"The Air Force's examination of its role in major combat operations is notable mostly for its absence… Given this sorry state of affairs, the publication of Benjamin Lambeth's fascinating book, 'Air Power Against Terror: America's Conduct of Operation Enduring Freedom', is all the more timely and important.

"A senior analyst at Rand, Lambeth has published widely on air power issues over the past three decades, including a book on the campaign against Serbia that is required reading for any serious student of modern military operations. Although trained as a Soviet specialist with a doctorate from Harvard, he has bolstered his academic expertise with operational knowledge gained from flights in 35 types of U.S. and foreign combat aircraft. He was, for instance, the first American civilian to fly in the Soviet MiG-29 fighter.

"Lambeth attempts to provide a broad overview of the use of U.S. air power against the Taliban regime and al-Qaida in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks. To the author's immense credit, however, it is anything but a dry, academic work. On the contrary, if the events it describes were not real, 'Air Power Against Terror' could be read as a thriller. Using superb writing, Lambeth grabs hold of the reader with his tense account of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, then traces the Air Force response, from the mounting of combat air patrols in the U.S. to the development and execution of the brilliant campaign in Afghanistan…

"As technological advances bring senior policy-makers closer to the battlefield and compel ever more cooperation between the services, the need for books like Lambeth's is all the greater. 'Air Power Against Terror' should be a wake-up call to the Air Force leadership — not simply for its operational analysis about the Afghan war, but also for the importance of sponsoring and initiating serious, independent research about the service… There is no reason that the Air Force cannot rediscover this tradition. Otherwise, as illustrated by Lambeth, misunderstandings both within the Air Force and with its sister services are certain to continue, and the nation will be unable to fully capitalize on its capabilities at a time of war."

— Armed Forces Journal, June 2006

"This is the only recommendation I have concerning airpower in recent operations. Lambeth presents a very revealing book that lays out many behind-the-scenes issues, and has a relatively robust discussion/critique of the role of JAGs in combat operations. An absolute 'must read' for anyone deploying to work in an air operations' center."

— Brigadier General Charles J. Dunlap, Jr., in The Reporter, Office of the Judge Advocate General

"For almost 60 years, the RAND Corporation has provided military and policy decisionmakers with effective solutions to the challenges facing America in times of peace and conflict. Following in that sterling tradition is the publication of Benjamin S. Lambeth's latest work, 'Air Power Against Terror'. The author provides readers with an analysis of the Bush Administration's preparation for Operation Enduring Freedom—from the initial planning for the response to 9/11, to the attacks against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Lambeth's insight into the enabling capabilities of US air power against determined foes in what can only be characterized as an extremely hostile environment leaves readers with a new understanding of the approach that America will use to counter such threats in the 21st century."

— Parameters, "Editor's Shelf," Spring 2006

"'Air Power in the New Counterinsurgency Era' delivers far more than the title implies. In the best tradition of RAND studies, this work combines theory, model development, and policy applications for developing counterinsurgency (COIN) strategy writ large and for improving USAF COIN capabilities specifically… 'Air Power and the New Counterinsurgency Era' is a work of critical importance for the USAF's senior leadership and the rank and file. It offers a prescient analysis of COIN warfare and strategy and provides trenchant recommendations for enhancing the Service's capability in the Long War against Islamic extremism."

— Joint Force Quarterly, 1st Quarter 2008

"[This monograph] has much to offer the reader concerning COIN. The authors spend a majority of their time clearly defining and categorizing insurgencies, detailing COIN principles, and discussing grand strategic options for COIN. They advocate a 'new' strategy of 'precautionary' COIN—very limited military intervention at the earliest stages—as the most cost-effective means of combating insurgency… A case study on El Salvador's insurgency and an examination of considerations in the development of COIN capabilities highlight important issues for US military planners: that smaller footprints and closer contact are often preferable, that the host nation must win the political as well as military battle, that military restraint is a virtue, and that airpower offers important capabilities."

— Air & Space Power Journal, Summer 2007

"An important contribution toward our understanding of the issues and political forces involved, and how they can (and do) affect the United States and Western Europe."

— The Midwest Book Review

"Lay readers interested in contemporary Algeria have been largely out of luck, as most available books are out-of-date, unreadable, or excruciatingly expensive. Fuller's report is none of these. In clear prose, he details the history of Algeria's colonial struggle, the emergence of the National Liberation Front and of the Islamic Salvation Front."

— Publishers Weekly

by: James Dobbins, John G. McGinn, Keith Crane, Seth G. Jones, Rollie Lal, Andrew Rathmell, Rachel Swanger, and Anga Timilsina

"James Dobbins' 'America's Role in Nation-Building' must become essential reading among Washington's bureaucrats and in all six American war colleges. The author, an experienced nation-building (or reconstruction) practitioner, and his co-authors have written a no-nonsense, spare, well-analyzed and lucid volume that illuminates the path for those engaged in this difficult and thankless, but necessary mission. The authors cover two successes, Germany and Japan; two abject failures, Haiti and Somalia; Bosnia, a 'mixed success'; Kosovo, a 'modest success'; and one case too early to tell, Afghanistan. The final chapter is an application of lessons from all these case studies to the reconstruction effort in Iraq… There is outstanding wisdom in this book."

— Washington Times

"Committed multilateralists could be forgiven for shivering at the title of this book. They should not. In many respects Washington is the Rome of our time: its cohorts and legions are unchallenged, while its monetary system and language are increasingly ubiquitous. Like it or not, the US is in the nation-building game and in all probability must lead it. This report is less a comprehensive analytical work than a set of important and correct policy recommendations aimed at the US establishment and backed up by convincing case-studies taken from both good and bad national experience. Irrespective of its wishes, further nation-building challenges will be presented to the Rome of our time over the coming decades. The policy recommendations contained in this study should be taken to heart and then further researched and refined for future use… Undeniably, the key conclusions of the report are: the importance of unity of command, the inverse correlation between the size of the stabilization force and the level of risk, the either benign or malign influence that neighbouring states can bring to bear and that accountability for past injustices is difficult but necessary if reconciliation is a strategic aim. There is no quick route through nation-building and on balance the most important variable factor under the control of intervening forces is the level of effort measured in time, manpower and money… This report is a valuable first step down a long and difficult road which the US must tread, simply because of its pre-eminent position. Its main messages are utterly in accord with the broader experiences of the peace-building community. It is important that future studies continue to shed light on how the US can manage the nation-building process more effectively."

— International Affairs

"James Dobbins has long been one of those troubleshooters who never seem to miss a crisis. As the special United States envoy for Afghanistan, Mr. Dobbins was responsible for finding and installing a successor to the Taliban after they were toppled in 2001. During the 1990's, Mr. Dobbins hop-scotched from one trouble spot to another as he served as special envoy to Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti and Somalia. So when he offers a critique of the Bush administration's nation-building effort in Iraq, it is worth paying attention. Now out of government, Mr. Dobbins, who has worked for Republican as well as Democratic administrations, does not have a partisan ax to grind."

— New York Times

"With the Iraqi Governing Council appointing cabinet officers, it would seem that at least some specifics of that nation's rebuilding are finally beginning to come into focus. That, of course, begs the question: What next? With this in mind, the RAND Corporation has compiled a series of case studies on previous postwar rebuilding efforts spearheaded by the United States, including the various challenges and outcomes. James Dobbins, who has served as special U.S. envoy to Afghanistan, Kosovo, Bosnia, Haiti and Somalia, leads a team of scholars through a review of case studies for Germany, Japan, Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

While the authors note that post-World War II Germany and Japan set the standard for post-conflict nation-building, all the case studies are thorough. Each examines that area's postwar inputs, such as assistance funding, and outputs, like an electoral process and variance in gross domestic product… As for what these experiences portend for nation-building in Iraq, this text is clear and concise. While the RAND authors don't necessarily offer a rosy picture of what rebuilding in Iraq will be like, their predictions aren't all that dreary, either. Calling the challenge 'ambitious' on the scale of Germany and Japan, they clearly lay out the country's pre-existent civil administration infrastructure and oil-related financial independence as aides to future growth. With any luck, those playing a role in the execution of this unwieldy task will pick up a copy of 'America's Role In Nation-Building' to help guide their way."

