Events Detail

Resetting the "War on Terror":

Change, Challenges, and Continuity

By

Juan Carlos Zarate

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

10:00-11:30A.M.

   Juan Carlos Zarate and Richard Weitz

Juan Carlos Zarate discussed the state of the War of Terror, the changes in policy announced by the Obama Administration, and the persistent challenges likely to face the new national security team.  Zarate reviewed the evolution of al Qaida and the variety of terrorist and emerging transnational threats to the United States and how this will affect the Obama Administration's ability to reshape American domestic and foreign policies related to transnational threats.  This included a discussion of how much will really change in the prosecution of the War on Terror and the advantages the new Administration has to repackage and reset certain important underlying narratives and conditions.  Zarate also talked about other dangerous transnational trends of concern that could become central national security concerns in the coming years.

Mr. Zarate just ended his tenure as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Combating Terrorism.  In this role, Mr. Zarate was charged with developing and overseeing the effective implementation of the U.S. government's counterterrorism strategy.  He was also responsible for policymaking and oversight for transnational security threats, including counternarcotics, maritime security, hostage policy, international organized crime, money laundering, and critical energy infrastructure protection.  Zarate previously served as the first Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes and a federal terrorism prosecutor at the Department of Justice.

Hudson Senior Fellow Richard Weitz, Director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis, introduced the speaker.

Location: Hudson Institute, Betsy and Walter Stern Conference Center, 1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20005