Michael S. Smith II
Encyclopedia
Michael S. Smith II is a counter-terrorism
advisor to members of the United States Congress
, gray area phenomena subject-matter expert
, and a founder of Kronos Advisory, LLC
, a U.S.-based firm established in 2011 by Medal of Honor
recipient MajGen James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret)
, Council on Foreign Relations
member and Joint Chiefs of Staff
Economic Roundtable chair Mallory Factor
, and Smith that, according to Dun & Bradstreet
, conducts business in the areas of national security
and international affairs
.
, The Jerusalem Post
, and Al Arabiya
, at the request of a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in 2011 Smith produced a report on Iran’s ties to Al-Qaeda
that was distributed to members of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus
. Titled “The al-Qa’ida-Qods Force
Nexus: Scratching the Surface of a Known Unknown,” a redacted version of Smith’s report is available online via the blog site owned by American military geostrategist
and The Pentagon's New Map author Thomas P.M. Barnett. The report’s Issue Summary section explains: “This report focuses on the history of Iran’s relationship with al-Qa’ida, and briefly addresses potential implications of these ties. Additionally, its author provides a list of recommended action items for Members of the United States Congress, as well as a list of questions that may help Members develop a better understanding of this issue through interactions with defense and intelligence officials.”
Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus staffer Andy Polk said in an email to AFP that: “With the death of Bin Laden, and with Iran’s Al-Quds Force being listed as part of the new sanctions against Syria, this is an interesting and timely report.”
On September 23, 2011, while issuing remarks on the House Floor
about both the president of Iran’s September 2011 visit to New York to address the United Nations
and Iran’s support of Islamist terrorism U.S. Congressman Jeff Duncan (R, SC)
referenced "The al-Qa’ida-Qods Force Nexus" report. The text of both Congressman Duncan’s remarks and the summary section of Smith’s report are included in a section of the Congressional Record
titled “The Al Qaeda-Qods Force Nexus.”
regime would greatly reduce Iran
's influence in the Middle East
— hindering Iran's ability to mobilize Hezbollah militants to commit acts of terrorism against Iran's enemies by disrupting arms supply routes that cross Syrian territory — Smith and Barnett encouraged U.S. government officials to provide more support to efforts focused on delivering regime change
in Syria
.
that borrows the model Factor developed for his New York-based Monday Meeting forum.
, Smith is a contributor to The Post and Courier
and The State newspapers, and previously worked as a copy editor and features writer for the Charleston Mercury, a Charleston, South Carolina-based newspaper owned by the Evening Post Publishing Company
.
In 2010, Smith served as a member of the transition team of South Carolina Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis, Jr.
Counter-terrorism
Counter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
advisor to members of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, gray area phenomena subject-matter expert
Subject-matter expert
A subject matter expert or domain expert is a person who is an expert in a particular area or topic. When spoken, sometimes the acronym "SME" is spelled out and other times voiced as a word ....
, and a founder of Kronos Advisory, LLC
Kronos Advisory, LLC
Kronos Advisory, LLC is a U.S.-based company that, according to Dun & Bradstreet, conducts business in the areas of national security and international affairs. According to the firm’s website , Kronos is a strategic advisory firm established in 2011 by Medal of Honor recipient James E...
, a U.S.-based firm established in 2011 by Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient MajGen James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret)
James E. Livingston
Major General James Everett Livingston is a retired United States Marine Corps general. He was awarded the United States' highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for heroic actions in 1968 during the Vietnam War. Maj Gen Livingston served on active duty in the Marine Corps over...
, Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
member and Joint Chiefs of Staff
Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
Economic Roundtable chair Mallory Factor
Mallory Factor
Mallory Factor is an American businessman and political activist. He is president of Mallory Factor, Inc., an independent merchant bank and financial relations consultancy that he founded in 1976. Mr...
, and Smith that, according to Dun & Bradstreet
Dun & Bradstreet
Dun & Bradstreet is a Fortune 500 public company headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, USA that provides information on businesses and corporations for use in credit decisions, B2B marketing and supply chain management...
, conducts business in the areas of national security
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
and international affairs
International affairs
International affairs may refer to:* Diplomacy* International relations* International Affairs Association* International Affairs , a peer-reviewed academic journal first published in 1924...
.
Congressional Counter-Terrorism Advising
According to reports produced by Agence France-PresseAgence France-Presse
Agence France-Presse is a French news agency, the oldest one in the world, and one of the three largest with Associated Press and Reuters. It is also the largest French news agency. Currently, its CEO is Emmanuel Hoog and its news director Philippe Massonnet...
