Brian Michael Jenkins
Overview
Biography
Brian Michael Jenkins is a senior adviser to the president of the RAND Corporation and author of numerous books, reports, and articles on terrorism-related topics, including Will Terrorists Go Nuclear (2008, Prometheus Books). He formerly served as chair of the Political Science Department at RAND. On the occasion of the 10-year anniversary of 9/11, Jenkins initiated a RAND effort to take stock of America's policy reactions and give thoughtful consideration to future strategy. That effort is presented in The Long Shadow of 9/11: America's Response to Terrorism (Brian Michael Jenkins and John Paul Godges, eds., 2011).
Commissioned in the infantry, Jenkins became a paratrooper and a captain in the Green Berets. He is a decorated combat veteran, having served in the Seventh Special Forces Group in the Dominican Republic and with the Fifth Special Forces Group in Vietnam. He returned to Vietnam as a member of the Long Range Planning Task Group and received the Department of the Army's highest award for his service.
In 1996, President Clinton appointed Jenkins to the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security. From 1999 to 2000, he served as adviser to the National Commission on Terrorism and in 2000 was appointed to the U.S. Comptroller General's Advisory Board. He is a research associate at the Mineta Transportation Institute, where he directs the continuing research on protecting surface transportation against terrorist attacks.
Research Focus
Previous Positions
Captain, U.S. Army Special Forces with service in the Dominican Republic and Vietnam; Deputy Chairman, Kroll Associates; member, White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security; adviser, National Commission on Terrorism; special adviser to the International Chamber of Commerce; board member, ICC Commercial Crime Services; member, U.S. Comptroller General's advisory boardSelected Publications
Brian Michael Jenkins, Stray Dogs and Virtual Armies: Radicalization and Recruitment to Jihadist Terrorism in the United States Since 9/11, RAND Corporation (OP-343), 2011
Brian Michael Jenkins and John Godges, eds., The Long Shadow of 9/11: America's Response to Terrorism, RAND Corporation (MG-1107), 2011
Brian Michael Jenkins, Unconquerable Nation: Knowing Our Enemy, Strengthening Ourselves, RAND Corporation (MG-454), 2006
Paul Wilkinson and Brian Michael Jenkins, eds., Aviation Terrorism and Security, Frank Cass Publisher, 2005
David Aaron, ed., Three Years After: Next Steps in the War on Terror, RAND Corporation (CF-212), 2005
Brian Michael Jenkins, Countering al Qaeda: An Appreciation of the Situation and Suggestions for Strategy, RAND Corporation (MR-1620), 2002
Paul K. Davis and Brian Michael Jenkins, Deterrence and Influence in Counterterrorism: A Component in the War on al Qaeda, RAND Corporation (MR-1619), 2002
Honors & Awards
- Fulbright Fellow, University of San Carlos in Guatemala
- Fellowship, Organization of American States
Recent Media Appearances
Interviews: ABC; Associated Press; CBS; Chicago Tribune; Christian Science Monitor; CNN; Houston Chronicle; Los Angeles Times; MSNBC; NBC; New York Magazine; New York Times; The New Yorker; Newsweek; NPR; San Francisco Chronicle; Time Magazine; U.S. News & World Report; USA Today
Commentary: Los Angeles Times; Newsday; San Diego Union-Tribune; San Francisco Chronicle; United Press International
Video Interviews: Unconquerable Nation
Commentary
The Syrian Chemical Weapons Conundrum — May 1, 2013
The Day After — Apr 18, 2013
The Invasion of Iraq: A Balance Sheet — Mar 22, 2013
Drug Cartels an X-Factor for Obama, Peña Nieto — Feb 19, 2013
What Does the Amenas Attack Mean for U.S. Policy in Africa? — Jan 31, 2013
The Dynamics of the Hostage Situation at Amenas — Jan 30, 2013
The Motivations Behind the Amenas Terrorist Attack — Jan 29, 2013
The al Qaeda Threat in North Africa — Jan 24, 2013
Generations of Terrorism — Dec 12, 2012
Latest Alleged Homegrown 'Terrorists' Fit the Mold — Nov 20, 2012
Will Mexico's New President Continue the War on the Cartels? — Nov 16, 2012
TSA Procedures Need to Be Remade from Scratch — Sep 28, 2012
Syrian Scenarios — Aug 7, 2012
Getting the Threat Right — Jun 12, 2012
A Final Word on the NDAA — May 6, 2012
Is the War on Terror Over? Not Yet. — Apr 30, 2012
The NDAA Makes It Harder to Fight Terrorism — Feb 1, 2012
Five Myths about 9/11 — Sep 2, 2011
Osama a Wizard of Illusion and Rhetoric — Jun 1, 2011
Al-Qaeda after bin Laden — May 12, 2011
What Al Qaeda Is Thinking Now: Defanged, but Desperate to Show They're Still in the Fight — May 4, 2011
Why Terrorists Attack Airports — Jan 25, 2011
Our Foes Cannot Destroy This Nation — Sep 27, 2010
Denying Homegrown Terrorists the Glory — Jun 24, 2010
5 Reasons We're Safer From Terrorists — May 12, 2010
