Five essays reflect on America ten years after 9/11, propose a shift toward Afghan-led solutions for Afghanistan, outline a diplomatic strategy to counter al Qaeda's narrative, suggest ways to ensure air passenger security at a reasonable cost, and recommend new compensation polices for victims of terrorist attacks. A special centerpiece graphically illustrates how a decade of war has affected sevicemembers and their families. News items discuss health reform benefits and costs across five states, the effect of employer-based insurance on entrepreneurship, employment and income inequality in Europe, geoengineering as a response to climate change, parent-teen talks about sex, and New Orleans families after Hurricane Katrina. Other articles highlight RAND perspectives on the recent upheavals in the Arab World; a speech by John Deasy, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District; and a farewell message from James A. Thomson, president and chief executive officer of the RAND Corporation.

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