What Defines a Terrorist? Motive Matters.
The attacks of Sept. 11th seared the chaos and violence of terrorism into Americans’ consciousness, rendering the term terrorism synonymous with the international jihadist movement. […] More
Counterterrorism
Islamic Scholars Go Head-to-Head with ISIS Propaganda Machine
The recent terror attacks in Barcelona and Finland stand as a stark reminder of the dangers of not just terrorism, but also the radicalization underpinning […] More
Decoding the U.S. Mission in Niger
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford said in a news conference on Tuesday he wants to wait for the results of […] More
Extremists Take Aim at the Plastic Minds of Kids
Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, thousands of young Muslims have embraced extremist ideology, providing terrorist groups with a steady stream of recruits. Puzzling on […] More
Tracking Troop Totals in Afghanistan – America’s Longest War
The longest war in U.S. history enters its 17th year on Saturday, with approximately 11,000 American forces still stationed in Afghanistan. The campaign began on […] More
Philippines Faces Long Slog Against ISIS
Now into its fourth month, fighting between Philippine forces and pro-ISIS militants in the Philippine island of Mindanao has nearly subsided, with only a handful […] More
Recruits Hear Extremist Messages in ‘Surround Sound’
Terrorist groups such as al Qaeda and ISIS have strategically disseminated propaganda that appeals to a wide variety of individuals. Although al Qaeda was the […] More
ISIS ‘Caliphate’ Fades but Social Media Empire Remains
Since the U.S. declared its War on Terror 16 years ago, it has achieved a number of battlefield successes against its main terrorist adversaries, al […] More
The ‘Absolute Dependence’ of Jihadist Groups on Web
Over the past two decades, jihadi groups, including al Qaeda and ISIS, have fully grasped the opportunities provided by the internet. They have developed their […] More
Decapitation Is Not an Effective Counterterrorism Policy
Is targeting the leadership of terrorist organizations an effective counterterrorism strategy? States can employ a number of different tactics in order to weaken and defeat […] More
Path to Radicalization Winds through Shame and Loneliness
The problem of Islamist radicalization presents a grim challenge to France, and the forces that drive young people to join violent extremist groups remain poorly […] More
Counterterrorism and the Costs of a Free Society
This morning’s detonation of an improvised explosive device onboard the London Tube has once again pushed the issue of online terrorist recruitment to the forefront […] More
London Attacker ‘May Not Have Fancied Martyrdom’
In an incident the British government has called a terrorist attack, a bomb detonated at Parsons Green tube station Friday morning. 29 people were injured; […] More
Panic as Bomb Attack Rocks London Underground
A bomb exploded on a London subway train Friday morning injuring at least 29 people, most of them suffering flash burns from the blast, none […] More
Terrorists Learn Tactics by Watching Each Other
Earlier today, an improvised explosive device was detonated on the London underground railway, known as the Tube, injuring more than 20 people in what British […] More
The Legacy of Leadership Decapitation after 9/11
Since the September 11 attacks, the U.S. has used leadership decapitation – the targeting and killing of terrorist leaders – as a pillar of its […] More
Afghanistan: The Kentucky Derby of Spying
An old boss of mine at the CIA used to talk to young officers who were deploying to Afghanistan or Pakistan, and in his preamble […] More
Don’t Overestimate Drone Strikes’ Power to Kill High Value Targets
Since 9/11, eliminating terrorist leaders through a strategy known as leadership decapitation has emerged as key pillar of the United States’ counterterrorism strategy. Although the […] More