President Obama’s Counterterrorism Strategy in the War on Terror

Leonard Cutler is Professor of Public Law at Siena College, USA. He has authored several books and articles addressing national security and counterterrorism policy. Cutler has provided testimony to the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate and the President’s Task Force on Detainee Disposition on Counterterrorism, Surveillance, and the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF).

Chapter 1—Introduction                                                                                                               1



Chapter 2—Strategic Counterterrorism in Afghanistan                                                              14

            Surge and Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan                                                                 14



            Afghanistan’s Presidential Election of 2014                                                                   18

            United States Military Withdrawal from Afghanistan                                                    20

            Operation Enduring Freedom to Operation Freedom’s Sentinel                                     24



            The Pakistan/China Axis Impact on Afghanistan                                                            27

            The Attack On/And Recapture of Kunduz                                                                     33



            The Decision to Remain in Afghanistan                                                                          37  

Chapter 3—Drone Security Policy and Targeted Killing                                                            46



            Brennan’s Yemen Model                                                                                                 46

            The Light Footprint Approach – The Case of Yemen                                                     50

                  The Role of the Saudi Coalition in Yemen                                                                53



                  The United States/Gulf Cooperation Council Summit                                              55

            Drone Strikes in North Africa and Asia                                                                          59<



            Department of Justice White Paper on Targeted Killing                                                 61



            Anwar al-Awlaki                                                                                                             62

            The New York Times v. Department of Justice on Targeted Killing                              66



            The United Nations v. Obama/Brennan on Targeted Killing                                          69

            Drones, Targeting Killing and Legal Accountability                                                       72



Chapter 4—National Defense University Address, 2013 West Point Address, 2014                82



            Assessment of Obama’s NDU Address                                                                          85



            JSOC v. CIA Control Over Drone Attacks                                                                     90

            Associated Forces and Imminent Threat in NDU Address                                             93



            West Point Address, 2014                                                                                               95

Chapter 5—ISIL and Counterterrorism Policy                                                                         103

            United States Diplomatic and Military Strategy Against ISIL in the Gulf Region      104



            Short-Term Congressional Action on ISIL                                                                    111



            The Fall of Ramadi                                                                                                        114

            The Syria Mess                                                                                                               117

            Secretary Carter’s Raqqa, Ramadi and Raids Strategy                                                 121

            Putin’s Coalition Against ISIL in Syria                                                                         123



            America’s Coalition Against ISIL in Syria                                                                    125

            Counter Offensive in Ramadi and Mosul                                                                      135



            Turkish/U.S. Coalition Against ISIL in Syria                                                                144

Chapter 6—AUMF, Transparency, and the Role of Congress                                                  164



            AUMF – Repeal or Revision                                                                                         164

            Obama Administration’s AUMF Joint Resolution—2015                                            165

            Transparency and Reporting Requirements for Counterterrorism Policy                      168



            National Security Court/Independent Public Advocate for FISC                                170



Chapter 7—National Security Strategy Report—2015                                                             176

            Boko Haram, ISIL, and the AUMF                                                                              178

            Libya, ISIL and the AUMF                                                                                          182



Chapter 8—The Outlook Post Obama                                                                                       189

            Afghanistan – Not the Perfect Place                                                                             190

            Iraq – Avoiding Regional Chaos                                                                                   193



            Syria – A Crisis With Limited Bad Options                                                                  195

            Demolishing or Degrading ISIL                                                                                    205

Bibliography                                                                                                                              215



Appendix A – Joint Resolution                                                                                                 220

Appendix B – Map of Yemen                                                                                                   224

Appendix C – Map of Syria                                                                                                      225

Appendix D – Map of Middle East                                                                                           226



Appendix E – Map of Iraq                                                                                                        227

Appendix F – Map of Libya