In the past, our R&D’s have been daily, but we are going to start doing a once-a-week R&D that will contain in-depth reports and interviews from a variety of sources.  Our Twitter feed will serve to link to other important pieces of information throughout the week.

Syria’s Metastasising Conflicts from The International Crisis Group
This report documents the growing violence in Syria that is pulling outside actors into the volatile country. Excellent resource for background on the Syrian conflict and solutions for reducing the violence.

The Role of Religion in Postconflict Syria by The Council on Foreign Relations
This interview with Daniel Philpott, Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame, discusses how religion can play a role in solving political and social tensions in postconflict Syria.

Public Divided over Same-Sex Marriage Rulings from The Pew Research Center
This poll analysis reveals American views of gay marriage by gender, age, education, and political leanings. A useful source for next season since tis topic isn’t going away.

Strategies for Assisting Low-Income Families by the Brookings Institution
This report details the plight of low-income families in the United States and provides remedies for alleviating these issues in a time of economic dislocation.

The Egyptian Military’s Playbook from Foreign Affairs
This excellent piece chronicles why the Egyptian military might want to be subtle in pressuring the Muslim Brotherhood to alter its policies and deflate the mass protests that have taken over the country.

The 2014 Political Environment by The Cook Political Report
This quick snapshot of the 2014 political climate by the Cook Political Report highlights President Obama’s job approval ratings, consumer confidence, attitudes about the Affordable Care Act, party favorability ratings, and trends in generic Congressional balloting.

What Would the US Do if Israel Defied It by Attacking the Iranian Nuclear Weapons Program? by The Hudson Institute
Although this commentary piece is from April of this year, it does provide a short and interesting road about American policy options should Israel attack Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities.

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