— NationalJournal.com

by Ashley J. Tellis, Thomas S. Szayna, James A. Winnefeld

"The basic model is relatively simple and is constructed as a methodology rather than a theory…It is presented with admirable crispness, and its use is explained in a 'how to' section…The model's main strengths are its neatness and the wide range of applicability. This book is useful for showing how the study of these issues is progressing in official circles, and is equally useful as a contribution to the basic literature on causes of conflict and early warning. This all adds up to a concise volume worth reading, and a model worth testing."

— Journal of Peace Research

"Rated 4 stars out of 5.

How does a seemingly normal person become a terrorist willing to savagely take human life? What makes that person able to adopt new strategies? Simply put, it is something learned, often through indoctrination. A two-volume work by RAND explores this phenomenon, studying the concepts and processes of learning and applying it to the world of terrorism. Volume one guides the reader through this process of learning, highlighting why terror groups must learn how to be effective and how tactical knowledge, or lack thereof, ultimately influences the effectiveness of the group. The beauty of volume one is its versatility. Though written with an eye towards terrorist groups, its concepts are equally applicable to any criminal enterprise. Simply substituting the word 'criminal' for 'terrorist' makes this book germane to anyone tasked with predicting or countering crime. Overall, the volume is a fascinating study of how terrorists, and criminals, become who they are."

— Security Management, January 2006

"Rated 4 stars out of 5.

Jemaah Islamiyah, Aum Shinrikyo, Hizballah, the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and the radical environmentalist movement are singled out for case studies in volume two of this RAND examination of how terrorists learn. Readers come to understand the backgrounds, operations and tactics, training methods, logistics, and intelligence operations of these groups. With these highlighted biographies, readers can easily see how the prosperity or demise of these groups is commensurate with their ability to learn and adapt. Studying these groups is certainly helpful, but the authors don't pretend that understanding their learning process will make the intelligence officer's job of tracking terrorists an easy task. However, insight into their thinking and learning processes is a critical first step."

— Security Management, January 2006

Winner: 2005 Next LA Honor Award, American Institute of Architects/Los Angeles

"Clear, functional logic… a great project."

— Architecture, January 2006

"Clear and compelling framework plan. . . conveyed with extraordinary sensitivity. . . a visionary plan built on logical approach to infrastructure creating immeasurable hope for a displaced people and nation."

— American Institute of Architects, January 2006

"The excitement, enthusiasm, and self-belief of the research team are tangible, and the production values are of the highest quality; superb color graphics bring the Arc vividly to life. The concept is also put forth in high-quality DVD presentation that accompanies the book: for anyone engaged in teaching Palestinian politics, it can provide an unusually uplifting resource. Importantly, it has also been translated into Arabic, presumably with a view to gaining traction within Palestinian planning circles. Happily, the authors remain sensitive, and repeatedly underline the importance of Palestinian choice, local input, and design."

— Middle East Journal, Summer 2007

"'The Arc: A Formal Structure for a Palestinian State', presents plans for improving housing and strengthening the transportation infrastructure in an independent state… 'The Arc' grapples with a solution to the conundrum of returning Palestinians [with] a transportation system that would link the West Bank and Gaza with ports in major towns such as Jenin, Gaza, Ramallah, Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron… While they fully acknowledge the scope of the challenges at hand, 'Building a Palestinian State' and 'The Arc' spotlight potential success rather than focusing on setbacks and conflict."

— NationalJournal.com

"… A reimagining not only of the landscape… but also of the Palestinian experience."

— The New York Times, May 15, 2005

"The RAND Corporation has done itself proud with these publications on how to set up a Palestinian state…'The Arc' offers a model of the most efficient settlement and transportation configuration for this small and densely populated land. It is one of those rare planning documents, enriched with comparative data and meaningful illustrations, that both instructs and persuades."

— Foreign Affairs, Sept/Oct 2005

"What is especially elegant about the plan is that it focuses not on some eventual peace agreement on a state's boundaries, but on how life might be lived the day after peace—on 'the patterns of human life as shaped by its setting.' "

— Urban Land, July 2005

"The authors constructed a database of more than 500 articles and conducted field research. Methodologically, then, this is one of the soundest of the growing number of research reports on arms trafficking."

— Journal of Peace Research, November 2004

by John D. Woodward, Katharine Watkins Webb, et al.

"Although prepared for the US Army, this report may be the best available technology assessment of biometrics."

— Future Survey

"This new book produced by the RAND Corporation is a remarkable success. You have to read 'The Beginner's Guide to Nation Building', by James Dobbins et al , carefully although the text is clearly written and far from excessively technical. The reason is that many nation building missions we deem damn near impossible, in most countries, [see Part II of Security First], RAND considers possible. But Dobbins points out such nation building exercises are difficult to achieve, can be achieved only after hostilities have ceased, are much more costly than you would expect, and take much longer than expected as well."

— The Communitarian Network

"The United States and the United Nations have, with increasing frequency, embarked on military interventions and nation-building operations that have become larger, longer, and more ambitious. Dobbins and his associates at RAND have led the way in reflecting on these experiences in an effort to find lessons for the future. In this volume, they offer insights drawn from the review of 24 nation-building missions. Some of their findings take the shape of a list of guidelines for planning and deploying personnel and resources—not least the realistic matching of goals to assets…"

— Foreign Affairs, May/June 2007

"No challenge in international relations today is more pressing or more difficult than that of supporting weak states. James Dobbins, one of the leading practitioners of the art, offers a set of clear, simple prescriptions for helping to build a stable peace in the wake of conflict and disorder. Drawing on the often painful lessons of recent history, Dobbins brings a new level of rigor and openness to this essential subject, and provides a useful tool for all in the United Nations who are engaged in meeting this challenge."

— Kofi A. Annan, United Nations Secretary-General

"I cooperated closely with Ambassador Dobbins in facing the challenges of postconflict stabilization in the Balkans and then Afghanistan, and came to greatly value his expertise. This latest RAND study draws upon that expertise and demonstrates his deep insights into the field of nation-building."

— Joschka Fisher, Visiting Professor at Princeton University, former German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor

"Cogent, concise, and yet remarkably comprehensive in both its thematic and country coverage, 'The Beginner's Guide to Nation-Building' distills the lessons from 24 historical case studies. The resulting wisdom—detailed, accessible, sobering, and instructive—should guide every policymaker who considers or prepares for such bold intervention, and every student and analyst who attempts to assess it. This is (and will likely remain for some time) the essential manual for rebuilding war-torn states."

— Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University

"The value in this Guide is as much in the questions it forces policymakers to ask as in the recommendations it offers. If policymakers had asked before going into Iraq who would maintain law and order, how quickly could local police and military maintain the peace, how would local governance be established, or what would be the source of creating jobs—and found that they had few answers—then perhaps the whole mission would have been radically reassessed. The Guide also presents a challenge to our civilian institutions and the U.S. Congress. If we hope to manage the international consequences posed by conflict abroad, then we must build civilian capacities to support governance, the rule of law, and job creation, just as we would never expect to fight a war without training and equipping our soldiers."

— Carlos Pascual, Vice President of the Brookings Institution, former Coordinator for Stabilization and Reconstruction, U.S. Department of State

"I know of no challenge in international affairs as demanding as that of state-building—what in the U.S. is called nationbuilding— and none where it is as imperative to learn from our experiences—good as well as bad—during the last few years. James Dobbins has not only guided U.S. policy on some of these operations, but has also led the groundbreaking work by RAND to draw the necessary lessons from them. This book will be required reading for policymakers and practitioners alike."

