Benjamin Jensen
Former Nonresident Senior Fellow
Associate Professor of International Relations, Marine Corps University
Scholar in Residence, American University
Forward Defense
Conflict Crisis Management Defense Industry Defense Policy Defense Technologies National Security Security & Defense Terrorism
About Related Content
How the Taliban did it: Inside the 'operational art' of its military victory
By Benjamin Jensen
The Taliban of 2021 is not the same as the Taliban of the 1990s. This Taliban is now adept at integrating military and non-military instruments of power in pursuit of its political objectives.
Afghanistan Conflict
Seizing the advantage
A connected world is a vulnerable world. The US can help secure it.
National security is no longer measured by the size of a country's military forces. It is measured by how efficiently and securely a country, as part of a network of allies and partners, exchanges information, resources, and ideas.
China Cybersecurity
Elevating 'deterrence by denial' in US defense strategy
By Erica D. Borghard, Benjamin Jensen, and Mark Montgomery
As the Biden administration reshapes foreign policy and makes decisions about how to invest in US military capabilities for the future, it should acknowledge the value of a denial-based approach to deterrence.
Defense Industry Defense Policy
Dr. Benjamin Jensen was a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Forward Defense practice within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. Dr. Jensen holds dual appointments at the Marine Corps University and American University, School of International Service. At American University, Dr. Jensen is the program coordinator for the peace, global security, and conflict resolution undergraduate thematic area. His teaching and research explore the changing character of political violence and strategy. At the Marine Corps University, Command and Staff College, he is an assistant professor running the Advanced Studies Program. The program integrates student research with long-range studies on future warfighting concepts and competitive strategies in the US defense and intelligence communities.
During his career, Dr. Jensen has supported multiple US government agencies including contributing to Joint Staff studies and war games on transnational threats and great power competition, counterinsurgency doctrine, intelligence community scenarios on the future of Afghanistan, studies on cyber operational art, and red team assessments for the NATO headquarters in Afghanistan. Dr. Jensen has extensive experience as a war-gamer, including for the Marine Corps War-fighting Lab, Office of Net Assessment, Pacific Challenge ('12-'14), '9 Innings' USMC Command and Staff Capstone exercise ('12-'14) and KFOR ('10-'13). Dr. Jensen is also an officer in the US Army Reserves with multiple deployments including Kosovo (2006) and Afghanistan (2011). He has served in a variety of roles including Infantry commander, planner, targeting, and intelligence officer. He also has experience in the private sector, having worked for various companies from 1998-2012 including SAIC and UBS.
Dr. Jensen has authored or co-authored three books, "Forging the Sword: U.S. Army Doctrinal Innovation", "Cyber Coercion: The Evolving Nature of Cyber Power and Strategy", and "The Human Domain: Breaking Series of Failures". He is a prolific writer who has published numerous article and editorials, presented numerous conference papers and has regular columns on War on the Rocks.
Dr. Jensen received his bachelor's degree in English and communications from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, an MA in international affairs, international peace and conflict resolution from American University, School of International Service, a master's of science in strategic intelligence from the National Defense Intelligence College (Defense Intelligence Agency) and his PhD in international relations (international politics, international security) from American University, School of International Service.