Source description last updated: 26 January 2023

In brief: The Critical Threats Project (CT) is a project run by the US think tank American Enterprise Institute (AEI). It conducts analysis and assessments on issues deemed to be a threat to the security of the USA and its allies. The AEI is registered as a non-profit organisation in the USA.

Coverage on ecoi.net:

Updates, Reports on Islamist groups, Maps

Covered twice per week on ecoi.net for countries of priorities A-C.

Mission/Mandate/Objectives:

The Critical Threats Project (CT), created by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) in 2009, seeks to inform and educate about “the nuance and scale of threats to America’s security.” The project conducts analysis and produces assessments on security issues for the US executive branch, the United States Congress, the media, and the wider public.

CT is directed by Frederick W. Kagan, a senior fellow at the AEI. It has two analytical teams focusing on Iran and armed Islamist groups (mainly in Yemen, the Horn of Africa, West Africa, and North Africa) respectively. (CT website: The Project, undated)

Funding:

CT is funded by donations (CT website: Donate, undated) from individuals, foundations, and corporations (AEI: 2021 Annual Report, as of December 2021, p. 41). The project emphasises that like the AEI, it does not accept any funding from the US or other governments (CT website: The Project, undated) and does not conduct contract research (AEI: 2021 Annual Report, as of December 2021, p. 41).

Scope of reporting:

Geographic focus: Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Mali, and other countries

Thematic focus: Islamist armed groups (including al-Qaeda and Islamic State), terrorism, armed conflict, protests, other security-related issues such as protests

Methodology:

CT’s analysis is based on open-source information (CT website: The Project, undated) from sources such as think tanks, NGOs, international and local media (including non-English language media), and Twitter (see, for example, CT/ISW: Iran Crisis Update, 24 January 2023, and CT/ISW: Taliban Struggles to Contain Afghan National Resistance Front, 7. September 2022). Many CT publications are produced in collaboration with the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) (see, for example, CT/ISW: Iran Crisis Update, 24 January 2023, CT/ISW: Mapping Anti-Taliban Insurgencies in Afghanistan, 29 November 2022, CT/ISW: Taliban Struggles to Contain Afghan National Resistance Front, 7 September 2022). Many reports contain endnotes with references to consulted sources (see, for example, CT/ISW: Iran Crisis Update, 24 January 2023 and CT/ISW: Taliban Struggles to Contain Afghan National Resistance Front, 7. September 2022).

Language of publication:

English

Methodological note:

ecoi.net's source descriptions contain background information on an organisation’s mission & objective, funding and reporting methodology, as well as on how we cover the source. The descriptions were prepared after researching publicly accessible information within time constraints. Most information contained in a source description was taken from the source itself. The aim is to provide a brief introduction to the sources covered regularly, offering information on relevant aspects in one place in a systematic manner. 

All links accessed 26 January 2023.