In Counterstrike, Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker of the New York Times take readers into a previously hidden theater of war, as U.S. ground troops, intelligence operatives, and top executive branch officials have fashioned effective new strategies to fight terrorism, in sharp contrast to the cowboy slogans that once characterized the U.S. government's public posture. They show how these innovative strategies, drawn from classic Cold War deterrence theory, were employed in the dramatic raid in which Osama bin Laden was killed, and in a new afterword the authors point to the ongoing challenges and successes facing America in the Middle East, in cyberspace, and at home.

Inside the Pentagon's secretive and revolutionary new strategy to fight terrorism--and its game-changing effects in the Middle East and at home In the years following the 9/11 attacks, the United States waged a "war on terror" that sought to defeat Al Qaeda through brute force. But it soon became clear that this strategy was not working, and by 2005 the Pentagon began looking for a new way. In Counterstrike, Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker of The New York Times tell the story of how a group of analysts within the military, at spy agencies, and in law enforcement has fashioned an innovative and effective new strategy to fight terrorism, unbeknownst to most Americans and in sharp contrast to the cowboy slogans that characterized the U.S. government's public posture. Adapting themes from classic Cold War deterrence theory, these strategists have expanded the field of battle in order to disrupt jihadist networks in ever more creative ways. Schmitt and Shanker take readers deep into this theater of war, as ground troops, intelligence operatives, and top executive branch officials have worked together to redefine and restrict the geography available for Al Qaeda to operate in. They also show how these new counterterrorism strategies, adopted under George W. Bush and expanded under Barack Obama, were successfully employed in planning and carrying out the dramatic May 2011 raid in which Osama bin Laden was killed. Filled with startling revelations about how our national security is being managed, Counterstrike will change the way Americans think about the ongoing struggle with violent radical extremism.

Describes the history and current workings of various contemporary counterterrorist organizations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and South America.

When China launches a blitz attack on the island of Taiwan, the world order hangs in the balance and the CIA must mobilize all forces to prevent the start of World War III. The operation by the People's Liberation Army is airtight, with a high-tech battle network that guarantees total occupation within ten days. The United States rallies every available asset on land, sea, and air to launch a desperate counter strike against the occupying forces. But in order to win, the US is forced to throw out the old playbook. What is required here is speed, audacity, and the application of the most advanced technology in the US arsenal. As the head of the CIA's Emerging Threats Group, Don Riley has seen his share of crises, but nothing has prepared him for the choices ahead. With millions of civilian lives at risk, the US must neutralize the Chinese threat without triggering World War Three. Counter Strike is the second book in a brand new series co-written by former submarine officer David Bruns and retired naval intelligence officer J.R. Olson. Packed with pulse-pounding action, realistic combat scenes, and page-turning twists, this military techno-thriller is a must-read for fans of Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney. ___________________________ Praise for the authors and the COMMAND AND CONTROL series: "A fascinating World War Three scenario, and an action-packed story. This is going to be an amazing series!" -Andrew Watts, USA Today bestselling author of The War Planners "With their background in the U.S. Navy, both Bruns and Olson have the right stuff to create a realistic military tale." ―Booklist "These two guys have lived it. Now they're writing it. Taut, tense, and totally believable, you will be dropped into the midst of a world with which few of us are familiar. A fine thriller indeed." -Don Keith, author of Only the Brave and Final Bearing "Command and Control is a masterpiece of a military thriller from the first page to the explosive ending...some of the best combat writing I've seen since Tom Clancy." -Jason Kasper, USA Today bestselling author of The Enemies of My Country

Ace Assassin Donald Moran has been hired by high-level Russian officers to kill Mikhail Gorbachev and destabilize the Soviet Union. But when the job is called off at the eleventh hour, it is already too late to stop Moran—a psychopath, he has spent the last twenty hours refining his perfect plan . . . and it will take much more than canceled orders to prevent him from putting it into deadly motion. Now the only thing standing between Gorbachev and a bullet is Russian Investigator Nikolai Ganin, who must pit his wits against a psychopathic monster if he hopes to stop the attack. "Flannery, whose novels include Moscow Crossing and The Zebra Network, doesn't bother with literary grace notes, but he seems to have some knowledge of the infrastructure of U.S. and Soviet intelligence services, and he certainly knows how to keep a high-speed international suspense caper rattling along." - Publishers Weekly At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

COUNTERSTRIKE When the alien war engulfing a distant planet spilled to Earth through a network of hidden portals, humankind was plunged into an apocalyptic, generations-old conflict between the Plysserians and the Chodrecai. Now, months after Earth’s most powerful military forces formed a tenuous alliance with the Plysserians and countered a devastating, three-pronged Chodrecai offensive, alien survivors continue to wreak havoc on a shell-shocked Earth. Martial law and civil unrest run rampant. Resistance cells and pockets of Chodrecai sympathizers are gathering strength. And two U.S. Marines—Sergeant Major Simon DiCarlo and Sergeant Belinda Russell— remain trapped on the alien planet of Jontashreena. Now, as human and Plysserian scientists and engineers race to unlock the intergalactic portals and harvest alien technology, Earth prepares for the most explosive battle for its existence. Joining the war effort are recruits like young Colin Laney, who will advance from Marine boot camp to the forefront of a massive invasion on alien terrain—with the fate of two worlds hanging in the balance.