Consists of articles on terrorism and the war on terror that appeared originally in the journal Foreign affairs.

The U.S. vs. al Qaeda brings together the very best of more than three decades of Foreign Affairs coverage on al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, and the broader terrorist threat. This collection includes groundbreaking articles by established experts such as Bernard Lewis, Fouad Ajami, and Ahmed Rashid, as well as newer voices, including Brynjar Lia and William McCants. A rich documents section supplements the Foreign Affairs essays with major speeches by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, private correspondence between bin Laden and his deputies, and pivotal U.S. legislation. The book also offers an introductory chapter by Foreign Affairs editor Gideon Rose, in which he analyzes how terrorism has shaped U.S. grand strategy over the past decade. Released to coincide with the 10th anniversary of 9/11, this book offers an indispensable look back at the past decade of the war on terrorism and a guide to how the terrorist threat will continue to shape U.S. policy into the future.