No Shortcuts to Negotiating With al-Shabaab

In this essay, I examine the prospects for negotiations with al-Shabaab and the need for a cogent US policy on negotiating with militant groups.

DEADLY COOPERATION: THE SHIFTING TIES BETWEEN AL-QAEDA AND THE TALIBAN

Seventeen years after 9/11, I examine the alliance between al-Qaida and the Taliban that caused the U.S. war in Afghanistan in this War on the Rocks piece.

Does ‘zero tolerance’ protect the U.S. from terrorism or crime?

In this Washington Post piece, I examine what the evidence suggests about the impact of a zero tolerance immigration policy on terrorism and crime. 

The Impact of Usama bin Laden's Death →

In this Washington Post piece, Dr. Elizabeth Arsenault and I examine how bin Laden's death changed the Sunni jihadist movement, including paving the way for the split between al-Qaida and the Islamic State.

Strategic Progress against al-Shabaab Remains Elusive

In this analysis in War on the Rock, I look at the impact of the United States' air campaign against al-Shabaab, both what it has accomplished and what it has not.

Why al-Qaida is still strong 16 years after 9/11

In this piece published in The Conversation, I examine how important allies have been for al-Qaida's resilience in the face of an unprecedented amount of counterterrorism pressure over more than a decade.

Why al-Shabaab won't be going away anytime soon

In this Washington Post article, I outline al-Shabaab's sources of strength and the group's success exploiting the state failure in Somalia.