— Carl Bildt, Swedish Foreign Minister, former Prime Minister, and first High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina

"The RAND Corporation… has provided an excellent two volume analysis [to defeating al-Qaeda]. The first volume looks at the ideology of the movement, its tactics, finances, and the 'nebula' of al-Qaeda that includes local affiliate groups from Southeast Asia, South Asia, North Africa, the Caucasus, and of course, Iraq… This volume covers the al-Qaeda phenomena in a competent and comprehensive way… [The two volumes] are sober, evenhanded, and worthwhile reads."

— Middle East Quarterly, Spring 2008

"'Know your enemy' is as foundational a military maxim as there is, yet it can be surprisingly difficult to get military and policy communities to focus on the nature of the adversary with meaningful depth or breadth…. With this in mind, one can only praise RAND: Project Air Force for the publication of the two-book set Beyond al-Qaeda… a current, thoroughly researched, and accessible analysis of the adversaries and potential adversaries in the WOT… Those looking to get a sense of the landscape, to better understand the full range of the al-Qaeda or terrorist threat, or in need for professional reasons of an accessible, encyclopedic reference on modern terrorist groups are well served by Beyond al-Qaeda."

— Strategic Studies Quarterly, Fall 2007

"While few Americans had heard of Osama Bin Laden prior to September 11th, 2001, the United States learned the full extent of al Qaeda s hatred for America on that fateful day. Since then, much has changed in the global terrorism environment and there are many more groups both Muslim and non-Muslim - that would harm the US if they had the chance. This study examines potential threats to the US emanating from al Qaeda, al Qaeda-inspired groups, groups without links to al Qaeda, and the nexus between terrorism and organized crime. All of these potential threats must be taken seriously and the authors identify unique strategies to deal with each."

— Journal of Counterterrorism and Homeland Security International, Fall 2007

"…For a reader seeking a description of al-Qaeda's history, structure, financing, tactics, and evolution, this work provides a concise explanation of these key elements of the terrorist network. It is free of unnecessary and confusing jargon and accessible to students at any level… While the first part focuses on al-Qaeda, as the title suggests, the second part examines the multitude of Islamist, left-wing, and right-wing terror groups around the world. Part 2 clearly shows that al Qaeda is but one of many. Readers will find this work useful in developing a general understanding of al-Qaeda and the terror nexus that is the focus of the current global war on terror. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels."

— Choice Magazine, May 2007

"The [authors] examine a number of terrorist organizations and their attempts to defeat or counter the technological systems utilized by the United States and its allies to guarantee security. By analyzing a number of case studies detailing terrorist attempts to counter the technologies currently used, the authors are able to present a picture of potential weaknesses, thereby providing the basis for improving design and capability. The authors have provided a work that should be of great interest to any security policymaker or student of domestic security issues."

— Parameters, US Army Ware College Quarterly, Winter 2007-08

"The research in this group endeavor was sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security. Its purpose is to identify potential weaknesses in defensive technology systems and thereby provide a basis for improving the design of 'future defensive technologies'…

"Readers in fear of technocrats (as I am) will be grateful for the book's prevailing view that technology alone cannot combat terrorism. Rather, human intelligence is 'the most important element of an effort to combat terrorists' activities"…

"While alarming, the good news in this extensively researched book is its confirmation of terrorist capabilities in the high-tech realm. Unwritten here is the bad news: Our curious national reluctance to face the facts—as with the World Trace Center bombing in 1993. According to polls in mid-June 2007, public views that terrorist attacks in America are imminent were at their lowest point in two years. I fear that recent incidents in London and Glasgow will only temporarily reverse that trend."

— Proceedings, US Naval Institute, August 2007

"If [Palestinian] statehood is realized, the RAND Palestinian State Study Team have given much thought as to how to make it work. Side-stepping the issue of how to get there, 'Building a Successful Palestinian State' assumes it will happen and sets out to answer an alternative question: 'How can an independent Palestinian state be made successful?' The result is a refreshingly upbeat 'how to' manual that identifies four fundamental challenges for success: security, for Palestinians, as well as Israelis and other neighbors; governance, predicated on regime legitimacy; economic development, leading to eventual self-reliance; and the broad well-being of the Palestinian people, measured according to several indices, among them food security, health and education."

— Middle East Journal, Summer 2007

"Palestinians have been yearning for a state of their own for generations. But if that goal is met, what then? A new collection of books and studies by the RAND Corporation attempts to answer just that question. 'Building a Successful Palestinian State' is packed with statistical data on specific policy implementations for a potential Palestinian state… RAND's study focuses not only on what is needed to build and sustain a Palestinian state, but also on the expenditures necessary to see it through… Although weighty in statistical analysis, the meticulous detail in the RAND studies would prove instrumental to any reader with a vested interest in Middle Eastern foreign policy. Besides focusing on the obvious economic and geostrategic problems, the tracts also explore issues of health care, education, and riparian rights. And while they fully acknowledge the scope of the challenges at hand, 'Building a Palestinian State' and 'The Arc' spotlight potential success rather than focusing on setbacks and conflict."

— NationalJournal.com

"The RAND Corporation has done itself proud with these publications on how to set up a Palestinian state. 'Building a Successful Palestinian State', organized into separate chapters on governance, internal security, demographics, economics, water, health, and education, is not, admittedly, an easy read. Bringing together masses of technical data and comprehensive in coverage, it will serve as an invaluable study for those who become directly involved in the state-building process but will serve mainly as a reference work for others."

— Foreign Affairs, Sept/Oct 2005

"What is especially elegant about the plan is that it focuses not on some eventual peace agreement on a state's boundaries, but on how life might be lived the day after peace—on 'the patterns of human life as shaped by its setting.' "

— Urban Land, July 2005

"Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above."

— CHOICE, January 2006

"When I suggest that radical Muslims are the problem and that moderate Muslims are the solution, the nearly inevitable retort from most people is: 'What moderate Muslims?'… Moderate Muslims do exist. But, of course, they constitute a very small movement when compared to the Islamist onslaught. This means that the American government and other powerful institutions should give priority to locating, meeting with, funding, forwarding, empowering, and celebrating those brave Muslims who, at personal risk, stand up and confront the totalitarians. 'Building Moderate Muslim Networks' methodically takes up and thinks through this concept. [The authors] grapple intelligently with the innovative issue of helping moderate Muslims to grow and prosper… [The book] marks a major step toward the systematic reconfiguration of Washington's policy for combating Islamism. The study's meaty contents, clear analysis, and bold recommendations usefully move the debate forward, offering precisely the in-depth strategizing that Westerners urgently need."

— Daniel Pipes, Middle East Forum, April 2007

"'Building Moderate Muslim Networks' is both refreshing and thought provoking in its examination of the tough work needed to achieve democratic transformation in the Muslim world. It avoids the twin pitfalls of demonizing Muslim nations and denying the social and political differences between those nations and ours. The book's authors provide an overview of the 'war of ideas' going on in the Muslim world, criticize the shortsighted U.S. approach to this 'war', and call for a clear long-term policy… The book is worth reading for its insights on countering extremism in the Muslim world and the questions it inspires about our policy priorities."

— Military Review, November-December 2007

"…In [this] landmark report, four RAND scholars draw a nuanced yet common-sense distinction between radical and moderate Muslims, and make sweeping policy prescriptions that, if implemented, will fundamentally alter the way Western governments tackle what is arguably the most pressing threat of our times… All in all, this important contribution to the policy debate ought to get the serious attention it deserves."

— Far Eastern Economic Review, May 2007

"A thorough examination of some very sophisticated issues presented in an easy-to-understand and concise format. Casualties and Consensus is an excellent study of an important issue, and is of use to students and researchers in military studies, all aspects of political science, and history. This work is highly recommended for all libraries."

— Academic Library Book Review

"Highly informative, very well researched, Casualties and Consensus is a valuable contribution to the national dialog."

— The Midwest Book Review

"Both informative in an academic sense and useful to those who would plan, command, or make policy regarding the use of U.S. military forces."

— U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings

"… This study should not be underestimated. It makes a valuable contribution, if incremental contribution to the evolving understanding of how the DAUBERT standard is actually working."

— The Law and Politics Book Review

"… It should be on the reading list for those with a strong interest in the subject."

