Knowing the Enemy
Understanding the Islamic State and Principles for Defeating It
Expert InsightsPublished Mar 21, 2017
In this Perspective, RAND researchers help identify threats to U.S. interests posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), propose a context in which ISIL should be judged (particularly ISIL's character and motivations, as well as key regional and global issues that frame the context), provide an initial framework for interpreting these data and insights, and outline a way ahead for developing and assessing courses of action and generating concrete options. This paper does not attempt to develop discrete courses of action or critique current ones; rather, it seeks to outline general principles that U.S. policymakers must consider when conceiving and weighing appropriate strategies to combat ISIL.
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- Copyright: RAND Corporation
- Availability: Web-Only
- Year: 2017
- Pages: 20
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/PE200
- Document Number: PE-200-A
Citation
RAND Style Manual
Kelly, Terrence K., James Dobbins, Barbara Sude, and Ben Connable, Knowing the Enemy: Understanding the Islamic State and Principles for Defeating It, RAND Corporation, PE-200-A, March 2017. As of July 11, 2026: https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE200.html
Chicago Manual of Style
Kelly, Terrence K., James Dobbins, Barbara Sude, and Ben Connable, Knowing the Enemy: Understanding the Islamic State and Principles for Defeating It. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2017. https://www.rand.org/pubs/perspectives/PE200.html.
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This research was conducted within the Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program within the RAND Arroyo Center.
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