Overview

In Counterstrike, Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker of the New York Times take readers into a previously hidden theater of war, as U.S. ground troops, intelligence operatives, and top executive branch officials have fashioned effective new strategies to fight terrorism, in sharp contrast to the cowboy slogans that once characterized the U.S. government's public posture. They show how these innovative strategies, drawn from classic Cold War deterrence theory, were employed in the dramatic raid in which Osama bin Laden was killed, and in a new afterword the authors point to the ongoing challenges and successes facing America in the Middle East, in cyberspace, and at home.

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9781250012197

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<p> Insightful... Counterstrike. .. is not just another book about Sept. 11, Iraq or Afghanistan. Rather, it focuses on the various military and civilian agency responses to terrorism [with a] strong portrayal of the many unheralded United States victories.... Americans should take comfort in this book's reminder that their government can adapt to meet threats as they change, keeping them safer--if not necessarily safe--from terrorism. --Daniel Byman, The New York Times <p> There is a flood of 9/11 books now coming onto the market, but Counterstrike by Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker of the New York Times should be atop the list of anyone curious about how the U.S. government has grappled with the challenges posed by al Qaeda. --Time.com<p> Counterstrike ' provides a detailed look at the changes that have occurred and the personalities behind those decisions, as well as the complicated global chessboard of terror networks and sympathetic governments that made adaptation so vital. -- The Boston Globe <p> This eye-opening account of how the U.S. government has vastly upgraded its counterterrorism efforts since Sept. 11 reminds readers that while the threat from al Qaeda and its affiliates persists, so does the American will to strike back. --Joshua Sinai, The Washington Times <p> In Counterstrike, Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker, reporters for the New York Times, warn that another catastrophic terrorist event is inevitable, but their behind-the-scenes account of the evolution of U.S. counterterrorism strategy gives officials the highest marks... Counterstrike is a glowing portrayal of the American intelligence community. -- Robert D. Crews, San Francisco Chronicle <br><p> Masterful ... A fast paced, gripping story... A well reported, well written dive into the arcane world of counterterrorism over the past decade... [ Counterstrike ] is a significant contribution to our body of knowledge regarding our campaign thus far in the 'Long War' against al-Qaeda an

Insightful... Counterstrike. .. is not just another book about Sept. 11, Iraq or Afghanistan. Rather, it focuses on the various military and civilian agency responses to terrorism [with a] strong portrayal of the many unheralded United States victories.... Americans should take comfort in this book's reminder that their government can adapt to meet threats as they change, keeping them safer--if not necessarily safe--from terrorism. --Daniel Byman, The New York Times There is a flood of 9/11 books now coming onto the market, but Counterstrike by Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker of the New York Times should be atop the list of anyone curious about how the U.S. government has grappled with the challenges posed by al Qaeda. --Time.com Counterstrike ' provides a detailed look at the changes that have occurred and the personalities behind those decisions, as well as the complicated global chessboard of terror networks and sympathetic governments that made adaptation so vital. -- The Boston Globe This eye-opening account of how the U.S. government has vastly upgraded its counterterrorism efforts since Sept. 11 reminds readers that while the threat from al Qaeda and its affiliates persists, so does the American will to strike back. --Joshua Sinai, The Washington Times In Counterstrike, Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker, reporters for the New York Times, warn that another catastrophic terrorist event is inevitable, but their behind-the-scenes account of the evolution of U.S. counterterrorism strategy gives officials the highest marks... Counterstrike is a glowing portrayal of the American intelligence community. -- Robert D. Crews, San Francisco Chronicle Masterful ... A fast paced, gripping story... A well reported, well written dive into the arcane world of counterterrorism over the past decade... [ Counterstrike ] is a significant contribution to our body of knowledge regarding our campaign thus far in the 'Long War' against al-Qaeda an

Author Information

Eric Schmitt is a terrorism correspondent for the New York Times, and has embedded with troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Pakistan. He has twice been a member of Times reporting teams that were awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Thom Shanker, Pentagon correspondent for the New York Times, routinely spends time embedded with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was formerly a foreign editor and correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, based in Moscow, Berlin, and Sarajevo.

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