Dismantling Al Qaida

Transition Memo

Transition 7186 – Dismantling al-Qaida

Date:
16 January 2009
Author(s):
Juan Zarate (Combating Terrorism Directorate), Nick Rasmussen (Combating Terrorism Directorate), Eric Grant (Combating Terrorism Directorate)
Classification Level:
Top Secret/NOFORN
Citation:
National Security Council. Executive Office of the President.Dismantling al-Qaida. Eric Grant, Nick Rasmussen and Juan Zarate. Transition 7186.
Related Links:
Middle East

Memo attachments

Item Details

Chronology for Dismantling al-Qaida

CLASSIFIED

Executive Order 13224 (September 25, 2001)

Date: 23 September 2001

Author(s): George W. Bush (executive order)

Description: Executive order targets financial ties between a host of designated individuals and organizations and American citizens, organizations, and assets. The executive order also bans donations by American citizens to specified individuals and organizations.

View attachment

National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD-8 (October 24, 2001)

CLASSIFIED

National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD-9 (October 25, 2001)

CLASSIFIED

National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD-17 and Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-4 (September 14, 2002)

CLASSIFIED

National Strategy for Combating Terrorism (February 2003)

Date: February 2003

Author(s): White House (unclear)

Description: The document defines modern terrorism as not fundamentally new, but rather more dangerous because of its international scope, high coordination, and dangerous technologies. The document states that direct action, ending state sponsorship of terror, shoring up international counterterror alliances/helping unstable states, alleviating conditions that lead to terrorism, and defending the U.S. homeland are the paths to winning the War on Terror. Document highlights that victory will come not through the impossible objective of eradicating terror but by drastically reducing the scope and means of international terror such as to keep civilization safe.

View attachment

President Bush signs Executive Order 13354, creating NCTC (August 27, 2004)

Date: 27 August 2004

Author(s): George W. Bush (Executive Order), The White House, Office of the Press Secretary (release)

Description: The document contains (I believe) only the exact text of Executive Order 13354. Description of order: Prioritizes counterterrorism, establishes the National Counterterrorism Center under the leadership of a director appointed by the President and the Director of Central Intelligence and defines center functions and duties.

View attachment

The President signs the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (December 17, 2004)

Date: 17 December 2004

Author(s): George W. Bush (speech)

Description: President Bush speaks on the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act that he signed. He lauds it for strengthening homeland defenses and the intelligence and law enforcement agencies necessary to combat threats of terrorism. The act creates a unified structure linking efforts of various intelligence agencies under the Director of National Intelligence while preserving existing chains of command. The act streamlines the spread of necessary intelligence information between agencies and with those responsible for defending the United States.

View attachment

National Implementation Plan (NIP) for winning the WOT (June 26, 2006)

CLASSIFIED

9/11 Five Years Later: Success and Challenges (September 2006)

Date: September 2006

Author(s): Unknown

Description: Document names successes of post-9/11 policy—Afghan and Iraqi liberation, Libya disarmament, the financial campaign against terrorism, moving counterterrorism away from law enforcement approach, Saudi Arabia/Pakistan alliances, homeland security reform, human rights, etc. The document identifies continuing challenges like evolving terror networks, the need for more attack prevention, countering propaganda/internet recruitment, and WMD acquisition prevention.

View attachment

Fact Sheet: Bringing Terrorists to Justice (September 6, 2006)

Date: 6 September 2006

Author(s): The White House, Office of the Press Secretary

Description: Fact sheet announces prisoner transfer from CIA to DoD custody in Guantanamo Bay. Fact sheet celebrates successes of CIA enhanced interrogation program in War on Terror. Fact sheet provides update on legal developments, including Supreme Court ruling that GWOT prisoners had Geneva Conventions protections as well as Bush’s passing legislation for terrorist trial by military commission.

View attachment

NSC/HSC Principals Committee Meeting on Current Threats Discussion Slides and Summary of Conclusions (January 29, 2007)

CLASSIFIED

President Bush Signs “Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission” into Law (August 3, 2007)

Date: 3 August 2007

Author(s): George W. Bush (speech)

Description: Bush thanked Congress for their work in the legislative process, expresses a desire to keep working on counterterrorism measures, and asks Congress to pass subsequent legislation reforming Congressional oversight of intelligence and retargeting the allocation of grant money to cities and states.

View attachment