Overshadowed by the announcement in President Obama’s State of the Union address that 34,000 U.S. troops will be brought home from Afghanistan was an acknowledgement that the capabilities of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) need to improve. The U.S. should argue that the ANSF should not be reduced in numbers as currently planned, and the White House should press…
President Obama’s stump speeches last fall, which often featured phrases like al Qaeda “is on the run” or “on the path to defeat,” were—like much of his overheated campaign rhetoric—prone to wishful thinking. Yes, al Qaeda’s founder and leader Osama bin Laden is dead, but from the looks of it, al Qaeda is very much alive. It’s true that over the years the American…
Understanding what was behind the September 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. facility in Benghazi and the tragic results is vital for preparing for future security threats to embassies, consulates, and diplomatic missions. The attack in Benghazi reveals a terrorist attack profile that the U.S. is likely to see again. If the U.S. is to learn the lessons of this…
After Team Obama’s horrid handling of the terrible tragedy in Benghazi, Libya, does anyone out there really cling to the left’s quickly unraveling yarn that this administration has a strong record on foreign policy and national security? Sure, the prez and veep continue to chant the mantra that “Osama bin Laden is dead” — and, without a doubt, that’s a good thing.…
Last Friday, the FBI arrested 18-year-old American citizen Adel Daoud in a plot to detonate a car bomb outside a local Chicago bar. Daoud, who was active in online Jihadi forums and vocal in his desire to commit violent jihad, considered 29 possible targets before settling on the Chicago bar. Thankfully, the car bomb had been deactivated by the FBI and the public…
Abstract: Since 2009, the jihadist insurgency in Nigeria known as Boko Haram has been escalating its attacks across the country, targeting security forces, politicians, and civilians. Assuming that Boko Haram will refrain from targeting U.S. interests in Nigeria (a country of strategic significance) or in the U.S. homeland is a dangerous gamble—as was the case with other…
Abstract: The 2012 Summer Olympic Games and the Paralympics will be held from late July through early September in London. They are an obvious target for attacks by radical Islamist terrorists, as well as anti-capitalist anarchists, supporters of various national causes, and other groups. Britain is one of the world’s most experienced and capable practitioners of…
Christmas Eve, 1999. Indian Airlines Flight 814, en route from Nepal to India, was taken over by a group of armed men. The plane zigzagged to Lahore, Pakistan, then to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and, finally, to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. One passenger was stabbed to death; several others were wounded. Taliban fighters ringed the plane to prevent any rescue…
A North Korean long-range ballistic missile launch into the Pacific Ocean, Russian threats of a preemptive strike against U.S. missile defenses in Europe, the Syrian regime’s continuing violence on protestors, and Taliban terrorist attacks in Afghanistan are just a few of the recent events that should serve to remind us that we are living in uncertain times…
Earlier today, the White House and FBI confirmed reports of a terrorist attempt to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner, reminiscent of the planned attack that was foiled on Christmas Day 2009. The plot, perpetrated by al-Qaeda affiliate al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), appears to have been planned to coincide with the first anniversary of the death of Osama bin Laden.…
Abstract: In 2007, The Heritage Foundation became the first and only organization to track thwarted terrorist attacks against the United States. That year, Heritage reported that at least 19 publicly known terrorist attacks against the United States had been foiled since 9/11. Today, that number stands at 50. The fact that the United States has not suffered a large-scale…
Abstract: A decade after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, looking back is as important as looking forward in order to learn from the past and to examine the current and future threats facing the U.S. This survey aggregates international data on global and domestic terrorism from the past 40 years. Combined with new intelligence, this data can better inform U.S.…
This month, several individuals detained as "enemy combatants" will make their appeals for freedom to the highest court in the land. Perhaps now, more than any other time in recent memory, the eyes of the world are intensely focused on the United States Supreme Court. In making their decisions, they must walk a fine line between protecting the civil liberties we all…
Abstract: In 2007, The Heritage Foundation became the first and only organization tracking thwarted terrorist attacks against the United States. That year, Heritage reported that at least 19 publicly known terrorist attacks against the United States had been foiled since 9/11. Today, that number stands at 40. The fact that the United States has not suffered a large-scale…
Osama bin Laden’s death was undoubtedly a major victory for the United States and civilized society. The War on Terrorism, however, is not over—al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups will continue to stage plots against the United States, as they have done at least 39 times since 9/11. Successful counterterrorism policies, capable of stopping these threats before they…
The Evolving Al-Qaeda Threat Testimony of James Phillips before the House Armed Services Committee Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats, and Capabilities February 16, 2006 Al-Qaeda is a transnational Sunni Islamist terrorist network operating in over 60 countries around the world. At the center of the web is the core group, which I…
The killing of Osama bin Laden should strengthen U.S resolve to stabilize Afghanistan and ensure that it does not return to serving as a safe haven for terrorists intent on attacking the U.S. homeland. While the death of bin Laden marks a turning point in the fight against global terrorism, al-Qaeda and its affiliate organizations will not dissolve immediately. U.S.…
Abstract: Piracy is a growing threat to global commerce and is becoming a U.S. security issue. While anti-piracy efforts have successfully reduced piracy in the Malacca Strait, Somali pirates have expanded their operations further into the Indian Ocean. Ending the threat from Somali pirates will require shifting from a defensive posture of trying to protect ships passing…
The situation in Afghanistan has spiraled downward over the past 10 days, but before making hasty decisions on next steps in Afghanistan, U.S. policymakers need to consider what has contributed to this ominous turn of events and what options there are for adjusting the U.S. strategy to avoid further such incidents. U.S. policymakers should also be aware that leaving…
The first Guantanamo detainee to have been in CIA custody (a so-called high-value detainee, or HVD) pleaded guilty yesterday before a military commission judge in a courtroom on the U.S. Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay. In exchange for a cap on his confinement related to his military commissions case, Majid Khan agreed to testify truthfully in future military commissions…
FYI: Heritage WebMemos are now called Issue Briefs. On Friday, authorities arrested a man in an attempted suicide attack on the U.S. Capitol. The attempt marks at least the 45th publicly known attempted terrorist attack against the United States since 9/11 and is the sixth such attack targeting Washington, D.C. This latest attempted attack serves as yet…
Canadian police announced on Monday that they had arrested two foreign men plotting to derail a passenger train and...…
On March 12 the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) released a report on the “Worldwide Threat Assessment of the...…
Yesterday, President Obama nominated a new ambassador to Libya to succeed Christopher Stevens, who was killed in the...…
President Barack Obama laid out an ambitious agenda last night. Here are some highlights of our experts’ analysis of...…
Airstrikes carried out by U.S. unmanned aerial vehicles (commonly referred to as drones) have been criticized for...…
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bristled in a heated moment at yesterday’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing...…
Members of Congress—who are about to debate raising the debt ceiling tomorrow—should have paid attention yesterday. The...…
On Monday, President Obama warned the beleaguered Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad not to use chemical weapons...…
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John F. Sopko, who took over on July 2, 2012, has made...…
The e-mails sent around the federal government on the night of the September 11 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, have finally...…