Research, ideas, and leadership for a more secure, peaceful world

Past Event
Seminar

"Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America's Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda," a Belfer Center and Shorenstein Center Seminar

Open to the Public

Seminar with Eric Schmitt, terrorism correspondent for The New York Times, and Thom Shanker, Pentagon correspondent for The New York Times. Co-sponsored by the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy. Moderators: Alex S. Jones, director, Shorenstein Center , and Stephen M. Walt, Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Belfer Center.
 

Date: Time: -

About

Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker, veteran national security reporters for the New York Times, have written a timely, in-depth account of the decade-long U.S. campaign against Al Qaeda, published on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Their book, Counterstrike: the Untold Story of America’s Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda, traces the shift in U.S. strategy from a blunt conventional “war on terror” to a more nuanced strategy to fight terrorism, involving cooperation between the military, intelligence agencies and law enforcement. Most Americans remain unaware of this secretive campaign.

The book has received strong reviews, and earned praise from military and intelligence analysts. Come hear first-hand how they tapped their military and intelligence sources and assembled this account of the effort to transform U.S. counter-terrorism capacity with tools ranging from supercomputers to improved detective work. They will also talk about the shortcomings and obstacles that still plague the counterterrorism fight.

Eric Schmitt has embedded with troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, and has been part of two New York Times teams that won Pulitzer Prizes. Thom Shanker is a Pentagon correspondent who has also spent time embedded with U.S. troops. He is a former foreign editor and foreign correspondent.

For more details, contact:

James F. Smith, Director of Communications
Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
Harvard Kennedy School
office: 617-495-7831 | cell: 617-750-5584 | james_smith@hks.harvard.edu