The book analyzes how the administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush used force in response to incidents of international terrorism - providing comparison between each of the administrations as they grappled with the evolving nature and role of terrorism in the United States and abroad.
"Presidential Policies on Terrorism is a thorough and thoughtful analysis of counterterrorism tools from Reagan to Obama. Starr-Deelen explores fundamental issues of the principles that guide the allocation of power over foreign affairs and the role of all three branches in safeguarding constitutional government. She draws on insightful interviews with scholars and policymakers from within the intelligence community." - Louis Fisher, Scholar in Residence, The Constitution Project, USA and author of Presidential War Powers