"Understanding al-Qaida's Grand Strategy"
The war with al-Qaida is not over. Despite the best efforts of three U.S. presidents, the engagement of the world's most competent and effective militaries, and counter-terrorism campaigns supported and carried out by the international community, al-Qaida has grown in strength and reach over the past 20 years. How an organization without territory and without the institutions and protections of a nation-state has managed to thrive under constant pressure from almost every country on the globe demands explanation. It is also vital for our security that we understand al-Qaida’s likely future courses of action. While there are many ways to approach these critical issues, understanding the strategies used by al-Qaida not only to survive, but to flourish during the fight, is absolutely essential. Mary Habeck will address the key issue of al-Qaida's grand strategy, which is also the subject of her new book Attacking America: Al-Qaida's Grand Strategy (Basic Books, 2014).
Mary Habeck is a professorial lecturer in strategic studies at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, where she teaches courses on military history and strategic thought. Before coming to SAIS, Habeck taught American and European military history in Yale's history department from 1994 to 2005. She received her Ph.D. in history from Yale in 1996, a master's in international relations from Yale in 1989, and a bachelor's in international studies, Russian, and Spanish from Ohio State in 1987.
For more information and to register for this event, please visit the Mershon Center's event page.
