Americans have long been fixated on the idea of the short, decisive war. At the start of the American Civil War, Washington gentry traveled to watch the First Battle of Bull Run—to partake of a spectacle they presumed would soon end. In 1898, U.S. Secretary of State John Hay expected the Spanish-American War to be… Continue reading America’s Dangerous Short War Fixation
Tag: Intel
Violence in Schools, Neurodiversity and National Security, Drug Cartels: RAND Weekly Recap
This week, we discuss how to encourage threat reporting to help keep schools safe; why national security organizations need a neurodivergent workforce; the F.D.A. approval of over-the-counter Narcan sales; the implications of labeling drug cartels foreign terrorists; what happens when struggling students repeat a grade; and helping veterans find employment during a recession. Photo by… Continue reading Violence in Schools, Neurodiversity and National Security, Drug Cartels: RAND Weekly Recap
Can China’s Green Energy Acceleration Put at Risk the West’s Hydrogen Plans?
Hydrogen (H2) plays a key role in the decarbonization plans of the European Union and the United States. Both have launched aggressive hydrogen strategies to increase the generation of H2 and the deployment of related technologies. But these bold ambitions may face headwinds caused by the acceleration of China’s energy transition. China is adding new… Continue reading Can China’s Green Energy Acceleration Put at Risk the West’s Hydrogen Plans?
Maximizing the Potential of American Irregular Warfare in Strategic Competition
The United States lacks the concepts and associated doctrine for its irregular warfare capabilities to achieve their potential in strategic competition. This challenge was articulated in 2013 in a hallmark collaboration (PDF) of Army Chief of Staff Raymond Odierno, Marine Corps Commandant James Amos, and U.S. Special Operations Commander William McRaven. Center to their critique… Continue reading Maximizing the Potential of American Irregular Warfare in Strategic Competition
Finland Joins NATO, Sweden’s Accession Remains Uncertain
Finland is at long last joining NATO, having applied together with Sweden last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Finland’s accession represents a boon to NATO, a radical change in Finnish foreign and security policy, and another unplanned setback for Vladimir Putin’s Russia. While Finland is formally welcomed into the alliance by NATO… Continue reading Finland Joins NATO, Sweden’s Accession Remains Uncertain
The Four-Day School Week: Are the Pros Worth the Cons?
The past two decades have seen an explosion in the adoption of the four-day school week. Though the policy has been documented as early as the 1930s, only 257 schools in the country had adopted it by 1999. Yet by 2019, over 1,600 schools were on a four-day schedule. There are no signs that the… Continue reading The Four-Day School Week: Are the Pros Worth the Cons?
Dementia and National Security, Finland Joins NATO, the Four-Day School Week: RAND Weekly Recap
This week, we discuss how dementia in the national security workforce could create a security threat; Finland becoming the 31st NATO ally; learning loss associated with a four-day school week; this week’s U.S.-Taiwan news; preventing shortfalls in critical materials; and America’s dangerous short war fixation. Photo by Joshua Roberts/Reuters Americans are living longer and retiring… Continue reading Dementia and National Security, Finland Joins NATO, the Four-Day School Week: RAND Weekly Recap
The Army Should Be Looking for a Few Older Soldiers
The Army has missed its recruiting target twice in the past five years—by roughly 8 percent in 2018 and by 25 percent in 2022. While COVID shocks and a stronger job market may have hurt its efforts in 2022, other services mostly made their recruiting quotas—if in some cases by advancing recruits who had signed… Continue reading The Army Should Be Looking for a Few Older Soldiers
Why Blockading Rather Than Retaking Crimea Might Be Kyiv’s Best Option
“Crimea is our land, our territory,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared in January, underscoring Ukraine’s determination to reverse Russia’s illegal seizure of the peninsula. At present, Ukraine may lack the military capability to retake Crimea, but Kyiv might still achieve some of its key objectives by blockading it. New technology may ease this task. Crimea… Continue reading Why Blockading Rather Than Retaking Crimea Might Be Kyiv’s Best Option
Europe: Ukraine’s Essential Ally
While the United States is Ukraine’s primary military backer, Europe is sharing the war’s overall burden. Ukraine’s future lies in Europe. It is embracing Ukrainians, notably hosting 8 million refugees and sending generous economic and humanitarian aid. Ukrainian flags fly everywhere in Europe. For its treachery, Russia has lost Ukraine. Prior to the war, few… Continue reading Europe: Ukraine’s Essential Ally