— CHOICE

"The most detailed and sophisticated analysis yet of the complex internal factors influencing Chinese foreign policy and the differing foreign policy views of the Chinese elite… At a time when America's China policy seems to be in disarray, with Congress and the administration veering in different directions, this report should be widely read."

— Foreign Affairs

"This detailed, solidly based and logically argued study… is especially valuable and deserves wide reading by those wanting a relatively easy introduction to the influences on domestic decision-making in China."

— The China Journal

"… A highly recommended contribution to International Studies and Economic Studies reading lists and reference collections."

— Internet Bookwatch/Midwest Book Review

"This book provides excellent chapters on the history of the PLAAF and evaluations of individual aircraft… This volume is the best military and industrial investigation of Chinese airpower since Richard Bueschel's Communist Chinese Air Power in 1968."

— Foreign Service Journal

"This informative volume sheds light not only on the People's Liberation Army Air Force, but also on the Chinese military more broadly."

— Foreign Affairs

"Taking a straightforward approach, the authors outline the results of the data analysis, presenting separately for each of the six predictor variables [income, education, race/ethnicity, age, sex, and location of residence]. Using clear narrative and information graphs, the point is made that contrary to popular perception the 'digital divide' is in some cases widening as opposed to narrowing. The results of the CPS [Current Population Survey] data analysis are interesting and informative. Clearly, articulated reports such as the one under review are a good start in providing policymakers with unequivocal data on the persistent inequalities in the digital age."

— Journal of Government Information

"In this extremely short work, Benard seeks to structure a design that will allow for better interaction between the West and the Islamic world. Her credentials are worth noting: she is a senior political analyst at the RAND Corporation, former associate professor of political science at the University of Vienna, and is a specialist in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Her approach is certainly commendable. She offers a useful seven-part typology of Muslims: radical fundamentalists, scriptural fundamentalists, conservative traditionalists, reformists, traditionalists, modernists, mainstream secularists, and radical secularists. She rightly points out that the fundamentalists and traditionalists have a good infrastructure upon which to rely. And she astutely notes that some aspects of U.S. culture work to the traditionalists' advantage since this group, with its view of its Islamic garb, better fits the image most Americans expect… This is far too important a subject for Benard to leave here. Let us hope that, in conjunction with the many capable specialists on these issues, she will broaden the scope of her study."

— Middle East Quarterly, Summer 2005

"Allowing few individuals to represent the legal interests of many who do not participate in the lawsuit but are nonetheless bound by its outcome is the defining and controversial feature of class actions… Conducted by Hensler et al, this Rand report, the result of a four-year study on class action litigation in the US, provides policy and legislative recommendations based on systematic empirical research… The data portray a telling image of mass action suits as money-gorging enterprises benefiting lawyers who are 'motivated by the prospect of substantial fees for relatively little effort'… This is an exceptionally rich resource on the current state of the American class action system for policy makers, legal practitioners, researchers, and graduate students."

— CHOICE Magazine

Class action suits often provoke extreme reactions in people: some see them as the ultimate guarantors of justice in David-and-Goliath type situations, while others see them as nothing more than a cover for large-scale money-grabbing by avaricious lawyers. The truth probably lies somewhere in-between, as this magisterial study on the subject reveals… One of its main conclusions is that 'judges hold the key to improving the balance of good and ill consequences of damage class actions.' To this end, the study makes a number of well-thought out recommendations which deserve serious consideration.

— The Commonwealth Lawyer

"A keen and generally neutral observer of the torts war has been the Institute of Civil Justice (ICJ) a research program within RAND… Class Action Dilemmas is an ambitious attempt in this tradition to assess the costs and benefits of class action lawsuits…"

— Law and Politics Book Review

"This in-depth, benchmark study examines newly compiled information about class action law suits and offers a thoughtful discussion of current trends in mass litigation and their implications for the future…Class Action Dilemmas is a very highly recommended addition to professional, governmental, academic, and judicial reference libraries."

— Wisconsin Bookwatch

"In this powerful and insightful work, the authors examine the policy implications of closing the gap in educational attainment by equalizing high school graduation rates, first-year college-going rates, college retention rates, and finally college-completion rates…their assumptions are reasonable and their analytic techniques appropriate because their conclusions--that the benefits of each of the equalization strategies far exceed the costs--are powerful enough to make this a must-read for all educational policy makers as well as researchers. Highly recommended for general readers, uppper-division undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and researchers."

— CHOICE Magazine

"Not a day seems to go by without reference in the general press to the role presently played by high resolution imaging satellites in the war against terrorism. This excellent compilation is therefore both topical and timely, placing the U.S. IKONOS and other current 'dual use' military/ civil satellites in an historical and political context, in an era where new communications technology can now provide near 'on-demand' access to their metre level ground resolution imagery… The authors propose that the applicability of these imagery products to an increasing range of real-world issues provides both an opportunity for economic and political development but also a threat to policy makers; global transparency is fast becoming a fact of life! A highly recommended overview."

— The Aerospace Professional

"This is not only a book about space technology. It tackles the question of how space technologies are part, or even become drivers of, strategic global development. In the case of this book it is the influence of Earth observation by satellite on the global information society and its trend towards steadily increasing transparency… To give an immediate assessment of [the editors'] effort, it can be stated that they have succeeded in not only providing a most fascinating and illustrative description of the capabilities of this space application, but they also arrive at an exemplary analysis of the various policy issues… It is a particular virtue of this book that it draws a truly realistic picture of the subject and provides convincing answers to every question it poses."

— Space Policy

"An international group of experts provides 26 chapters on all aspects of the topic, including emerging policy issues, US and non-US satellite remote sensing programs, and remote sensing applications to international problems, including Dayton Peace talks, the Ecuador-Peru peace process, remote monitoring in the South China Sea, the role of commercial satellite imagery in locating south Asian nuclear test sites, and supporting humanitarian relief operations. Two of the editors are affiliated with the RAND Corporation, the third teaches at the George Washington University Space Policy Institute."

— Book News, Inc.

"While the [U.S. military space policy] review is underway, the RAND Corporation thank tank has released a new study of commercial remote sensing that will likely be a definitive guide for policymakers during the current round of studies."

— Spacelift Washington

"This publication is a useful addition to the remote sensing literature. It contains policy issues that many users of the data have not considered nor been well informed of. The book is well presented, well organized and easy to use. It could conceivably be a textbook on a policy in remote sensing course. Most users will use it selectively as a reference book or for general knowledge. In addition to the policy issues, there is a considerable amount of other information."

— Photogrammetric Engineering & Remote Sensing

"Kugler's voluminous and provocative account of NATO's role and American NATO policy indicates that past history remains a potent element in current politics… The main attraction of Kugler's monumental book lies in the evaluations of various phases of NATO policy and of American NATO policies."

— The Journal of Strategic Studies

"Despite all the problems telephone-reliant pollsters have faced in recent years, such as declining response rates and increasing use of cell phones, the idea of taking surveys to the Internet to gauge opinion remains a controversial idea… Regardless of one's personal opinions on the matter, 'Conducting Research Surveys Via E-Mail And The Web' is full of useful information for anyone interested in the future of polling."

— NationalJournal.com

"This slender volume, by Matthias Schonlau, Ronald Fricker, and Marc N. Elliott, addresses how to choose the contact method for a survey and explicitly describes process steps, sources of cost, sources of error, and other elements of practical survey administration and survey methodology… As a result of its brevity, clarity, and breadth, this belongs on the desk as a reference for those who are new to surveying and as a checklist for experienced researchers."

— The Library Quarterly

"… Lambeth (author of NATO's Air War for Kosovo: A Strategic and Operational Assessment) and Hosmer have reviewed the literature on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as conducted interviews with some key NATO and Serb leaders, and have provided the most authoritative look yet at what went on, and why, in this significant and unusual war."

— The Journal of Military History

"This book provides an interesting management insight into the mechanics of space research"

— Science and Technology Journal

"…provides a comprehensive review of small spacecraft and how they can best be used to continue this nation's legacy of success in space exploration."

