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Saturday November 21, 2009

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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioVideo Game Veterans and the New American Politics

Peter W. Singer, November 17, 2009, The Washington Examiner

Video Game Veterans and the New American PoliticsAccording to Peter Singer, video games have become an effective recruiting tool for the military, and gaming technology has been used in everything from battle training to dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder. However, while creating a new generation of soldiers primed for the fast-pace of modern warfare, Singer cautions that these games may also be desensitizing young people to the realities of war. Read More

PAST EVENT

Save to My PortfolioCNO Admiral Gary Roughead: The Future of Unmanned Naval Technologies

Monday, November 02, 2009
9:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Washington, DC

On November 2, the 21st Century Defense Initiative at Brookings hosted Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Gary Roughead. Admiral Roughead discussed the U.S. Navy’s use of new technologies, and its development and integration of unmanned systems into the current and future Navy force structure. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioA Revolution Once More: Unmanned Systems and the Middle East

Peter W. Singer, October 29, 2009, Future Horizons

Amidst growing use of robotics in warfare, Peter Singer explores the future of unmanned systems in the Middle East and South Asia. Singer concludes that while the United States remains -- and likely will remain -- the top developer of such technology, it is only a matter of time before other nations begin deploying robotics in large numbers. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioLight Fighter Planes: From Crop-Dusting to Counterinsurgency?

Peter W. Singer, September 22, 2009, The Washington Examiner

The U.S. Air Force recently announced a plan to explore purchasing 100 "light fighters" for use in counterinsurgency operations in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Peter Singer explores why the Air Force should not follow through on this plan, and he argues that unmanned systems already developed are better options moving forward. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioWired for War: The Future of Military Robots

Peter W. Singer, August 28, 2009, Wired.co.uk

Though robots are currently being used by the U.S. military in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, Peter Singer says this is just the beginning and much more advanced types are coming. In an extract from his book Wired for War, Singer examines the future of robotic warfare on the ground, in the air and from space. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioAre Chinese Aircraft Carriers a Threat?

Peter W. Singer, July 28, 2009, The Washington Examiner

In addition to an aircraft carrier purchased from Russia, China is reportedly planning to add four more to its fleet by 2020. Peter Singer analyzes the future of China's sea power projection and argues that U.S. defense planning should focus on shorter-term concerns ranging from Chinese hackers accessing sensitive material to anti-ship ballistic missiles capable of hitting targets 1,500 miles away. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioCounterterrorism: Kill or Be Killed?

Daniel L. Byman, July 17, 2009, The Wall Street Journal

In the post-9/11 era, the United States is grappling with many ethical, operational and political questions regarding the targeted killings of terrorists. Dan Byman argues that such strikes are a painful necessity in a time when U.S. foes cannot be found or fought onconventional battlefields. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioDo Targeted Killings Work?

Daniel L. Byman, July 14, 2009, ForeignPolicy.com

Do Targeted Killings Work?CIA Director Leon Panetta has cancelled a secret CIA plan to train anti-terrorist assassins, but Daniel Byman notes that strikes by U.S. military drones have had mixed success as a tactic for combating al Qaeda in Pakistan. Given the humanitarian and political risks, each strike needs to be carefully weighed. But equally important is the risk of not striking—and inadvertently allowing al Qaeda leaders free reign to plot terrorist mayhem. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioTactical Generals: Leaders, Technology, and the Perils

Peter W. Singer, July 07, 2009, Air & Space Power Journal

Tactical Generals: Leaders, Technology, and the PerilsGeneral Charles Krulak coined the term “strategic corporal” (a junior member trained to make time-critical decisions in response to the dynamic ground fight). Peter Singer examines a similar phenomenon occurring among senior officers, observing that modern technology allows generals to personally engage on the tactical level from remote locations. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioOur Dangerous Defense Policy Addiction

Peter W. Singer, June 30, 2009, The Washington Examiner

Peter Singer writes that the United States is a nation of thinking big, but he cautions against continuing to translate this interest to national security and defense policy. Singer believes the Pentagon should encourage more competition to create leaner, cheaper and less time-draining weapons systems and vehicles. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioAttack of the Military Drones

Peter W. Singer, June 27, 2009, The National

In modern warfare, precision drones can dramatically reduce human casualties. Peter Singer explores the debate surrounding this mechanization of warfare and exposes the battle of ideas—both for and against military robotics use—that it has sparked. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioThe Rise of the Tactical General

