Counterstrike

Eric Schmitt & Thom Shanker
Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America’s Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda
(St Martin’s Griffin, August 2011)

Inside the Pentagon’s secretive and revolutionary new strategy to fight terrorism–and its game-changing effects in the Middle East and at home

In the first years after the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. government waged a “war on terror” focused on trying to defeat Al Qaeda and its affiliated groups through brute force. But it soon became clear that this strategy was not working, and by 2005 the Pentagon began looking for a new way.

In Counterstrike, Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker of The New York Times tell the story of how a group of analysts within the Pentagon, at spy agencies, and in law enforcement have devised and carried out an innovative and effective strategy to fight terrorism, unbeknownst to most Americans and in sharp contrast to the war-mongering and cowboy slogans that characterized the U.S. government’s public posture. Adapting themes from the classic deterrence theory that worked so effectively during the Cold War, these strategists have expanded the field of battle in order to disrupt jihadist networks in ever more creative ways.

Schmitt and Shanker also show how the new counterterrorism strategies were adopted by George W. Bush and expanded under Barack Obama, and how both administrations shifted their tactics and priorities in response to successes and setbacks in this continuing struggle. Filled with startling revelations about how our national security is being managed, Counterstrike will change the way Americans think about the ongoing struggle with radical Islam.

Praise for Counterstrike

“Insightful…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.”
–The New York Times

“A must-read…After ten years of conflict comes a book that, with amazing clarity, tells how the strategy for the ‘War on Terror’ has dramatically evolved… The others capture the successes, the failures, the opportunities, and the still-lingering gaps over the past decade and look ahead to the nation’s future challenges.”
–Military.com

“Should be atop the list of anyone curious about how the U.S. government has grappled with the challenges posed by Al Qaeda.”
–Time

“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

“A remarkable detective story by two of the nation’s best reporters. With meticulous research and fine storytelling, Counterstrike reveals who, what, when, where, and why in describing the long campaign by the United States government to demolish Al Qaeda and ultimately to kill Osama bin Laden.”
—Rick Atkinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of An Army at Dawn

“Counterstrike lays bare the provocative new ideas that are driving the war on terrorism. Generals often talk about changing the hearts and minds of people in faraway lands, but Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker reveal the importance of changing the hearts and minds of America’s defense strategists. This is a groundbreaking intellectual history that is also a great read.”
—Jessica Stern, author of Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill

“Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker dig deep to tell the story of the covert campaign to defeat Al Qaeda, from the CIA to the Pentagon. Counterstrike is a richly reported work that is a seminal account of the battle between America and Al Qaeda since 9/11.”
—Peter Bergen, author of The Longest War: The Enduring Conflict Between America and Al-Qaeda

“Filled with amazing characters and details, Counterstrike traces the evolution of America’s strategy for stopping the next attack. It’s a fascinating story and a great read, too.”
—Dexter Filkins, author of The Forever War

“Counterstrike scores a direct hit. Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker, two of America’s most respected national security correspondents, provide pathbreaking reporting on and incisive analysis of the secret war against Al Qaeda after 9/11. This cogent history of America’s elusive search for a strategy – essential reading for specialists and concerned citizens alike – should inform our national debate on how best to counter this most urgent threat.”
—Lee H. Hamilton, former congressman and co-chair of the 9/11 Commission

“Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker have written a brilliant and important account of America’s battle with Al Qaeda. It is an exceptional work in that it truly addresses strategic issues and not just the tactical fight. There are critical insights and recommendations provided in this book that make it a must-read for all those who want to understand how we must deal with this complex threat.”
—General Anthony C. Zinni, USMC (retired)

Eric Schmitt is a terrorism correspondent for The New York Times and has embedded with troops in Iraq, Somalia, and Pakistan. Schmitt has twice been a member of Times reporting teams that were awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

Thom Shanker, a Pentagon correspondent for The New York Times, routinely spends time embedded with troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shanker was formerly a foreign editor and correspondent for the Chicago Tribune, based in Moscow, Berlin, and Sarajevo.