Jihadist Threat Keeps Evolving — May 10, 2010
Al Qaeda Tipping Point? Still a Long Way to Go — Apr 26, 2010
What We Can Learn from the Christmas Day Bombing Attempt — Mar 26, 2010
Jihad Jane and the Risk of Domestic Terrorism — Mar 12, 2010
How Can We Keep Los Angeles Secure? — Mar 5, 2010
How a Decade of Terror Changed America — Dec 30, 2009
Afghanistan: A Marathon, Not a Prize Fight — Dec 1, 2009
How Russia Can and Can't Help Obama — Aug 26, 2009
Who Has the Will to Fight Piracy? — Apr 21, 2009
The Torture Debate, Redux — Apr 1, 2009
Could Mexico Fail? — Feb 13, 2009
The Obama Withdrawal From Iraq: How Fast? — Dec 16, 2008
Mumbai's Terrifying Logic — Dec 9, 2008
How Will Obama First Be Tested? — Dec 8, 2008
Obama's First International Crisis — Nov 16, 2008
Georgia Dispute Derails Bid to Stop Nuke Terrorism — Oct 6, 2008
Will Terrorists Go Nuclear? — Sep 12, 2008
A Nuclear 9/11? — Sep 12, 2008
A New Tact on Iraq — Aug 25, 2007
Combating Radicalization — Aug 23, 2007
Nuclear Terror: How Real? — May 13, 2007
Not Every Tragedy Has a Solution — Apr 18, 2007
Old Front Against Terrorism — Jan 14, 2007
Terror War Uncertainties — Oct 6, 2006
State of Terrorism Address: What Would Osama Bin Laden Say to Jihadists Five Years Later? — Sep 11, 2006
Safer, But Not Safe — Sep 10, 2006
The Threat of Oil Jihad — Mar 3, 2006
Just Starting: The War Against Terror — Jan 25, 2006
Terror in Historical Context — Oct 28, 2005
Let Sgt. Friday Fight Terror — Sep 25, 2005
Democracy's Defense: Values and Justice — Sep 11, 2005
Four Years After 9/11, War on Terror Slogs On — Sep 11, 2005
Selecting for Security — Jul 26, 2005
The Lessons of London — Jul 17, 2005
Strategy: Political Warfare Neglected — Jun 26, 2005
Can the Iraq Beast Be Tamed? — May 18, 2005
The Men Who Pursued Paradise in Destruction — May 15, 2005
Kidnappings in Iraq Strategically Effective — Apr 29, 2005
Bin Laden and His Special Effects — Feb 4, 2005
Iraq: Not Terrorist Central — Jan 30, 2005
Semantics are Strategic in the War on Terror — Sep 30, 2004
The Four Defensive Measures Against Terrorism — Sep 24, 2004
The View from Ground Zero: Is America Safer? — Sep 12, 2004
Looking for 'High Noon' in a Hundred Years' War — Aug 22, 2004
World Becomes the Hostage of Media-Savvy Terrorists — Aug 22, 2004
Don't Move Too Fast on Intelligence Reform — Aug 17, 2004
Trains, Buses and Terror — May 3, 2004
Bin Laden May Be Fishing for Allies on Europe's Secular Left — Apr 25, 2004
Does Terrorism Work? — Mar 21, 2004
'Axis of Evil' Versus 'Chain of Evil' — Feb 1, 2004
From 'White' Christmas to 'Orange' Christmas — Dec 25, 2003
Killing bin Laden, et al, Is No Help — Dec 3, 2003
Breach of Airline Security Is Nothing to Panic About — Oct 21, 2003
Connect the Cops to Connect the Dots — Jun 1, 2003
All Citizens Now First Responders — Mar 24, 2003
What If We Don't Attack Iraq? — Mar 16, 2003
Countering al-Qaeda: The Next Phase in the War — Sep 8, 2002
Fliers Have Reason to Jettison Jitters — Sep 3, 2002
Put Brains Behind Airway Safety — Jul 30, 2002
Get Used to It: Our Airports Are Vulnerable to Terrorism — Jul 25, 2002
Face Terror with Better Spying, Not Moats of Fear — Jul 10, 2002
Safeguarding the Skies — Sep 30, 2001
This Time It Is Different — Sep 16, 2001
A Confounding, Complex Tragedy — Jun 17, 2001
Disloyalty Feeds on Cash, Flesh and Thrills — Feb 22, 2001
Terrorist Trials Serve U.S. Strategy — Jan 7, 2001
Publications
New Challenges to U.S. Counterterrorism Efforts: An Assessment of the Current Terrorist Threat - 2012
Could Mexico Fail? - 2009
The Lessons of Mumbai - 2009
Will Terrorists Go Nuclear? - 2008
Fear Cannot Counter Terror - 2006
The New Age of Terrorism - 2006
Countering the New Terrorism - 1999
New Modes of Conflict - 1983
Diplomats on the Front Line - 1982
Talking to Terrorists - 1982
Terrorism in the 1980s - 1980
RAND's Research on Terrorism - 1977
High Technology Terrorism and Surrogate War: The Impact of New Technology on Low-Level Violence - 1975
Will Terrorists Go Nuclear? - 1975
Terrorism Works--Sometimes - 1974
Terrorism and Kidnapping - 1974
After the War - 1973
Giap and the Seventh Son - 1972
The Unchangeable War - 1970
Multimedia
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The Long Shadow of 9/11: America's Response to Terrorism
Sep 1, 2011
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The Land of the Fearful, or the Home of the Brave?
Jul 26, 2011
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The Long Shadow of 9/11: America's Response to Terrorism
Jul 26, 2011
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Counterterrorism
Oct 29, 2009
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Will Terrorists Go Nuclear?
Aug 6, 2008
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Unconquerable Nation: Knowing Our Enemy, Strengthening Ourselves
Aug 7, 2006

Crowd-sourcing Our Security — May 13, 2013