September 22, 2003

In its second comprehensive U.S. Counterterrorism policy paper, MPAC reviews the Federal Government's policy and practices dealing with counterterrorism, identifies significant policy failures, and pinpoints constructive actions that need to be taken to strengthen our government's capacity to ensure our private freedoms and public safety.

According to General Brent Scowcroft, former Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs to Presidents Ford and Bush: "The Muslim Public Affairs Council's Counterterrorism Policy Paper is a serious and thoughtful document that should be valuable to all policy-makers. Counterterrorism analysis from an American Muslim perspective is critical to the decision-making process. I found the paper to be serious and in-depth, and the recommendations should be reviewed by the policymaking community."

Graham Fuller former vice-chair of the National Intelligence Council at the Central Intelligence Agency and senior political scientist at RAND, says of the Paper: "This study represents a serious, balanced and thoughtful look at the dilemmas faced by the U.S. in defining and conducting a war against terrorism in the Muslim world. It offers a serious critique of pitfalls and mistakes made so far. As the product of a leading Muslim American organization, this paper is well positioned to understand not only the complexities of Washington policy-making, but also the realities of politics and society in the Muslim world that must be recognized and taken fully into consideration before any war against terrorism can be ultimately successful."

Download the Paper

"A Review of U.S. Counterterrorism Policy" (PDF format)