Strident criticism is continually directed at The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). That criticism is often directed at the failure of the alliance to adjust to the Russian threat that continues to unfold in the wake of Vladimir’s Putin’s efforts to ensure that Russia is relevant again. Critics have…
Understanding the linkage between leadership, strategy, and counterterrorism is important if the United States is to win the war on terrorism. This post explores the four variables that are central to understanding what constitutes an effective counterterrorism strategy. At issue, a central point of this post is how do…
In recent discussions with former students many have inquired about some of the signature issues or debates during the period of contemporary counterterrorism. This post addresses several issues. What accounts for why counterterrorism is conducted differently during the period of international terrorism than in the current era which…
In a clear indication of a change in strategy, in late March of 2017 “Trump Declares Somalia a War Zone.” This post addresses two questions. First, what is behind the administration of Donald Trump’s decision to target Al Shabaab? And second, how and in what ways is the administration’s…
For nearly seventeen years, discourse on the war on terrorism has focused almost exclusively on the military dimensions of the conflict. The problem is that the military dimensions have overshadowed the diplomatic initiatives that have been implemented both prior to and in the wake of Al Qaeda’s September 11, 2011…
Covering four American President’s, the US military represented the principal instrument in dealing with transnational terrorist threats. In short, the role of the US military during the war on terrorism has been significant. This post addresses several questions. Those questions include the following. What strategies were used by US…