— Richard DalBello, Vice President, Government Affairs, ICO Global Communications

The authors of this study, who are senior analysts at RAND, the renowned national security think tank, analyze how, at the dawn of the 21st century, the historical contours of terrorism have been replaced by new types of groups whose motivations, organizational structures, and tactics greatly differ from their earlier counterparts… The book's findings will be of great interest to those concerned about terrorism, counterterrorism, and U.S. national security policy.

— Journal of Homeland Security

"… Provides an effective overview of the emerging forms of terrorism and the strategies to counter it."

— U.S.I. Journal

"… In chapter 3, entitled 'Networks, Netwar, and Information-Age Terrorism', John Arquilla, David Ronfeldt, and Michele Zanini, each an expert in international terrorism, spin a cautionary tale regarding the security of networked global information systems. John Arquilla and David Ronfeldt were among the first to study the impact of information technology on warfare. They are credited with coining the terms 'cyberwar' and 'netwar'… Chapter 3 describes one change in the focus of international terrorism of which librarians and information professionals particularly should take note. Terrorists' strategy has been radically altered by the availability, use, and vulnerability of networked information systems… The message…should be heeded by librarians and information professionals of all types-the vulnerability of information systems to threats of systematic disruption is clear, serious, and in need of critical analysis and review."

— The Library Quarterly

"Countering the New Terrorism is an insightful and practical volume for those involved in the world of counterterrorist policy."

— Joint Forces Quarterly, Spring 2000

"Countering the New Terrorism is a compilation of articles from some of the best and brightest analysts at RAND. Bruce Hoffman, one of the foremost authorities on terrorism, describes his views on terrorism trends and prospects, while the authors of 'netwar', Arquilla, Ronfeldt, and Zanini discuss networks, netwar, and information-age terrorism. The editor, Ian Lesser, details implications for strategy to counter the new terrorism. This book is full of fresh new ideas, and is a must read in considering the future of terrorism."

— Terrorism Research Center

"…goes beyond current debates concerning weapons of mass destruction and provides a new perspective on the changing nature of world politics. The authors' observations on the emergence of amorphous terrorist networks with ambiguous political and religious goals make an important contribution to the literature on terrorism and international affairs."

— Perspectives on Political Science

"Competent and well-structure analysis and clear conclusions make this book a useful source."

— Journal of Peace Research

"…provides a vital foundation for those who wish to understand the changing nature of international order and a framework for action on the part of those responsible for combating it."

— Security Management Magazine

"Economic analysts in recent years have accorded population issues a relatively minor role in the wider policy agenda. But in a new report for the RAND Corp., three Harvard School of Public Health professors revisit the relationship between demographic change and the economy, arguing that age structure -- rather than population size -- provides policy-makers with a critical tool for exploiting economic growth. Drawing from research conducted by the United Nations and other groups, David E. Bloom, David Canning and Jaypee Sevilla have put together a study that is concise and easily digested, even for the statistically-challenged… The trio's analysis proves particularly salient given recent demographic trends in the developing world…"

— NationalJournal.com

"Social analysts have generally paid too little attention to demographic trends, as conventional wisdom holds that rapid population growth inhibits improvement in living standards. This short monograph by three authors associated with Harvard's School of Public Health attempts to clarify the complexities of demographic change and economic growth. Modern societies have typically passed through a demographic transition in which the labor force grows more rapidly than total population because a decline in mortality precedes a decline in fertility. In the right policy environment--one conducive to education and to saving--this transition creates the potential for exceptionally rapid economic growth, as has been experienced in recent decades by Ireland and by several East Asian countries. The authors draw attention to this opportunity for many developing countries over the next 20 years, urging these countries to take advantage of the situation. Similarly, rich countries need to prepare for significant aging of their populations and, in some cases, for shrinking labor forces--an altogether new experience in the modern era."

— Foreign Affairs

This short report from RAND is a must-read for operators and for policy-makers who are developing strategy for the global war on terrorism… The authors open the report with a discussion of terrorists' motivations and commitment to their cause, the cultural traditions of violence, and al-Qaeda's organizational structure… The authors complete the report with broad strategic prescriptions and discussions on deterring the use of weapons of mass destruction, on political warfare, and on the clash between American values and those of several of our regional allies. Davis and Jenkins cannot provide a complete strategy in a short report, but they do provide a useful template and techniques for developing a comprehensive strategy for the global war on terrorism. Their report should be on the reading list of every policy-maker or strategist.

— Special Warfare

"It is highly recommended for courses on security politics in Eastern Europe… The book is rich in empirical detail, comparative, critical, and without competition on the current book market."

— Contemporary Security Policy

"This report provides concrete evidence that sustained investments in research can ensure that America remains at the forefront of scientific capability, thereby enhancing our ability to shape a more prosperous future for ourselves, our children, and future generations while building a better America for the twenty-first century."

— President Bill Clinton, June 15, 2000

"As the literature continues to grow on NATO's air strikes in Yugoslavia in 1999, Bruce R. Nardulli et al. add yet another useful study to the array of existing research… I know of no other work that so succinctly and comprehensively provides such a detailed overview of the Serbs' military capabilities… Disjointed War provides excellent coverage of the problems faced by Task Force Hawk. The logistical difficulties were considerable in Albania, and the authors do an outstanding job of revealing these problems."

— Parameters

"A quick read, the study is an excellent and current overview of the military reform process in Eastern Europe."

— European Security

"The Emergence of Peer Competitors: A Framework for Analysis by Thomas S. Szayna et al., is intended for intelligence analysts in the hope of providing a framework for thinking systematically about possible peer competitors. Although published for the intelligence community, the study will certainly tweak the interests of the academic and defense establishments, as well as anyone involved in long-range assessments of America's future."

— Parameters

"…Based on the conference proceedings of several meetings (2002-04) of a 42-member North American-European-Russian working group established by the RAND Corporation and the Institute for the USA and Canada Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in late 2001. It was created to examine the growing cooperation between NATO and Russia and to suggest ways to foster it… This report is essential for understanding what the new goals for NATO-Russia cooperation after 2006 might be. It is important to understand the changing role of NATO within the US National Defense Strategy and the importance of areas of cooperation beyond the NATO-Russia framework. This is why potential differences in vision and policy assessments are important."

— Survival, March 2006

"Enlarging NATO is a valuable resource for policy makers and interested policy observers. Kugler offers a clear explanation of the background leading to the present challenge of managing the process of NATO expansion …A timely and thoughful analytic contribution to a policy- making community …"

— Airpower Journal

"Recommended for general readers."

— CHOICE Library Journal

"Richard Kugler's excellent work… is an especially timely, thoughtful, and provocative look at the problem of achieving NATO's stated goal of proceeding with enlargement while simultaneously strengthening European security, without erecting new divisions within Europe as a result of this process… This work is invaluable for any Western analyst and/or advisor, especially at NATO itself, who is dealing with NATO enlargement from a bilateral or alliance perspective."

— European Security

"Astute analysis of delicate dealings… While one may agree or disagree with Mr. Kugler's analysis, one cannot disagree with his conclusions: 'As the West goes about the task of enlarging, managing East Central Europe's geopolitics, and dealing with Russia, strategic thinking will be required… The West cannot afford to deal with the challenges ahead by muddling through. It needs to think clearly about its objectives and to fashion policies for attaining them--and a positive outcome.' 'Enlarging NATO' is a major step in that direction."

— Washington Times

"The authors suggest that the military could create more support for its operations, and thereby achieve greater success in conflicts like those in Iraq and Afghanistan, if it updated its 'brand' identity using models such as Apple, Lexus, and Starbucks. For instance, just as the marketing world uses 'segmentation' to identify different groups of customers and focus on the most profitable ones, the military could use 'enemy prisoner-of-war interrogations, focus groups, and surveys' to identify potential partners within local populations. The study also suggests that the military do more to meet and manage 'customer' expectations, taking a page from Continental Airlines, which tells passengers as much as possible about flight delays instead of keeping them in the dark… The report also makes a case for re-branding the military, advertising it more as an organization that's doing good in the world, through relief efforts like those in post-tsunami Southeast Asia or in post-earthquake Pakistan."

