Charles V. Peña
Former Director of Defense Policy Studies
Cato's former director of defense policy studies Charles V. Peña is the author of studies on the war on terrorism, the Iraq war, homeland security, bioterrorism, missile defense, and national security. He is an analyst for MSNBC, and has worked for several defense contractors with a variety of government clients, including the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Peña has analyzed and managed programs and studies on missile defense, strategic nuclear weapons, targeting policy and strategy, arms control, precision guided munitions, the future of air power, long-range military planning, Navy force structure and costing, joint military exercises, and emergency preparedness and response. He has been cited in the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune. He has appeared on The McLaughlin Group, The O’Reilly Factor, Hardball, Lester Holt Live, Market Watch, and the NBC Nightly News. Peña holds an M.A. in security policy studies from the George Washington University.
Cato Studies
"Flying the Unfriendly Skies: Defending against the Threat of Shoulder-Fired Missiles," Policy Analysis no. 541, April 19, 2005.
"$400 Billion Defense Budget Unnecessary to Fight War on Terrorism," Policy Analysis no. 539, March 28, 2005.
"Iraq: The Wrong War," Policy Analysis no. 502, December 15, 2003.
"Mini-Nukes and Preemptive Policy: A Dangerous Combination," Policy Analysis no. 499, November 19, 2003.
"Bush's National Security Strategy Is a Misnomer," Policy Analysis no. 496, October 30, 2003.
Articles and Newsletters
"Flying the Unfriendly Skies: Defending against the Threat of Shoulder-Fired Missiles," Cato Policy Analysis no. 541, April 19, 2005.
"$400 Billion Defense Budget Unnecessary to Fight War on Terrorism," Cato Policy Analysis no. 539, March 28, 2005.
"Iraq: The Wrong War" Cato Policy Analysis no. 496, December 15, 2003.
"Bush's National Security Strategy Is a Misnomer" Cato Policy Analysis no. 496, October 30, 2003.
"Missile Defense: Defending America or Building Empire?" Cato Foreign Policy Briefing no. 77, May 28, 2003.
Opinion and Commentary
"A Useless, Intrusive P.R. Display," by Charles V. Peña and Ted Galen Carpenter, Reason (Online), July 26, 2005
"First Step in Base Closings," Investor's Business Daily, June 9, 2005
"Rethinking Non-Proliferation," by Ted Galen Carpenter and Charles V. Peña, National Interest, June 1, 2005
"The Joys of Flying," American Spectator, May 19, 2005
"Surface-to-Air Missile Defense," Cato.org, February 6, 2005
Events
"Locking Down Loose Nukes," June 29, 2005 [Policy Forum]
"The Future of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT): Prospects and Problems," April 18, 2005 [Capitol Hill Briefing]
"The United States Does Not Need a Larger Army," March 29, 2005 [Capitol Hill Briefing]
"Defense Spending, National Security, and the War on Terrorism," February 10, 2005 [Policy Forum]
"Marine One: Buy the Best or Just Buy American?," November 9, 2004 [Policy Forum]
Multimedia
Charles V. Peña discusses terrorism on MNSBC (June 7, 2003) [Real Media]
Charles V. Peña discusses the battle for Baghdad on CNNfn (March 27, 2003) [Real Media]
Charles V. Peña discuss the coming war with Iraq on CNNfn (March 26, 2003) [Real Media]
Charles V. Peña discusses early progress in the war with Iraq on WUSA TV, Washington (Part II) (March 24, 2003) [Real Media]
Charles V. Peña discusses early progress in the war with Iraq on WUSA TV, Washington (Part I) (March 24, 2003) [Real Media]