Strategy, History, & Goals

Ends, ways, and means. Terrorist organizations are familiar with these concepts and the development of strategy too. Over the course of our history the CTC has studied and released reports and articles about terrorist goals and strategy. Browse the content below to learn more.

July 31, 2026

A Domestic Mimetic Chain: Nihilistic Violent Extremism, Youth Radicalization, and School Violence in Italy

Francesco Marone

The Historical Evolution of the Islamic State’s Anti‑China Propaganda

Lucas Webber, Riccardo Valle, Colin Clarke, Daniele Garofalo

A View from the CT Foxhole: Vanda Felbab-Brown, Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy, Brookings Institution

Abigail Becker, Kristina Hummel

June 30, 2026

Standing With Iran: The Integrated Combat Performance of Iraqi Militias During Operation Epic Fury

Michael Knights, Alex Almeida, Crispin Smith

May 29, 2026

Will Generative AI Fundamentally Change Terrorist Threats?

Andrew Glazzard, David Mcilhatton, Paul Martin

May 1, 2026

Developments in the Sahel: An Interview with Wassim Nasr, Journalist, France24; Senior Research Fellow, Soufan Center

Don Rassler, Kristina Hummel

April 28, 2026

The Collapse of Indefinite Detention in Northeast Syria: Implications Seven Years Later for Syria and Beyond

Devorah Margolin

March 25, 2026

From Earth Liberation to Accelerationism: A High-Level Review of Fifty Years of Domestic Infrastructure Terrorism

Jesse Humpal

Will the Center Hold? The Houthis’ Fraying Tribal Alliances

Michael Horton

February 19, 2026

True Crime Community: Understanding the Depths of Digital Fandom and Performative Violence

Peter Smith, Cat Cadenhead, Clara Broekaert