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Unconquerable Nation

Knowing Our Enemy, Strengthening Ourselves

Cover: Unconquerable Nation: Knowing Our Enemy, Strengthening Ourselves

By: Brian Michael Jenkins

Brian Michael Jenkins presents a clear-sighted and sobering analysis of where we are today in the struggle against terrorism. Jenkins, an internationally renowned authority on terrorism, distills the jihadists’ operational code and suggests how they might assess their situation very differently from how we might do so. He distills the jihadists’ operational code and outlines a ferociously pragmatic but principled approach that goes beyond attacking terrorist networks and operational capabilities to defeating their entire missionary enterprise by deterring recruitment and encouraging defections.

Jenkins believes that homeland security should move beyond gates and guards and become the impetus for rebuilding America’s decaying infrastructure. Americans need to adopt a realistic approach to risk and get a lot smarter about security. We need to build upon the nation’s traditions of determination and self-reliance. Above all, we need to preserve our commitment to American values. Preserving these values is no mere matter of morality, he argues; it is a strategic imperative.

Jenkins brings to his prose the driving rhythm, no-nonsense language, passion, and energy of a warrior, and he brings to his analysis the steady, informed perspective of a historian. Unconquerable Nation is a rallying cry from a man who has dedicated his life to defending America, who has been dismayed by the propagation of homegrown terror, yet who refuses to surrender his faith in what he believes are America’s finest, unconquerable values.

How America deals with the terrorist threat is one of the major challenges of this century. Jenkins points the way forward.

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Hardbound Cover Price: $29.95

Discounted Web Price: $17.97

Pages: 254

ISBN/EAN: 978-0-8330-3893-7

Paperback Cover Price: $19.95

Discounted Web Price: $11.97

Pages: 254

ISBN/EAN: 978-0-8330-3891-3

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Contents

Chapter One:
How We Prevail

Chapter Two:
An Appreciation of the Situation

Chapter Three:
Knowing Our Enemy

Chapter Four:
A Sharper Sword: Strategic Principles for Defeating Today’s Enemy

Chapter Five:
A Durable Shield: Strategies for Strengthening Ourselves

Appendix A:
Chronology of Selected Jihadist Attacks Since September 11, 2001

Appendix B:
Failed Terrorist Plots: What Were They Thinking About Doing?

This book results from the RAND Corporation’s continuing program of self-initiated independent research. Support for such research is provided, in part, by the generosity of RAND’s donors and by the fees earned on client-funded research.

This product is part of the RAND Corporation monograph series. RAND monographs present major research findings that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND monographs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity.

This research in the public interest was supported by RAND, using discretionary funds made possible by the generosity of RAND's donors, the fees earned on client-funded research, and independent research and development (IR&D) funds provided by the Department of Defense.

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