Counterterrorism and Threat Finance Analysis during Wartime

Foreword by David D. McKiernan Contributions by Benjamin Bahney, David M. Blum, J. Edward Conway, Brian A. Gordon, General David McKiernan, Howard J. Shatz, Colonel Clayton O. Sheffield Edited by David M. Blum, J. Edward Conway

Not available to order

Publication date:

22 January 2015

Length of book:

228 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9780739180440

This edited volume describes various analytic methods used by intelligence analysts supporting military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as members of the Iraq and Afghan Threat Finance Cells—interagency intelligence teams tasked to disrupt terrorist and insurgent funding. All contributors have deployed to Iraq and/or Afghanistan and detail both the bureaucratic and intellectual challenges in understanding terrorist and insurgent finance networks and then designing operations to attack such networks via conventional military operations, Special Forces kill/capture targeting operations, and non-kinetic operations such as asset freezing or diplomacy. The analytic methods described here leverage both quantitative and qualitative methods, but in a language and style accessible to those without a quantitative background. All methods are demonstrated via actual case studies (approved for release by the U.S. government) drawn from the analysts’ distinct experiences while deployed. This book will be of interest to current or aspiring intelligence analysts, students of security studies, anti-money laundering specialists in the private sector, and more generally to those interested in understanding how intelligence analysis feeds into live operations during wartime at a very tactical level.

Foreword David D. McKiernan, General (Retired), U.S. Army
Chapter One: Introduction: The Threat Finance Cell J. Edward Conway
Chapter Two: Intelligence Analysis: An Operator’s Perspective Colonel Clayton O. Sheffield, U.S. Army
Chapter Three: Where Counterinsurgency Meets Counter Threat Finance Brian A. Gordon
Chapter Four: From People to Processes: Collecting Intelligence That Matters David M. Blum & Brian A. Gordon
Chapter Five: Al-Qa’ida in Iraq’s Financial Ledgers Benjamin Bahney and Howard J. Shatz
Chapter Six: Cost Accounting: Auditing the Taliban in Helmand Province, Afghanistan Brian A. Gordon and J. Edward Conway
Chapter Seven: Using Financial Data to Analyze Terrorist Motivations: The Case of Al-Qa’ida in Iraq’s Payrolls Benjamin Bahney and Howard J. Shatz
Chapter Eight: Social Network Analysis: Understanding Threat Financial Networks David M. Blum and Brian A. Gordon
Chapter Nine: Scenario Planning: The “Master” of Spin Boldak and The Chaman Border Crossing David Blum and J. Edward Conway
Chapter Ten: Decision Analysis: Rank-Ordering Members of the Insurgent Group As’aib Ahl al-Haqq J. Edward Conway
Chapter Eleven: Designing Courses of Action: From Problem-setting to Problem-solving J. Edward Conway
Chapter Twelve: Conclusion J. Edward Conway and David Blum

In one of the few books on the subject, Counterterrorism and Threat Finance Analysis during Wartime, J. Edward Conway argues that it is a mistake to think that the imperative to deploy civilian analysts to combat zones is fast diminishing. . . .[This book] is an excellent addition to the already existing literature on the subject. The hands-on experience and knowledge of the editors makes it a must-read for all experts and students of terrorism-related subjects. It should be a required reading for all counter threat finance analysts.