The War Against Al-Qa'ida: Post-Iraq and Afghanistan
Abstract
To meet the terrorism challenges of the next decade, as well as achieve its national security objectives and interests, the United States must develop a robust interagency Counterterrorism Task Force. This Task Force should integrate all forms of intelligence and fuse with both an operational and diplomatic arm to effectively execute the war against al-Qaida after the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the end of two conflicts, the United States remains at war with the nonstate actor al-Qaida, and its defeat remains one of the nation's top objectives. This paper will analyze three options for achieving the disruption, dismantling, and defeat of al-Qaida and its affiliates: Option 1 -- Status Quo, the United States' current counterterrorism strategy; Option 2 -- Department of Defense Lead; and Option 3 -- National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) Lead. The FAS test (Feasibility, Acceptability, and Suitability) was used to analyze and compare each option. The paper recommends Option 3, the NCTC lead, which is a significant shift in the way the U.S. government is conducting the counterterrorism fight, but it will provide the unity of command and effort required to achieve a whole-of-government approach to defeating al-Qaida.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 20, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA560407
Entities
People
- Michail S. Huerter
Organizations
- United States Army War College