ABSTRACT
Clinton's move to establish the position of a national coordinator for counterterrorism policy on the National Security Council (NSC) staff also provoked opposition from within the executive branch. Congress frequently plays a critical role in shaping the counterterrorism policy agenda, without the constraint of necessarily having to present an integrated solution to the problem. The early development of counterterrorism policy was influenced by interactions between individual government agencies and specific interest groups. The media's attraction to drama and spectacular events also makes it hard for the government to ignore an issue when policymakers assume that public opinion will track media attention. Brigitte Nacos argues that government policy is exceptionally sensitive to the news media and to public opinion, especially during hostage crises. Due to pressures from Congress, the president will not be able to set the agenda for counterterrorism policy with as much freedom as he can in other policy areas.