Peter W. Singer, June 16, 2009, Armed Forces Journal

The Rise of the Tactical GeneralPeter Singer frames the ongoing robotics revolution within militaries around the world through the idea of the tactical general who—given the ability through unmanned systems—can micromanage even the lowest-level operations. Singer believes that even though the capabilities in war are changing, lessons of the past should guide military leaders who are tempted to stray from their job of setting broad goals and battlefield objectives. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioObama Administration's Sound Thinking On Missile Defense

Michael E. O'Hanlon, June 09, 2009, The Washington Examiner

A central critique of the Obama administration’s new defense budget proposal is that it underfunds missile defense systems. Given how far the systems have progressed over the years, Michael O'Hanlon argues the critique is overblown and examines the relatively minor cuts to the program. Read More

RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Save to My PortfolioGaming the Robot Revolution

Peter W. Singer, May 22, 2009, Slate

Peter Singer examines the growing military robotics industry in light of the Terminator: Salvation and thoughts that robots may someday turn on their human creators. Singer concludes that while many of our inventions come from science fiction, we already have become so reliant on technology that we should not worry about a takeover. Read More

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ExpertIsabel V. Sawhill

A nationally known budget expert, Isabel Sawhill focuses on domestic poverty and federal fiscal policy. She is also co-director of the Center on Children and Families at Brookings.

ExpertMwangi S. Kimenyi

Mwangi S. Kimenyi is a senior fellow with the Africa Growth Initiative. He focuses on Africa's development, including institutions for economic growth, the political economy, and private sector development.

ExpertDomenico Lombardi

As president of the Oxford Institute for Economic Policy, Domenico Lombardi’s work at Brookings focuses on the international financial crisis and the reform of the IMF and the World Bank. He is an expert on G-20 and G8 Summits.

TopicEducation

The economic and political well-being of any society requires a well-educated citizenry. Brookings’s work extends beyond the K-12 bookends to include pre-school interventions, higher education and the challenges of education in developing countries.

ProgramGovernance Studies

Governance Studies explores political institutions of the United States and other democracies to assess how they govern, how their practices compare and how citizens and public servants can advance sound governance.

Research ProjectLatin America Initiative

The Latin America Initiative provides high-quality, in-depth, and independent research across a range of economic and political issues, and offers policy recommendations aimed at U.S. and Latin American policymakers.

TopicHealth Care

Brookings is committed to producing innovative policy solutions to our nation’s most difficult challenges. The country may face no more important domestic policy challenge than the much-needed reform of our health care system. Through an institution-wide effort, Brookings delivers new ideas and offers policy solutions to improve health care both at home and globally.

ExpertAmy Liu

Amy Liu is deputy director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program. Her policy studies include economic competitiveness, metropolitan growth and development, governance reforms, urban reinvestment, and social equity.

Policy CenterEngelberg Center for Health Care Reform

The Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform provides practical solutions to achieve high-quality, innovative, affordable health care with particular emphasis on identifying opportunities on the national, state and local levels.

Policy CenterCenter on Children and Families

The Center on Children and Families studies policies on the well-being of America's children and their parents and seeks a more effective means of addressing poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity in the United States.

ExpertFederiga Bindi

Federiga Bindi is a leading expert on European political integration. She has a broad experience in government and held a number of posts in international organizations. Bindi currently serves as an advisor to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. Her research focuses on the EU, transatlantic relations; EU states foreign policies, global governance issues.

ExpertMark McClellan

Mark McClellan works on promoting high-quality, innovative and affordable health care. Once commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration and administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Dr. McClellan now directs the Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform.

ExpertVanda Felbab-Brown

Vanda Felbab-Brown focuses on the national security implications of illicit economies and strategies for managing them. She is an adjunct professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Research ProjectBrookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement

The Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement monitors displacement problems worldwide, works with governments, regional bodies, international organizations and civil society to create more effective policies and institutional arrangements for Internally Displaed Persons.

ExpertTed Gayer

Ted Gayer is the co-director of the Economic Studies program and the Joseph A. Pechman Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He conducts research on a variety of economic issues, focusing particularly on public finance, environmental and energy economics, housing, and regulatory policy.

ExpertSuzanne Maloney

Suzanne Maloney studies Iran, the political economy of the Persian Gulf and Middle East energy policy. A former U.S. State Department policy advisor, she has also counseled private companies on Middle East issues.