By: Paul K. Davis, Brian Michael Jenkins, RAND Corporation, December 2002

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)

Asiaing Links:

The Book Official RAND Website

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Book Description:

Historical experience has shown that successful strategies to combat terrorism that is spawned by serious, deep-rooted problems have involved first crushing the current threat and then bringing about changes to make terrorism’s reemergence less likely. While deterrence of terrorism may at first glance seem to be an unrealistic goal — concepts such as co-optation and inducement cannot be expected to be effective for dealing with terrorists who have the unshakable commitment of an Osama bin Laden — it may be possible to influence some members of terrorist groups. Such groups are not simply single entities; rather, they are systems, with diverse elements, many of which could be amenable to influence. Thus, to sustain its counterterrorism efforts for the long term, the United States must develop a multifaceted strategy that includes attempting to influence those elements of terrorist systems that may be deterrable, such as state supporters or wealthy financiers living the good life while supporting terrorists in the shadows.

The U.S. strategy should comprise not only military attacks, but also political warfare; placing at risk the things that terrorists hold dear; a credible threat of force against any state or group that supports the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction for terrorist uses; and maintaining cooperation with other nations that are also engaged in the war on terror. At the same time, the strategy must preserve core American values, including discriminate use of force and maintaining due process in the provision of speedy justice.

About the Author:

Paul K. Davis (Ph.D., M.I.T., Chemical Physics) is a senior scientist and research leader at RAND.

Brian Michael Jenkins is one of the world's leading authorities on political violence and sophisticated crime. He has served as chairman of RAND's Political Science Department and directed RAND's research on political violence.

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