Small Wars Journal

RAND Conference Proceedings Videos - The Evolving Terrorist Threat: Implications for Global Security

Tue, 07/18/2017 - 10:42am

RAND Conference Proceedings Videos - The Evolving Terrorist Threat: Implications for Global Security by Seth G. Jones, Colin P. Clarke, Peter Bergen, Ben Connable, Ryan C. Crocker, Lynn E. Davis, Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Andrew R. Hoehn, Mark Mazzetti, William McCants, Philip Mudd, K. Jack Riley, Linda Robinson, Eric Schmitt, Ali Soufan and  Michael G. Vickers - RAND Corporation

As ISIS loses territory in Iraq and Syria, are terrorist attacks more likely or less? How is ISIS evolving in the Middle East and globally? What about al-Qa'ida? To answer these questions, RAND convened a conference on the evolving terrorist threat, which took place on June 27, 2017, in the RAND Corporation's Washington office. RAND researchers Seth Jones, Colin Clarke, Lynn Davis, Ben Connable, Andrew Hoehn, Jack Riley, and Linda Robinson, along with experts from the larger national security community, discussed ISIS, al-Qa'ida, and other terrorist groups. Their discussions are captured in these video conference proceedings.

In the first video segment, Seth Jones, Jack Riley, and Colin Clarke, kick off the discussion, describing some of RAND's current and historic research on terrorism. In the second segment, the panelists explore changes and continuity in terrorism since 2014, looking at ISIS in a global context. In the third, they discuss ISIS within the Middle East, considering next steps for the Caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Lunchtime speaker Michael G. Vickers, former Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, provides a net assessment of the campaign against ISIS and al-Qa'ida in the fourth segment. And in the final video, panelists deliberate whether the United States is succeeding against ISIS and other terrorist groups.

Conference Welcome

Change or Continuity Since 2014: ISIS in Global Context?

Next Steps for the Caliphate in Iraq and Syria: What Does ISIS Look Like in the Middle East by 2018?

The War against al Qa’ida and ISIS: A Net Assessment

Questioning Fundamental Assumptions: Is the United States Succeeding Against ISIS?

The Evolving Terrorist Threat: Participant Interviews

The Evolving Terrorist Threat: Conference Highlights