, The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
, and Al Arabiya
Al Arabiya
Al Arabiya is a Pan-Arabist Saudi-owned Arabic-language television news channel. Launched on March 3, 2003, the channel is based in Dubai Media City, United Arab Emirates, and is majority-owned by the Saudi broadcaster Middle East Broadcasting Center ....
, at the request of a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, in 2011 Smith produced a report on Iran’s ties to Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
that was distributed to members of the Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...
. Titled “The al-Qa’ida-Qods Force
Qods Force
The Quds Force is a special unit of Iran's Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution . It has been described as "tasked with exporting" Iran's Islamic revolution, or "responsible for extraterritorial operations" of the Revolutionary Guard.The Quds Force reports directly to the Supreme...
Nexus: Scratching the Surface of a Known Unknown,” a redacted version of Smith’s report is available online via the blog site owned by American military geostrategist
Geostrategy
Geostrategy, a subfield of geopolitics, is a type of foreign policy guided principally by geographical factors as they inform, constrain, or affect political and military planning...
and The Pentagon's New Map author Thomas P.M. Barnett. The report’s Issue Summary section explains: “This report focuses on the history of Iran’s relationship with al-Qa’ida, and briefly addresses potential implications of these ties. Additionally, its author provides a list of recommended action items for Members of the United States Congress, as well as a list of questions that may help Members develop a better understanding of this issue through interactions with defense and intelligence officials.”
Congressional Anti-Terrorism Caucus staffer Andy Polk said in an email to AFP that: “With the death of Bin Laden, and with Iran’s Al-Quds Force being listed as part of the new sanctions against Syria, this is an interesting and timely report.”
On September 23, 2011, while issuing remarks on the House Floor
Procedures of the United States House of Representatives
The United States Constitution provides that each "House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings," therefore each Congress of the United States, upon convening, approves its own governing rules of procedure. This clause has been interpreted by the courts to mean that a new Congress is not bound...
about both the president of Iran’s September 2011 visit to New York to address the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and Iran’s support of Islamist terrorism U.S. Congressman Jeff Duncan (R, SC)
Jeff Duncan (politician)
Jeffrey D. Duncan is the U.S. Representative for who is a member of the Republican Party. He is formerly a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives.- Early life, education, and career:...
referenced "The al-Qa’ida-Qods Force Nexus" report. The text of both Congressman Duncan’s remarks and the summary section of Smith’s report are included in a section of the Congressional Record
Congressional Record
The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress. It is published by the United States Government Printing Office, and is issued daily when the United States Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks...
titled “The Al Qaeda-Qods Force Nexus.”
Geostrategic Views
In June 2011, Smith coauthored a column with Thomas P.M. Barnett for World Politics Review. Claiming the fall of the AssadBashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
regime would greatly reduce Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
's influence in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
— hindering Iran's ability to mobilize Hezbollah militants to commit acts of terrorism against Iran's enemies by disrupting arms supply routes that cross Syrian territory — Smith and Barnett encouraged U.S. government officials to provide more support to efforts focused on delivering regime change
Regime change
"Regime change" is the replacement of one regime with another. Use of the term dates to at least 1925.Regime change can occur through conquest by a foreign power, revolution, coup d'état or reconstruction following the failure of a state...
in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
The Charleston Meeting
Along with Kronos Advisory, LLC founders Gen Livingston and Mallory Factor, Smith is also a founder of The Charleston Meeting, an invitation-only center-right political forum hosted in Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
that borrows the model Factor developed for his New York-based Monday Meeting forum.
Miscellaneous
According to information compiled by SourceWatchSourceWatch
SourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
, Smith is a contributor to The Post and Courier
The Post and Courier
Charleston's The Post and Courier is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the South and the eighth oldest newspaper still in publication in the United States. It is published in Charleston, South Carolina. It traces its ancestry to three newspapers, the Charleston Courier, founded in 1803, the...
and The State newspapers, and previously worked as a copy editor and features writer for the Charleston Mercury, a Charleston, South Carolina-based newspaper owned by the Evening Post Publishing Company
Evening Post Publishing Company
The Evening Post Publishing Company is a privately held media company, based inCharleston, South Carolina, United States.In addition to The Post and Courier of Charleston, the South's oldest daily newspaper, the company owns six other newspapers in South Carolina, including the Aiken Standard...
.
In 2010, Smith served as a member of the transition team of South Carolina Treasurer Curtis M. Loftis, Jr.