Charles V. Peña

Charles V. Peña is a senior fellow at the Independent Institute, a senior fellow with the Coalition for a Realistic Foreign Policy, a former senior fellow with the George Washington University Homeland Security
Policy Institute, an adviser to the Straus Military Reform Project, and an analyst for MSNBC television. Peña is the co-author of Exiting Iraq: Why the U.S. Must End the Military Occupation and Renew the War Against al-Qaeda and author of Winning the Un-War: A New Strategy for the War on Terrorism.

Still Not Home for the Holidays

While most of the rest of us celebrate the holidays with family and friends, several hundred thousand U.S. troops will – once again – be separated from their loved ones. Currently, there are some 117,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and another 68,000 in Afghanistan, with another 30,000 to be deployed "in the first part of … Continue reading “Still Not Home for the Holidays”

The Shoe on the Other Foot

Last Sunday, Iran became a victim of terrorism when a bombing in Sistan-Baluchestan province killed 42 people, including six members of the elite Revolutionary Guards. The irony, of course, is that Iran is often accused of fomenting terrorism, because of its ties to Hezbollah. And in a not unexpected role reversal, the regime in Tehran … Continue reading “The Shoe on the Other Foot”

Lessons of 9/11 Still Unlearned

A week ago marked the 8-year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks against the United States. As we should on each and every Sept. 11, we remembered all those who lost their lives on that fateful day, as well as those who responded to the tragedy. At Arlington National Cemetery, President Obama remarked: "We remember … Continue reading “Lessons of 9/11 Still Unlearned”