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Terrorism

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The Munich Olympics. The Lockerbie bombing. Oklahoma City. 9/11. London, Madrid, Mumbai. Terrorism is by no means a localized or recent phenomenon. Similarly, efforts to both catalog and counter terrorism, both at home and around the world, have been a key focus of RAND research since the early 1970s.

Commentary

Domestic Violent Extremists Will Be Harder to Combat Than Homegrown Jihadists

Feb 1, 2021

The beliefs driving today's domestic extremists are deeply rooted in American history and society. For this and several other reasons, shutting them down will prove far more difficult than combating homegrown jihadists.
Report

Most Attacks on Western Diplomatic Facilities Culminate in Two Hours or Less

Jan 25, 2021

There have been 33 successful seizures of Western diplomatic facilities since 1979. The majority of attacks culminated in two hours or less, and over 90 percent culminated in six hours or less. A review of these attacks can help in developing effective response capabilities.

Explore Terrorism

Blog

Teachers Quit Due to Stress, Peace in Yemen, America's Middle Class: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how stress leads teachers to quit their jobs, U.S. strategy in the Middle East, America's shrinking middle class, and more.

Feb 26, 2021
Commentary

Five Reasons to Be Wary of a New Domestic Terrorism Law

Momentum is building in Congress for legislation to deal with domestic terrorism. Here are five purely pragmatic reasons to be wary of addressing domestic terrorism with a new law.

Feb 24, 2021
News Release

Traditional U.S. Approaches to Middle East Not Working: Reimagined Strategy Would Lean Less on Massive Arms Sales, More ...

U.S. policies in the Middle East are built on outdated “legacy” aid packages, massive arms sales, and a disproportionate focus on the Iranian threat that fail to advance American interests—or help the region's people—and need to be rethought.

Feb 23, 2021
Report

Reimagining U.S. Strategy in the Middle East

Long-standing U.S. policies in the Middle East that rely on defeating threats and keeping partners on "our side" have fallen short. What if the U.S. approach shifted from focusing on the threat of the day to a positive vision of a region supported by increased diplomatic and economic investments?

Feb 23, 2021
Report

Reimagining U.S. Strategy in the Middle East: Sustainable Partnerships, Strategic Investments (Executive Summary)

In this summary, researchers assess the advantages and trade-offs of a reimagined Middle East strategy where strategic goals link to a broader understanding of stability that prioritizes reduced conflict, better governance, and greater development.

Feb 23, 2021
Research Brief

The Role of U.S. Airpower in Defeating ISIS

The United States used airpower in Syria and Iraq to halt ISIS's momentum and help defeat the organization, without committing a large number of ground forces.

Feb 12, 2021
Multimedia

Domestic Terrorism in the U.S.: The Need to Rethink Strategy

An overview of testimony by Brian Michael Jenkins presented before the House Committee on Homeland Security on February 4, 2021.

Feb 10, 2021
Blog

Unemployment Insurance, Domestic Extremists, Housing Insecurity: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on what the pandemic has revealed about America's unemployment system, why stopping domestic extremism will be difficult, how housing insecurity may affect sleep, and more.

Feb 5, 2021
Report

Airpower Was Indispensable to Defeating ISIS

Some argue that airpower could have been applied more vigorously in Operation Inherent Resolve to have more quickly defeated ISIS. Airpower was essential, but ground forces led by Iraqi and Syrian partners were needed to destroy the Islamic State as a territorial entity.

Feb 5, 2021
Testimony

Addressing the Threat of Domestic Violent Extremism

The attack on the Capitol was an unprecedented assault on America’s political system. How might a national commission to review the events of January 6 offer a road to national recovery? And what can be done to address broader threats from violent domestic extremists?

Feb 4, 2021
Commentary

What the Capitol Siege Means for the Future of Security Clearances

Some people who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6 had or have a national security clearance and thus trusted access to classified information. And some might apply for a security clearance in the future. If they are not identified and prosecuted, then they won't have a criminal record that could be detected in a background check.

Feb 2, 2021
Commentary

How to Root Out Extremism in the U.S. Military

The military has a growing extremism problem because America does. Service members who embrace violent extremism are thankfully few; Americans citizens who do so are sadly far too many. As a nation we need to deal with both.

Feb 1, 2021
Blog

Prescription Drug Prices, Transgender Troops, Space Diplomacy: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on America's high prescription drug prices, allowing transgender troops in the military, food insecurity in Black neighborhoods, and more.

Jan 29, 2021
Commentary

How Threats Against Lawmakers Could Distort the Political Landscape for Years

The political environment is changing in a way that goes beyond immediate security concerns. The prevalence of threats and violence as a feature of American politics will ripple throughout the political system. Our politics could be distorted by the vicious atmosphere for years.

Jan 25, 2021
News Release

Interest in a U.S. Grand Strategy of Restraint May Be Growing, So Advocates Need to Provide More Details

As the Biden Administration takes over, some U.S. policymakers have expressed interest in a new approach to America's role in the world: a realist grand strategy of restraint under which the U.S. would cooperate more with other powers, reduce its forward military presence and end or renegotiate some security commitments.

Jan 22, 2021
Blog

Keeping COVID-19 Vaccines Moving, the Capitol Attack, Media Literacy: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on keeping COVID-19 vaccines moving to save more lives; why we need a national commission to investigate the U.S. Capitol attack; media literacy as a tool to counter “Truth Decay,” and more.

Jan 22, 2021
Report

A U.S. Grand Strategy of Restraint

Some U.S. policymakers have expressed interest in a realist grand strategy of restraint. Under this approach, the United States would cooperate more with other powers, reduce its forward military presence, and end or renegotiate some security commitments. What are the policy implications of embarking down this path?

Jan 21, 2021
Commentary

Why We Need a January 6 Commission to Investigate the Attack on the Capitol

The history of politically charged violence in and against the United States can be read in the reports of its national commissions. The takeover of the U.S. Capitol on January 6 demands such an inquiry.

Jan 20, 2021

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