Policy Currents | The newsletter for policy people
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** Jan. 23, 2024
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What’s Standing in the Way of a Two-State Solution
The United States has pushed for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to commit to a Palestinian state once the Israel-Hamas war ends. Last Friday, he publicly said no.
According to RAND's Raphael Cohen, one key reason for this is that, in Netanyahu's view, Israel's 2005 withdrawal from Gaza gave Hamas a sanctuary to plan, train for, and ultimately launch its October 7 attack. Moving toward a two-state solution now would only compound this problem and increase the risk of another attack.
However, opposition to a Palestinian state stretches well beyond Netanyahu's office. There are practical challenges, including demarcating airspace rights and water--not to mention relocating the 700,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Further, support for a two-state solution among average Israelis has been declining for a decade.
This leaves the United States with few levers to pull. The best path forward may be to "start small," Cohen says. American pressure might help convince Netanyahu that planning for the war's end and rebuilding Gaza can help guarantee Israel's security. "Done right, reconstruction could foster the mutual trust necessary for a more lasting political settlement."
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Veteran Single Parents Are Surviving--Not Thriving
There are nearly 300,000 veteran single parents in the United States. A new RAND report provides a comprehensive look at their well-being. Unsurprisingly, veteran single parents--who are more likely to be women and less likely to be white than veteran coupled parents--face greater financial insecurity than veteran coupled parents. And while veteran single parents report using G.I. Bill benefits to pursue higher education, they also report significant barriers to accessing those benefits and achieving academic success.
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Policymaking Needs to Get Ahead of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence promises meaningful changes. At the same time, AI is being used to harmful ends, such as generating child sexual abuse material and colluding to raise rents. What will it take to mitigate such risks while still promoting AI's potential? RAND's Carter Price and Jack Riley warn against relying on "hype and speculation" when it comes to AI policymaking. Instead, they say, the government should develop more forward-looking capabilities, including using novel policy analysis techniques such as gaming and robust decisionmaking.
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** RAND Recommends
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- RAND's Carrie Farmer talked to the Washington Post about a new Department of Veterans Affairs suicide prevention program.
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- In the New Jersey Monitor, RAND's Alice Huguet explained findings from her recent research on how media literacy is taught in classrooms across America.
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- A new RAND report looks at the gaps, ambiguities, and inconsistencies in the military racial grievance system--and envisions an improved approach.
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** Events
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Not the X-Files: Where Are Americans Reporting UFOs?
Thursday, January 25, 2024 (Online)
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Women, Peace, and Security in Action: Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security
Wednesday, January 31, 2024 (Washington, D.C., and Online)
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Reforming DoD's Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution Process for a Competitive Future
Thursday, February 8, 2024 (Online)
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