— The Atlantic, January/February 2008

"Policy analysts studying interdisciplinary topics (such as population-environment issues) must synthesize research from various sources and fields into a policy-friendly and -relevant format. RAND's Population Matters project has undertaken this challenging task for policymakers on population issues. The Environmental Implications of Population Dynamics is Population Matters' first look at macro-level population and environment trends--and the implications these trends pose for policy at the local, national, and global levels… [It] is an exemplary sample of work targeted to a policy audience. Its recommendations are clear, concise, and easy to find within the text. Hunters' use of case studies and examples coupled with research and data provides analysts and policymakers all the tools they need for informed decisions. In addition, Hunter includes a useful list of references for those wanting to read more about population and environment linkages. The report is targeted specifically toward those doing policy work, but it would also be a useful tool for students wanting an introduction to the topic from a policy perspective."

— ECSP Report

"Aimed at policy makers but accessible to general readers, this study draws on environmental and demographic literature in order to assess the relationship between population dynamics and the environment. Chapters cover environmental effects of population size, distribution, and composition, then discuss possible mediating factors and climate change, concluding with discussions on implications of the findings."

— Reference & Research Book News

"Postintervention reconstruction and democratization are highly topical these days, and this RAND Corporation study poses policy and case study conclusions about 'best practice' in establishing stability and security… The triple emphasis on policy inputs, outputs, and outcomes are comprehensive and worthwhile. Recommended. General readers through practitioners."

— CHOICE Magazine

"… No other book gives such impressive and detailed analysis of the European contributions. The book is especially interesting and well researched regarding NATO's target selection process. It is also well written, and it will be useful to students, military professionals, and policymakers alike."

— Parameters

"… Provides useful detail on the evolution of the European Union's efforts to develop an autonomous defense and security policy."

— Foreign Affairs

"In November 2002 the sixteenth Congress of the Chinese Communist Party set China an ambitious new target: to quadruple the size of the economy by 2020. Growth will need to hum along at an average 7.4 per cent each year if the economy is really to double in size by 2010 and surpass $4 trillion by 2020. The economy has managed 9.6 per cent a year on average since 1978, and in the first half of 2003 year-on-year growth was a SARS-resilient 8.3 per cent. Is such a brisk pace sustainable?… China's 2020 vision is attainable. But making it means that all the problems already present in the economy have to be kept under control. [This] new study … calmly describes, analyses and calculates the potential impact that the problems will have on China's growth… Moreover, as the RAND analysts admit, many of the factors are interrelated … Vicious and virtuous circles are both possible. The point is clear: China's 2020 vision is possible, but it would not pay to believe in it blindly."

— International Affairs

"Those who fear China should read this sobering assessment of the challenges that it may soon face. Prepared by a RAND team for the Defense Department's Office of Net Assessment, it is an exercise in futurology that explores alternative scenarios that could adversely affect China's economic growth… Of course, it is possible that none of these threats will materialize (something the authors consider implausible), but if one does, it could easily trigger the development of others. Only skillful management and good luck will keep China on a course of robust growth."

— Foreign Affairs

"Behind the facade of the emerging giant, just how fragile is China?… At a time when everyone and his investment adviser are singing China's economic praises, [this book] strings together a lot of sour notes… RAND, therefore, has done China an enormous (if unintentional) favor. It is precisely when things are going relatively well that one needs to plan for the worst… Whether or not this provocative RAND study is read in China, few, if any, of the problems cited are going to disappear on their own."

— Seattle Times

"The strength of this book is that it brings together descriptions of a wide range of problems, and the treatment of each problem area is competently handled… For US policymakers and teachers alike, this book may provide a fresh perspective on why we might need to worry about China's growth, for the problem is not just that China may keep growing rapidly, but also that China might not."

— The China Journal, January 2005

"Faultlines is a must-have textbook for the professional analyst or the student. It covers a broad range of subjects including political, economic and social factors that shape Central Asia and the South Caucasus. One could write volumes on these subjects independently, but the editors have created a one-stop desk reference for anyone who needs to know details on virtually any topic relating to this region."

— Comparative Strategy, Volume 23/Number 2

"This fact-filled, jargon-free guide to the political, economic, and religious tensions of the region contains many tables and will serve as a handy reference book for any library. Highly recommended."

— CHOICE Magazine, June 2004

"Overall, the analysis is solid and reliable, so the book carries a lot of convincing power and, therefore, is of significant interest for many categories of readers."

— Journal of Peace Research

"Presents useful strategies for increasing funding for computers in schools."

— Computing Reviews

"My bookshelf contains several fine government and private reports on the use of educational technology, but none has the scope and immediacy of this book from RAND's Critical Technologies Institute."

— Educational Testing Service

"A recent report by the RAND Corporation provides strong support for using educational technology resources. The RAND group reports that much of the current impetus to bring more technology into schools is not motivated merely by a desire to necessarily improve the learning of students in academic areas. It is also motivated by the sense that information and computational technology has become so ubiquitous in our lives, that schools must develop basic skills in students so they can function in further schooling and work. Increasing the level of technology enables fundamental changes in pedagogy. In the information that students can use, and in the manner in which they use their time. These changes then result in significant improvements in their learning."

— Michele Sokoloff, Media & Methods

"…A scholarly and engaging survey and analysis of the dynamics of America's media arts… From Celluloid to Cyberspace is a fascinating, informative, and confidently recommended study of how the American silver screen continues to evolve and influence American popular culture."

— Midwest Book Review/The Bookwatch

"This collection offers an up-to-date regional survey that seeks, with considerable success, to integrate many different issues and countries into an overview… Topics treated include political and economic reform, Middle Eastern oil, and weapons of mass destruction, plus civil-military relations, the information revolution, and the prospects of impending leadership changes in the area. With its regional approach, the book reveals how the issues of WMD, terrorism, U.S support for the status quo versus championing reform, putting Iraq back together, and that hardy perennial-Israel and the Arabs-are all intertwined. U.S. policy, it says, must be 'flexible and robust'…"

— Foreign Affairs

"… The report's authors, respected Middle Eastern experts, address the fundamental domestic and regional issues confronting Turkey as it plots its strategic course in the new world order… It is an excellent primer for students of this pivotal nation's current events."

— Military Review

"The authors…should be commended for their accomplishments. This work is of great significance for policymakers and students of Turkish politics."

— Middle East Insight

"…Addresses the key factors that affect Turkish-Western Relations The authors…should be commended for their accomplishments. [This work is] of great significance for policymakers and students of Turkish politics."

— Middle East Insight

"I strongly support the central message of 'Gifts of the Muse.' Although the arts bestow important secondary benefits—economic, educational, social, and therapeutic—it is their intrinsic value that makes them essential and irreplaceable. The arts enhance, enlarge, and awaken our humanity in ways no other activities can equal. That is why the arts exist, and why we must support them."

—Dana Gioia, Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

"A detailed review, based upon the American experience, of the actual and potential commercial/military uses of the GPS position location system and the implications on U.S. national policies."

— Royal Aeronautical Society Library Additions

"Comprehensive, and insightful…the one to read on GPS"

— Charles R. Trimble, CEO, Trimble Navigation

"Brower and Chalk's book is a powerful and useful argument for the urgent need to integrate and streamline public health and national security strategies."

— Emerging Infectious Diseases

"The SARS virus is only the latest sign that infectious diseases truly are a global threat. With world travel so commonplace, concerns about the mysterious new illness went world-wide almost instantly. In 'The Global Threat of New and Reemerging Infectious Diseases', Jennifer Brower and Peter Chalk make the case that government officials need to put just as much focus on infectious diseases as they do on bioterrorism… The health risk from disease is widespread -- and as SARS shows, it's not something that can be contained within one nation's borders. Brower and Chalk's short book provides evidence that in this case we must both think and act globally."

