Nelson Vergara, PPS, SAS®-AP, CCPA®, A.L.I.V.E’s Post

Bravo Department of Social Sciences, USMA teammates Richard Yon, Ph.D., Amira Jadoon, Ph.D. & Dennis Rice! Abstract Within the context of eliciting partner country cooperation and interests alignment, U.S. presidents and their administrations have a wide array of policy tools at their disposal to mitigate terrorist threats emanating from other countries. Yet, the factors that account for variation in American presidents' and their administrations' specific counterterrorism policy choices to influence target states' behavior remain underexplored. To understand the underlying factors that influence the adoption of different U.S. counterterrorism tools within a given country, and their variation across administrations in the post-9/11 era, we examine the case of Pakistan—a challenging yet enduring partner in the U.S.-led Global War on Terror. Categorizing the counterterrorism policies and tools adopted by Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump as punitive or nonpunitive policy decisions, we explore the extent to which each president's policy choices during the Global War on Terror were largely a continuation of predecessors or responded to specific shifting patterns of terrorism within Pakistan. Our study yields important insights regarding the extent to which path dependency or evolving security environments shape choices of counterterrorism tools.

‘Radicalisation’ and ‘Countering Radicalisation’: The Emergence and Expansion of a Contentious Concept By Rik Coolsaet 3 June 2024 ‘Radicalisation’ has become the primary prism for understanding and countering terrorism. To many, terrorism as the result of a ‘radicalisation process’ is an unquestioned axiom and considered self-evident. But the concept does not have a long pedigree, neither in academia nor in counterterrorism policies. In relation to terrorism, it only emerged after the 9/11 attacks and, in particular, after the string of attacks that struck Europe in 2004 and 2005. Contrary to the concept itself, however, the questions it seeks to answer are as old as terrorism: Why and how does one become a terrorist? What makes a terrorist? What motivates people to join terrorist groups? When do they embrace violence to advance political objectives? What is the trigger that makes an individual cross the threshold between holding extremist ideas and actually using violence? Has the new concept succeeded in giving better answers to the old questions? This will be the common thread throughout the chapter. The chapter will proceed as follows. First, it will reconstruct the emergence of the concept as a political construct and describe how and why academia and think tanks subsequently embraced the concept. The role of the European Union has been crucial throughout this process.

Delighted to have contributed a chapter on "Terrorism and Information Warfare" in this soon-to-be-released Routledge Companion to Terrorism Studies: New Perspectives and Topics (edited by Max Abrahms). In my chapter I examine how terrorist groups strike a balance in their information campaigns to generate both appeal and fear in different targeted populations and for different effects.

What is the potential effectiveness of 28th Sept Nasrallah's targeted killing in defeating Hezbollah long-term? In this analysis, Graig Klein considers targeted strikes as a counter-terrorism tool and explains how Hezbollah's hierarchical and horizontal organizational structures and four important characteristics – age, size, ideology, and network – can help the terrorist group to survive Israel's recent campaign of targeted strikes and killings. Read more ➡️

What is the potential effectiveness of 28th Sept Nasrallah's targeted killing in defeating Hezbollah long-term? In this analysis, Graig Klein considers targeted strikes as a counter-terrorism tool and explains how Hezbollah's hierarchical and horizontal organizational structures and four important characteristics – age, size, ideology, and network – can help the terrorist group to survive Israel's recent campaign of targeted strikes and killings. Read more ➡️

What is the potential effectiveness of 28th Sept Nasrallah's targeted killing in defeating Hezbollah long-term? In this analysis, Graig Klein considers targeted strikes as a counter-terrorism tool and explains how Hezbollah's hierarchical and horizontal organizational structures and four important characteristics – age, size, ideology, and network – can help the terrorist group to survive Israel's recent campaign of targeted strikes and killings. Read more ➡️

ICD Domain GenAI Identifies Top 5 Things It Finds Most Interesting We asked our ICD Domain GenAI what it finds to be the top five most interesting things with its access to more than 50 million words spoken and written by terrorist, rebel, separatist and proxy groups. We found the answer fascinating. You can read it here: https://lnkd.in/exGPM-8z #IntelCenter #ICD #counterterrorism #osint #cai #threatanalysis #terrorism #nationalsecurity #genai #ai #intelligenceanalysis

☠️🚁 Improvised Explosive Devices are a rising terrorist threat, and when you combine them with the mobility and stealth of drones, the result raises new alarms. The future is here, and as extremists evolve their tactics with new technologies, so must our counter-terrorism efforts. The urgency to develop robust defenses and policies is clear, and awareness is the first step toward protecting our communities. Learn about this growing US threat and how to combat it>> https://lnkd.in/ecMtzcQr #Counterterrorism #NationalSecurity #AntiTerrorism #DroneSecurity #DroneDefense

India counter-terrorism The national counter-terrorism policy is expected to address a wide range of goals, with a focus on both preventive and responsive measures.   In a major development aimed at fortifying national security, India is preparing to implement a comprehensive national counter-terrorism policy. This policy is set to redefine how the nation addresses, mitigates, and combats terrorism on its soil and beyond, reinforcing India's commitment to safeguarding its citizens and interests against evolving terror threats. Click on the Link Given Below to Know More 👇 https://lnkd.in/gdE6y5Hc . . . #IndiaCounterTerrorism #NationalSecurity #CounterTerrorismPolicy #IndiaSecurity #AntiTerrorism #TerrorismPrevention #SecurityPolicy #IndiaDefense

Targeted Killings: A Western World Method for Asymmetric Warfare Our new article analyzing the evolution and impact of targeted killings in counterterrorism is now available. Drawing on extensive research, it offers insights into the effectiveness and limitations of this controversial tactic. Key findings include: * Targeted killings can have short-term disruptive effects on terrorist groups, but their long-term strategic value is debated. * The tactic appears most effective when used selectively as part of a broader counterterrorism strategy. * Technological advancements, particularly in drone warfare, have revolutionized targeted killing capabilities. * Nearly 100 countries now possess military drone technology, raising concerns about proliferation. * Crucially, as an isolated tactic, targeted killings have limited long-term impact on veteran terrorist organizations. The article concludes that while tactically effective, targeted killings must be integrated into a comprehensive approach that includes diplomatic, economic, and social measures to address the root causes of extremism. Read the full analysis on the RiskMind website [Link in the first comment]. Hebrew version available upon request. #CounterTerrorism #TargetedKillings #NationalSecurity #StrategicAnalysis #DroneWarfare