davidson’s comments—which apparently reference the 100th anniversary of the… Continue reading Taiwan Is Safe Until at Least 2027, but with One Big Caveat

When the encampment dubbed Veterans Row was emptied last week, dozens of tents, tarps, and flags disappeared from San Vicente Boulevard. But moving 40 or so people onto the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs campus is a minimal step forward: An estimated 3,900 veterans live unhoused in Los Angeles. That number, which has remained essentially… Continue reading On Veterans Day, There Are Still Thousands of Homeless Vets in L.A. We Followed 26 to Find Out Why

In this Veterans Day edition of the weekly recap, we discuss how to help veterans experiencing homelessness; better care for veterans with “invisible wounds”; data showing that veterans need more support when transitioning into civilian jobs; and a Q&A with two RAND researchers who have served. An encampment of tents with American flags in Los… Continue reading Supporting America’s Veterans: RAND Weekly Recap

Last week, an anonymous caller told a Republican congressman who voted with Democrats in favor of the infrastructure bill that he and his staff should die. On Monday, Twitter added a warning label to a cartoon video shared by a different Republican congressman in which he assassinated a colleague from across the aisle. On Wednesday,… Continue reading Politicians Face Violence and Threats from Voters—and Each Other. Are We Nearing a Civil War?

Russian military shifts and stinging Kremlin criticisms of Ukraine are raising questions about Moscow’s aims. In 2014, Russia’s seizure and annexation of Crimea and invasion of eastern Ukraine led to a strong Western response—a jump in military aid to Ukraine, a NATO buildup on its eastern flank, and unprecedented sanctions. What could be in store… Continue reading Is Russia About to Make a ‘Serious Mistake’ in Ukraine?

By now the impacts of supply chain disruption are becoming all too familiar: shortages, inflation, factory closures, goods waiting at ports to be unloaded. All these impacts are serious enough, but another more-hidden concern lurks just beneath the surface: the impact of supply chain failure on national security, broadly defined as a nation’s ability to… Continue reading Supply Chain Disruptions: The Risks and Consequences

Health care consolidation is endemic across the United States. With consolidation—both horizontal (hospitals acquiring other hospitals) and vertical (for example, hospitals and health systems acquiring physician practices)—has come public attention and regulatory scrutiny. Proponents of consolidation argue that size generates efficiencies and offers opportunities to improve care coordination and quality. Critics point to concentrated markets… Continue reading Does Vertical Integration Improve or Imperil U.S. Health Care?

Africa has not traditionally been a high-value market for arms exports, but Russia has been very active on the continent. Moscow is using arms sales there to influence political and military leaders. Russia is the largest exporter of weapons to Sub-Saharan Africa (PDF). Its arms exports to Africa have increased by 23 percent over the… Continue reading What Does Africa Need Most Now: Russian Arms Sales or Good Vaccines?