Robert Kennedy
Professor Emeritus
- Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Overview
Bob is chairman of the Board of Directors and President Emerius of the Atlanta Council on International Relations (ACIR). He served more than 10 years as President/CEO of ACIR and over 25 years as Professor of International Affairs at the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia and was elected professor emeritus upon retirement. His prior positions include serving as director of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Deputy Commandant, NATO Defense College, Rome, Italy; Dwight D. Eisenhower Professor of National Security Studies, U.S. Army War College; Senior Researcher at the U.S. Army’s Strategic Studies Institute; Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency; an enlisted man in the U.S. Army; and command pilot on active duty with the U.S. Air Force and later with the reserve forces.
Bob was a Fulbright Scholar in Peru, holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from Georgetown University and a B.S. from the United States Air Force Academy. He is recipient of the Superior Civilian Service Award, US Department of Defense, the Joint Distinguished Civilian Service Award from the Chairman, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, a Doctorate Honoris Cause from the Bulgarian National Defense College, and the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been elected a permanent member of the Academy of Security, Defense, and Law Enforcement, Russian Federation with the title of Professor. For his efforts in helping Romania meet the requirements for NATO membership, the President of Romania awarded him the Ordinul Pentru Merit, with the title of Commander.
He has lectured and published widely. His latest book is "The Road to War: Congress’ Historic Abdication of Responsibility."
Interests
Focuses:
- Europe
- Weapons and Security
- National Intelligence
- National Strategy
- Presidential Power
Courses
- INTA-1200: American Government
- INTA-3110: U.S. Foreign Policy
- INTA-3111: U.S. Defense Policy
- INTA-4500: INTA Pro-Seminar
- INTA-4803: Special Topics
- INTA-6111: US Foreign Secur Strat
- INTA-8803: Special Topics
Publications
Recent Publications
Journal Articles
- Is One Person's Terrorist Another's Freedom Fighter? Western and Islamic Approaches to 'Just War' Compared
In: TERRORISM AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE
Date: 1999
Other Publications
- National Security Reform: 12 Central Questions for Responding to the Security Challenges of the 21st Century
Date: April 2012
On April 22, 2010, the Bush School of Government and Public Service and the U.S. Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute co-sponsored a colloquium in Washington, DC, on a midterm assessment of leadership and national security reform in the Obama administration. Panelists included experts from the Project on National Security Reform; the Foreign Policy Research Institute; the Hudson Institute; the Council on Foreign Relations; the Reserve Officers Association; the American Security Project; and Creative Associates International, Inc. The colloquium theme focused on the need for advancing the research and study of national security reform by engaging the invited participants to share their expertise on ways to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of the reform issues facing the U.S. Government. Three panels of national security experts discussed: "Assessing National Security Reform"; "Legislative Imperatives"; and, "Assessing National Security Reform-The Way Forward." This book includes a summary of the panelists' presentations, along with chapters written after the colloquium to further address and to assess the effectiveness and the near-term potential for Obama administration's national security reform initiatives.
- Potential Tradeoffs for US Nonproduction of Reduced Blast/Enhanced Radiation Weapons.
Date: August 1978
- "The Quantitative Balance: A Qualitative Assessment"
Date: May 1978
- Army Environment 1985-1995.
Date: November 1977
All Publications
Books
- Nuclear Winter, War Prevention, and the Nuclear Deterrent"
- Of Knowledge and Power: The Complexities of National Intelligence
- Strategies, Alliances, and Military Power: Changing Roles.
- The Defense of the West: Strategic and European Security Issues Reappraised
- The Road to War: Congress’ Historic Abdication of Responsibility
- U.S. Policy Toward the Soviet Union: A Long-Term Perspective 1987-2000
Journal Articles
- Is One Person's Terrorist Another's Freedom Fighter? Western and Islamic Approaches to 'Just War' Compared
In: TERRORISM AND POLITICAL VIOLENCE
Date: 1999
Chapters
- "US Security on the Southern Flank: Interests - Challenges - Responses"
- International Leadership in an Era of Detente" and "Nonconsonant Detente and NATO"
- “Euro-Atlantic Security Arrangements; What is in Place; Models for the Future: An American View”
- “Introducere”
- “National Security Reform: 12 Central Questions for Responding to the
Security Challenges of the 21st Century”
- “The Complexities of Intelligence”
- “The Elements of Strategic Thinking”
- “The Nature and Demands of Smart Power”
- “Ukraine’s Security and the Atlantic Community”
Other Publications
- National Security Reform: 12 Central Questions for Responding to the Security Challenges of the 21st Century
Date: April 2012
On April 22, 2010, the Bush School of Government and Public Service and the U.S. Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute co-sponsored a colloquium in Washington, DC, on a midterm assessment of leadership and national security reform in the Obama administration. Panelists included experts from the Project on National Security Reform; the Foreign Policy Research Institute; the Hudson Institute; the Council on Foreign Relations; the Reserve Officers Association; the American Security Project; and Creative Associates International, Inc. The colloquium theme focused on the need for advancing the research and study of national security reform by engaging the invited participants to share their expertise on ways to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of the reform issues facing the U.S. Government. Three panels of national security experts discussed: "Assessing National Security Reform"; "Legislative Imperatives"; and, "Assessing National Security Reform-The Way Forward." This book includes a summary of the panelists' presentations, along with chapters written after the colloquium to further address and to assess the effectiveness and the near-term potential for Obama administration's national security reform initiatives.
- Potential Tradeoffs for US Nonproduction of Reduced Blast/Enhanced Radiation Weapons.
Date: August 1978
- "The Quantitative Balance: A Qualitative Assessment"
Date: May 1978
- Army Environment 1985-1995.
Date: November 1977
- "On Measuring the Strategic Balance"
Date: March 1977
- Allied TNF Distribution Analysis.
Date: June 1976
- Army Strategic Appraisal 1979-1986.
Date: March 1976
- Tactical Nuclear Weapons and Precision Weaponry.
Date: September 1975
- An Analysis of International Crises and Army Involvement (Historical Appraisal) 1945-1974.
Date: November 1974
- Projected International Crises and Army Involvement 1975-1985.
Date: November 1974
- "Arms Control and National Security"
- "Perspectives on Helsinki II”
- "Precision ATGMs and NATO Defense,
- "Soviet Theater Nuclear Forces: Implications for NATO Defense"
- "The Cruise Missile and the Strategic Balance"
- "The Evolving Strategic Environment"
- "The Strategic Balance in Transition: Interpreting Changes in US-USSR Weapons Levels"
- Alternative Strategies for a Response to Warsaw Pact Chemical Operations.
- An Analysis of Key Assumptions Behind Army Force Planning
- Central Region Defense Proposal.
- Global Media & the National Security Paradigm
- National Security Review.
- New Weapons Technologies: Implications for Defense Policy,
- Organizational Seams and the NATO Northern Flank: An Assessment of the Creation of AFNORTHWEST.
- SALT: The Problems of Arms Control
- Soviet Theater Nuclear Capabilities,
- Terrorism and Political Violence
- The Development of Economic Regionalism and Concurrent Security Institutions Among the States of the Northwest Pacific and Linkages to the New International Cooperative System,
- The Future of the TRIAD
- The Role of the Military in the Caribbean Basin.
- Unlawful practices sour intelligence”
- Warning for National Response in the 21st Century.
- “Educating Leaders for the 21st Century - A Snapshot of the Marshall Center for Security Studies,
- “Neocon policy a source of insecurity
Updated: Apr 15th, 2026 at 8:25 AM