A Problem Larger than Terrorism

By Patrick Skinner

Patrick Skinner is the Director of Special Projects for The Soufan Group. He is a former CIA Case Officer, with extensive experience in source handling and source networks, specializing in counter-terrorism issues. In addition to his intelligence experience, he has law enforcement experience with the US Air Marshals and the US Capitol Police, as well as search and rescue experience in the US Coast Guard.

As the calendar approaches January 21st and President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, the Cipher Brief sat down with Patrick Skinner of the Soufan Group to discuss the successes and failures of the Obama Administration’s counterterrorism policy and how the next administration might approach the same issues. According to Skinner “There might be slightly different rhetoric or messaging, but I don’t think we are going to see a fundamental shift [in policy].” Skinner also emphasized a need to more effectively counter ISIS’ message, saying, “every government on the planet has a problem countering the extremist narrative. No one’s figured that out.”

The Cipher Brief: How has U.S. counterterrorism policy developed in the eight years under President Obama?

“The Cipher Brief has become the most popular outlet for former intelligence officers; no media outlet is even a close second to The Cipher Brief in terms of the number of articles published by formers.” —Sept. 2018, Studies in Intelligence, Vol. 62

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