All Policy Analysis by Matthew Levitt

U.S. and international efforts to combat the financing of terrorism are an under-appreciated and little-understood aspect of the global counterterrorism campaign. But since terrorist attacks are often inexpensive to mount -- the September 11 attacks were staged for less than $500,000 -- why should governments devote so much attention to

On October 27, 2008, Institute senior fellows Matthew Levitt and Michael Jacobson addressed the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research in Abu Dhabi to discuss how financial measures can help achieve a diplomatic resolution of the ongoing crisis over the Iranian nuclear program. Read a summary of their remarks

On October 3, 2008, Matthew Levitt, Ghaith al-Omari, and Dennis Ross addressed a Policy Forum luncheon at The Washington Institute to honor the launch of Dr. Levitt's new book, Negotiating Under Fire. Dr. Levitt is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute and the director of the Stein Program on

Featured presentations: Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, Energy Dept. director of intelligence, on nuclear terrorism Donald Kerr, principal deputy DNI, on emerging threats and challenges in the Middle East Charles Allen, under-secretary of homeland security, on terrorism's 21st-century evolution Juan Zarate, deputy national security advisor, on U.S. successes and challenges in the war

This PolicyWatch is the first part of a two-part series on Hamas. Read part two. Last week, Jordan's minister of information publicly confirmed that senior Jordanian officials have been meeting with Hamas in an effort to "solve pending security issues." These talks represent a significant shift for Amman, since relations

The impact of severe security crises on peace negotiations represents one of the most significant facets of modern conflict-resolution theory to remain underresearched. It also stands out as the factor most likely to derail inherently sensitive negotiations. Negotiating Under Fire explores how such crises between two nations impact diplomatic initiatives

Hizballah has much to celebrate. With the formation of a national unity government in Lebanon last week, it is now well positioned to block any effort to dismantle its military wing. Today, the organization is celebrating the release of five Lebanese prisoners and the remains of several Hizballah and Palestinian

According to recent U.S. government reports and senior U.S. counterterrorism officials, contesting al-Qaeda's message is no less important than capturing or killing the group's operatives. And as the administration prioritizes its agenda for the last eight months in office, recognizing the need for a refocused communication plan to highlight the