— NationalJournal.com

"The Handbook of Human Tissue Resources attempts to provide comprehensive information on the hundreds of human tissue archives. These range from tens of millions of samples held by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology to scattered collections in university departments across the United States…the guide will be particularly useful for researchers at smaller institutions lacking specialist facilities to help their scientists find samples."

— Nature

"…Health Information Systems is an introductory textbook of health services research, framed explicitly within the context of measuring quality and, to a lesser extent, assessing costs and determining payments (e.g. for capitated plans). Although much of the content will be familiar to established investigators, newcomers to the field will welcome the clear and easily accessible suggestions for all aspects of policy-oriented research, from identifying relevant questions to choosing or creating data sources to conducting statistical analyses. This is an elegant 'how to' book for a field which has offered few such resources."

— International Journal for Quality in Health Care

"A 'tour de force' covering the most pressing issues in health care and providing a course on analytic methods and statistics."

— Virginia Riehl, Health Care Consultant

"This volume of essays is RAND's follow-up to the second Volcker Commission. But it is more than that: It presents a bird's-eye view of RAND's perspective on what needs to be done to improve government performance generally. It is important because RAND's work is influential in shaping public policy and influences public managers throughout the United States and abroad. The most significant aspect of this symposium is that it brought together much current thinking about the state of the art of public management…

"The RAND [researchers] know a great deal and can put what they know into an inviting framework. They are adventurous and venture where others fear to tread. Although they possibly stick too close to the Volcker Commission framework, they go much further afield to describe and explain the latest trends in contemporary American governance, intellectual movements, management theory, statistical findings, research projects, public opinion surveys, academic leanings, business methods, scholastic tools, and international developments. They try to be as current as possible. So whatever they write deserves attention. Hence, this book is an essential companion not just to the 2003 Volcker Commission report but to any study of the federal government and government in general. Every contribution is thought provoking and an education in itself."

— Public Administration Review, January/February 2006

"This volume presents practical perspectives and approaches to restructuring government agencies by mission, enhancing leadership, and creating flexible and performance-driven agencies. This book actually includes the full text of the Volcker Commission report and 12 thoughtful chapters that address future governance challenges (market state and high-performance government) as well as specific responses to the commission's three primary recommendations."

— Public Administration Review, April 2005

"'High-Performance Government' is worthy of attentive reading because it plunges right into the heart of the debates on government reform. [Its] contribution is evading a naïve rationalism and simplification that would arise from the benchmarking of the private sector as a source of truth for the state, and instead be built from what the anthropologist Clifford Geertz calls a 'size-up-and-solve social science': a social science of evaluation and resolution.

— Futuribles, May 2005

" 'I Want You!' is an exhaustive, ground-breaking study that explores this nation's transition from a conscripted military to an established, all-volunteer force that continues today despite three decades of opposition and economic pressures. Words hardly do justice to the thoroughness of Bernard Rostker's research. He has produced an impressive work of scholarship for the serious student. Not just a lengthy narrative, it is a well-organized and well-written study backed up by 2,300 primary documents. The notes in the print version are more than sufficient to support the text. However, the DVD version is much more useful and well worth the extra expense. Not only can readers perform searches of key words and phrases but also they can avail themselves of direct links to 1,700 of the 2,300 sources."

— Air & Space Power Journal, Spring 2008

In 'I Want You! The Evolution of the All-Volunteer Force', Bernard Rostker describes the development and history of our all-volunteer military from 1960 through 2006… A fascinating and truly useful aspect of this book is Rostker's pairing of narrative chapters describing historical developments with documentary chapters in which he reviews the analyses and studies instrumental in the policy making of each phase. Thus the reader finds both history and its sources proximate in the same volume. Each chapter of 'I Want You!' is meticulously documented, including a chapter focused on the role of women and a wrap-up chapter assessing overall success throughout the period. (An accompanying DVD makes the pursuit of supporting details even more efficient.) Rostker is a senior fellow at the RAND Corporation with a distinguished record of public service, including service as Undersecretary of the Army and Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Having personally participated in many of the analyses and deliberations he describes, he has a superb background from which to write this book."

— Brig Gen. John S. Brown, US Army retired, Army Magazine, December 2007

"… Can today's volunteer system produce enough quality soldiers to marshal America's future? Or must we return to the draft? To address these questions, we need to review where we were when Vietnam-era conscription ended, and how we navigated the next 34 years of the all-volunteer force to reach the current mess. 'I Want You!' is an invaluable aid in that project… If history is any indication, the coming debate [about the draft] will be acrimonious and ill informed. Those interested in bringing some reason to the table will do well to consult 'I Want You!' We can't know where we're going unless we know where we've been."

— Philip Gold, Wilson Quarterly, Winter 2007

"This book should be required reading for lawmakers, analysts, and policymakers charged with addressing today's complex military manpower issues. Bernard Rostker is a veteran Pentagon analyst and manager. A former under secretary of defense, under secretary of the Army, assistant secretary of the Navy, and senior fellow of the RAND Corporation, he has dealt with manpower issues for more than three decades. This comprehensive history is balanced, insightful, and as clear about the arcane world of budgets, manpower research, and analysis as a book can be made to be. "The most important aspect of the book is the accompanying DVD containing hundreds of important official records and analytical studies relating to the volunteer force from its inception through the Clinton and into the Bush years…"

— Ronald Spector, Proceedings, March 2007, U.S. Naval Institute

"Rostker, who has held numerous federal posts and is currently a senior fellow at the RAND Corporation, is the ideal scholar to have written this study, a massive and definitive history of the all-volunteer military force in the US from its genesis in the late 1960s to early 2005. It is a unique contribution. Rostker's research is prodigious to say the least, relying on over 1,700 original documents, including congressional testimony, analytical studies, interviews, and other archival sources--most of which are included on an accompanying DVD."

— CHOICE, March 2007

"In the long history of the U.S. Army the total force has been volunteer except for a brief time in World War I, and from the start of World War II (with a year of no draft in 1947-48) until 1973. Concomitantly with the drawdown of the Army following Vietnam, there had been an effort to go to an all-volunteer force. As a systems analyst, Bernard Rostker had been closely associated with this thrust from its beginning. He has compiled a monumental study of the modern volunteer Army that should be of interest to any professional soldier… [and] anyone wearing an Army uniform in a position of functional responsibility concerning raising, maintaining and reducing the Army. Likewise, it should be of interest to the civilians in the Army and Defense Secretariats. Perhaps even more important, the subject should be of vital interest to members of Congress and their staffs.

"The current situations in Iraq and Afghanistan have generated more and more discussion, particularly with the Washington pundits, pertaining to reinstituting a draft. For any of those so inclined, all the pros and cons of the proposition can be found in the book…

"Perhaps the prime value of this book is the accompanying DVD that lists more than 1,700 primary source documents…

"This is the seminal study of the Cold War personnel processes of the Army… a book that any professional should purchase, study and refer to for a thorough understanding of the witches' brew that is endearingly referred to as the personnel system."

— Army Magazine, December 2006. Reviewed by LT. GEN. RICHARD G. TREFRY, USA Ret., served as Army Inspector General from 1978 to 1983

"The authors have undertaken the difficult task of identifying potential conflicts and attempting to distill information gathered into a manageable list of factors and logical deductions with which to develop policy and strategy."

— Military Review

"… In the new world order of the 21st century, internal ethnic conflicts dominate crises around the globe… With the rise of global communications, global economics, and worldwide interests, it behooves the intelligence community to be able to predict when a crisis will erupt. The authors introduce a model that enables analysts to track and predict ethnic conflicts. The model is quite comprehensive. The criteria, and subsections of each, provide a systematic approach for predicting the outbreak of ethnic violence… The best part of the book is the four case studies. In two of the case studies, Yugoslavia and South Africa, the authors conduct a historical review of events to prove their model. In the remaining two, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia, the authors predict the possibility of ethnic conflict becoming a reality. The Yugoslavia case study is one of the most comprehensive I have seen. The South African case is also well done. Those who conduct case-study analyses might find these sections particularly useful."

