In the aftermath of the catastrophic attacks of September 11, 2001, President Bill Clinton's time in office was portrayed as one in which vital opportunities to confront growing threats to US security were missed. Firmly challenging this characterization, James Boys explores the long-misunderstood approach adopted by the Clinton administration as it sought to define an effective response to acts of political violence.

Boys argues that only by understanding the efforts of Clinton and his team to address international terrorism can we make sense of the reasoning behind the actions of George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, all of whom inherited, continued, and expanded on Clinton-era policies and practices. Drawing on official documents and on interviews with key players, he reveals the evolution of counterterrorism strategy throughout the Clinton administration, as well as the ramifications that it has today.

James D. Boys is associate professor of international political studies at Richmond University, London.