Counterterrorism Strategy: Publications, Events and More

Reassessing the Evolving al Qaeda Threat to the Homeland

American Strategy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:43:00 -0500

Chairwoman Harman, committee members, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My testimony aims to address the evolving threat from al Qaeda to the homeland, to include the threat from al Qaeda itself, groups affiliated or allied to al Qaeda, and those "homegrown" militants influenced by al Qaeda ideas who have no connections to any formal jihadist group. This testimony does not aim to be exhaustive but to cover the most serious cases of recent years and to provide some overall threat assessment.

The Price of Failure in Afghanistan | Reuters

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:12:00 -0500

Steve Coll, journalist and president of the New America Foundation, sets out four consequences of failure in Afghanistan in a blog in The New Yorker, ...

An Anxious Wait in Afghanistan | Asia Times Online

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:01:00 -0500

Noted terrorism analyst Peter Bergen stated at a New York-based think-tank conference dealing with counter-insurgency strategy in 2008 that it was very ...

This Isn't What We Hoped For | Indianapolis Star

Cecille Isidro — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:57:00 -0500

But Mayer and the nonprofit New America Foundation report that more US drone strikes were launched in Pakistan during the first nine months of the Obama ...

War Unchecked | Washington Post

Cecille Isidro — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:54:00 -0500

... strikes in Pakistan this year and killed, besides Mr. Mehsud, somewhere between 200 and 300 people, according to a study by the New America Foundation. ...

Counterterrorism Fellow

Operations — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:19:00 -0500

Intro/Description

The New America Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy institute that invests in new thinkers and new ideas to address the next generation of challenges facing the United States. With an emphasis on big ideas, impartial analysis and pragmatic solutions, New America invests in outstanding individuals whose ability to communicate to wide and influential audiences can change the country's policy discourse in critical areas, bringing promising new ideas and debates to the fore. Through its fellowships and

Responsibilities

Conduct investigative and analytical research into policy issues related to counterterrorism.
Write blog entries, op-eds, articles, and position papers.
Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Ideal candidates will have the following qualifications:

A strong record of academic, journalistic, and/or government work in one or more of the following areas: WMD, deterrence of state and non-state actors, and al Qaeda and allied groups.
Knowledge of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and/or Iraq would be a definite plus.
Exemplary writing skills.
Proven quantitative, analytic, and research skills.
Demonstrated ability to accurately and concisely summarize complex information to multiple audiences.
Solid knowledge of and/or experience with foreign policy issues.
A graduate degree in public policy or related fields is a strong plus.

Application Process

E-mail a cover letter, resume, and writing sample (no more than six pages) to: Human Resources, New America Foundation, 1899 L Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036. E-mail: jobs@newamerica.net. Please state "Counterterrorism Fellow" in the e-mail subject line. No phone calls, please.

Generous salary package commensurate with experience; excellent benefits. The New America Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.

Death Knell Drones for al Qa'eda | National (UAE)

Cecille Isidro — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:08:00 -0500

The most authoritative assessment of the attacks, by the New America Foundation, estimates that about one third of more than 1000 people killed were ...

My Father, the Terrorist | Washington Post

Cecille Isidro — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:07:00 -0500

In "The Bin Ladens," Steve Coll's history of the family, Najwa and Omar are minor characters. And so they would have remained but for the decision -- not ...

Afghan Lessons | United Press International

Cecille Isidro — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:04:00 -0500

According to Afghan expert Steve Coll, from 1986 to 1992 the Soviets, through their politically adept Afghan strongman President Mohammad Najibullah, ...

Of Fruit Flies and Drones | New York Times

Cecille Isidro — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:55:00 -0500

According to a just-completed study by the New America Foundation, quoted in Mayer's piece, Obama has authorized as many drone strikes in Pakistan in nine ...

Outside the Law

Kirsten Gilbert — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0500

A New America Event
11/09/2009 - 4:00pm

On November 9, New America screened a new documentary film directed by filmmaker Polly Nash and journalist Andy Worthington called "Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo," which follows the stories of three current or former detainees from Guantanamo Bay and tells the story of Guantanamo, including segments on extraordinary renditions and secret prisons. With just over two months until President Obama's deadline for the closure of Guantánamo, and with the administration set to

Pakistan: Now or Never? | Reuters

Erin Drankoski — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:29:00 -0500

During his first nine and half months in office, President Barack Obama has authorised as many CIA aerial attacks in Pakistan as George W. Bush did in his final three years, according to a study done by the New America Foundation. So far this year, the administration has sanctioned at least 41 CIA missile strikes inside Pakistan -- a rate of approximately one bombing a week. ... Original Article

One Year of The One | The Economist

Erin Drankoski — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:24:00 -0500

... Yet roughly once a week since that day, he has ordered the assassination of suspected terrorists. These assassinations, carried out with Hellfire missiles fired from hovering drones, are often messy. According to the New America Foundation, a think-tank, it took 15 attempts to kill Baitullah Mehsud, a Taliban leader in Pakistan who was finally blown to scraps in August. Hundreds of people, some of them

Former US official: Resignation Over Afghan War is Drawing Support | CNN

Cecille Isidro — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:35:00 -0400

CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen disagreed with Hoh's assessment of Afghanistan. "It's not that our presence there is causing the problem," he said. ...

The Vietnam Moment | Financial Times

Cecille Isidro — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:52:00 -0400

“My guess is that he'll announce something north of 20000 troops and hope that is enough,” says Peter Bergen, an expert on al-Qaeda, who is urging a ...

Hillary Clinton Wraps Up Tough Mission in Pakistan | The Guardian (London)

Cecille Isidro — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:37:00 -0400

But one recent study by the New America Foundation estimated that US drones have killed between 750 around 1000 people in Pakistan since 2006, ...

Al-Qaida Connection: Foreign Passports Linked to Attacks on West Recovered | The Guardian (London)

Cecille Isidro — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:39:00 -0400

Militancy expert Peter Bergen of the New American Foundation said the fact that the passports were found in Taliban compounds showed how the two ...

Pakistan Drone War Takes a Toll on Militants -- and Civilians

Erin Drankoski — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:07:00 -0400

The Obama administration has dramatically ratcheted up the American drone warfare program in Pakistan. Since President Obama took office, U.S. drone strikes have killed about a half-dozen militant leaders along with hundreds of other people, a quarter of whom were civilians.

As a result of the unprecedented 42 strikes by drone aircraft into Pakistan authorized by the Obama administration, aimed at Taliban and al Qaeda networks based there, about a half-dozen leaders of militant organizations have been killed.

Ahmed Wali Karzai and the CIA: America's Conundrum in Afghanistan | Christian Science Monitor

Cecille Isidro — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:41:00 -0400

It goes on to quote analyst Peter Bergen, testifying to Congress: "We need not fewer warlords, but more warlords" to prosecute a successful counterterrorism ...

Pakistan Army against Taliban: What are the Waziristan goals? | Christian Science Monitor

Cecille Isidro — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:20:00 -0400

... argues Sameer Lalwani, author of a new report for the New America Foundation that examines the Army's capabilities to carry out counterinsurgency. ...