— Parameters

"In this book, edited by Thomas Szayna, a model is outlined that can be used to predict the likelihood of ethnic war. While the intended audience is the United States intelligence community, it is likely that political analysts and scholars elsewhere may also find it useful… On the whole, the book achieves what it sets out to do-helping political analysts to order their thinking when observing a political landscape… The caveat to be borne in mind is that the model only supports, but does not take away the necessity of detailed knowledge about the particular country under review."

— African Security Review

"An edited collection that attempts t set out a model for anticipating the outbreak of ethnic conflict and the potential for conflict across states… [it is] more thorough in its methodology and application than others, and academics and students outside the intended readership may get something out of the book."

— >Journal of Refugee Studies

"Through the development of a 'process model' of ethnic mobilization and ethnic challenge to statist power, this book aims at the long-range assessment of probable ethnic strife rather than with forecasting imminent ethnic violence and state breakdown. Identifying Potential Ethnic Conflict is a scholarly work which has much to say to those grappling with the problem of prediction in ethnically-divided states… The book is well-written and concise. It does an admirable job in fulfilling its tasks of identifying what to look for, focusing on the need for certain analytical resources, and synthesizing existing literature. With supplemental readings, this book might serve as the foundation of a course on ethnic conflict. . ."

— Nationalities Papers

"…a well-written, technically well-executed and balanced analysis of the characteristics and impact of immigration on California's economy over the past three and one-half decades."

— Journal of American Ethnic History

"The thoroughness of the RAND report, combined with the fact that it chimes in with mounting worries about 'poorly regulated' immigration, ensures that it will have a big impact."

— The Economist

"…this book is a rich resource for the researcher on immigration to the USA, well-illustrated with many graphs and tables, as well as a splendid bibiography…Here, as elsewhere, a proactive policy for the economic integration of immigrants, as soon as possible, is recommended and the study ends with a call for better public education about immigration issues. Much of this research and its outcomes is very relevant for the British, and the European, scenario of immigration today."

— Immigration & Nationality Law & Practice

"Immigration in a Changing Economy is clearly an important work…the report provides the most detailed picture of California's immigrant population produced to date. Moreover, [the authors'] general observation that immigration should not be seen as inherently positive or negative, but instead that its effects are dependent on the volume and characteristics of the immigrants, is unassailable. Anyone seeking to better understand the implications of immigration for California, the largest and most important state in the country, would do well to read this book."

— Immigration Review

"A fact-filled sober, and sane analysis of California's immigrants."

— Foreign Affairs

"Berends offers a refreshingly frank evaluation of an ambitious effort -- the system-wide application of whole school reform models…This RAND report would be a good resource for policy discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of whole school reform and is timely for current political discussions."

— CHOICE Magazine

"RAND associates overview the first three years of a whole-school reform project launched in 1991 by the nonprofit New American Schools. Includes studies used in RAND's evaluation of the project and methodological notes."

— Reference & Research Book News

"RAND, a nonprofit policy and decision-making research institution, presents results of an examination of state-level achievement scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests given in mathematics and reading from 1990 through 1996. The report develops three measures that compare state performance: raw achievement scores, estimates of score differences for students with similar family characteristics, and estimated improvement trends… The report indicates that preschool programs and small class size improve long-term student achievement… The message of this report is that public education is reformable. Recommended for undergraduates, graduate students, researchers, faculty, and professionals."

— CHOICE Magazine

"…this careful report examines the evidence from student scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests given in math and reading at the fourth- and eighth-grade levels between 1990 and 1996…The merit of this study is that it covers new ground by giving new interpretation of the empirical evidence…This work will be of particular interest to policymakers, the state judiciary, and school administrators, and parents will find sections on family variables helpful. Recommended for all academic and public libraries."

— Library Journal

"RAND … presents results of an examination of state-level achievement scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests given in mathematics and reading from 1990 through 1996. The report develops three measures that compare state performance: raw achievement scores, estimates of score differences for students with similar family characteristics, and estimated improvement trends… The message of this report is that public education is reformable. Recommended for undergraduates, graduate students, researchers, faculty, and professionals."

— CHOICE Magazine/The Association of College and Research Libraries

"Although some of its passages will be of more interest to philosophers than to soldiers, In Athena's Camp is an interesting book. It should be read by anyone in the special-operations community who is interested in information operations, especially those in PSYOP, a field that is only beginning to better use technology to form network-hierarchy hybrids in order to act faster than our competitors."

— Special Warfare

"Typically thorough RAND fashion…the authors ponder, correctly, whether a rigid, military command structure can adapt to the decentralized organizational restructuring that Net war will demand…The book correctly points out the importance of creating new doctrines within which to place the new technological developments. After all, to be effective, information must be combined with a coherent strategy, consistent organization and proper management of resources."

— IntellectualCapital.com

"I enjoyed reading the book In Athena's Camp with its hard-hitting ideas and historical images of tactical warfare down the ages…a real eye-opener…I found the book to be thought provoking and an excellent reference guide on the use of information in warfare - past, present and possible future. Anyone interested in military history and cyberspace should read this book."

— Science and Technology Journal

"Arquilla and Ronfeldt's contributions provide the most interesting conceptual meat of the book…They propose that 'information is a bigger, deeper concept than traditionally presumed and should be treated as a basic, underlying, and overarching dynamic of all theory and practice about warfare in the information-age.' This view of information as having a 'transcendent, if not independent, role' leads them into fascinating discussions of the nature of information and knowledge."

— Information, Communication, Society

"This lively and highly readable survey of trends in information warfare provides an excellent overview of an expanding field in military science. The editors, John Arquilla of the Naval Postgraduate School and David Ronfeldt of the RAND Corporation, are well versed in the complex theories of information warfare, and they render the subject highly approachable to those not fully engaged in the debate…it represents one-stop shopping for any serious military analyst seeking to understand the current language, trend lines, and tensions in the discussion of information warfare."

— Naval War College Review

"Some scholars can always be counted upon to deliver thoughtful, penetrating studies that address the meat of any issue. Jonathan Pollack and Richard Yang are among the best of these, and they have assembled a cast of equal quality for this volume of RAND conference papgers. This superb collection of chapters by carefully selected security experts offers regional and national perspectives on the dominant power in Asia - China. The focus of the conference was on the effects of Chinese power - economic, political and military - on China's neighbours. The title In China's Shadow is particularly apropos, since the looming, big-bellied dragon casts a long shadow over continental and archipelagic Asia. Perspectives from Russia, Taiwan (two particularly insightful papers), Australia, the United States, Hong Kong, South Asia, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia are included."

— The China Journal

"The Copernican Revolution, which kicked humanity off the center of the universe, had a jolting effect on the Catholic Church, which took a long time to accept this fact. Likewise, it is not easy for the hegemonic West to reconcile itself to the fact that non-Western countries can also make and explode nuclear weapons. In this context it is useful and necessary not just to recognize that science and technological capabilities transcend national and ethnic boundaries, but also to understand the cultural, political, and psychological factors that provoke countries like India to expend significant chunks of their resources to make nuclear weapons… In this thoroughly researched scholarly book, based on extensive reading and interviews with key people, RAND researcher Tellis offers a remarkably cogent and factual account of the context of India's joining the Nuclear Club. Certainly informative and insightful, this work will be very valuable to US planners working in this new world. Upper-division undergraduates and up."

— CHOICE Magazine

"The great value of Ashley Tellis's work is that it seeks to look at the logic that propelled Prime Minister Vajpayee's decision to break the 24-year old self-imposed embargo and order the Shakti tests, and offers an analysis of the course that India is likely to undertake in the coming years… Tellis's work has benefited the Indian government's permission to meet a cross-section of serving officials, including those directly involved in the nuclear weapons programme. This unprecedented access, combined with Tellis's systematic trawling of published literature have given this work a definitive quality evidenced also by its sheer bulk."

— Strategic Affairs

"There is an impressive comprehensiveness about the opus… It is essential reading for all those w