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Featured Publication

Publications may be purchased online, or downloaded for free.

What You Should Do to Prepare for and Respond to Chemical, Radiological, Nuclear, and Biological Terrorist Attacks — Pocket Edition Survival Guide

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Terrorism and Homeland Security

For over 30 years, RAND has been a world leader in terrorism research and analysis. As a public service, RAND disseminates all unclassified research as printed documents or online. Much of this research is managed by the Homeland Security program of RAND Infrastructure, Safety, and Environment. View all Terrorism and Homeland Security Documents Available Online or find general information at Reports and Bookstore.

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Shaping Tomorrow Today: Near-Term Steps Towards Long-Term Goals — Aug. 13, 2009

The RAND Frederick S. Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition recently hosted a workshop that gave analysts and policymakers from many countries a collaborative opportunity to explore new methods and tools that can help improve long-term decisionmaking.

Full DocumentRAND Frederick S. Pardee Center for Longer Range Global Policy and the Future Human Condition

Understanding Why Terrorist Operations Succeed or Fail — Aug. 11, 2009

Being able to understand why terrorist attacks have failed and to predict the likelihood of which will succeed is important for homeland security and counterterrorism planning. Literature on the topic suggests that the threat of any terrorist operation can best be evaluated by examining three key sets of characteristics.

Full Document

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RAND Tracks Worldwide Terrorism Attacks in Database Project — Jan. 14, 2009

The Database of Worldwide Terrorism Incidents defines and categorizes terrorist attacks in order to help analysts, policymakers, and practitioners understand general trends in the threat. It is based on over 30 years of research by analysts at RAND and is now offering institutional subscriptions.

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View All »Related News & Commentary

November 17, 2009: Going Jihad: The Fort Hood Slayings and Home-Grown Terrorism, By Brian Michael Jenkins

October 14, 2009: Fighting Terror the Cold War Way, By Todd C. Helmus, Dalia Dassa Kaye (ForeignPolicy.com)

August 26, 2009: How Russia Can and Can't Help Obama, By Brian Michael Jenkins (ForeignPolicy.com)

August 4, 2009: U.S. Handling of Mujahedin-E-Khalq Since U.S. Invasion of Iraq Is Examined

June 29, 2009: Can Gitmo's Terrorists Be Rehabilitated?, By Aidan Kirby Winn (The Christian Science Monitor)

View All »Featured Reports

Aptitude for Destruction, Volume 1: Organizational Learning in Terrorist Groups and Its Implications for Combating Terrorism Better ways are needed to understand how terrorist groups become more effective and dangerous. Learning is the link between what a group wants to do and its ability to actually do it; therefore, a better understanding of group learning might contribute to the design of better measures for combating terrorism. Full Document

Developing Iraq's Security Sector: The Coalition Provisional Authority's Experience From May 2003 to June 28, 2004 (when it handed over authority to the Iraqi Interim Government), the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) worked to field Iraqi security forces and to develop security sector institutions. The authors—all of whom were advisors to the CPA—break out the various elements of Iraq's security sector, including the defense, interior, and justice sectors, and assess the CPA's successes and failures. Full Document