Steven J. Nider is the director of congressional affairs at the Project on National Security Reform and a senior fellow at the Center for the Study of the Presidency. Previously, Nider was an analyst at Hicks & Associates, Inc. (H&AI), a defense and intelligence policy and analysis practice of a Fortune 500 company. His work focused on the improvised explosive device (IED) battle in Iraq, network-centric warfare, Army force structure, and counterinsurgency theory. From 2000 to 2006, he served as director of foreign and security studies at the Progressive Policy Institute and was a contributing editor to Blueprint: Ideas for a New Century. At the institute, his areas of research included military transformation, homeland security, NATO, and broader foreign policy. Nider has authored numerous articles and essays on various aspects of U.S. foreign and national security policy.  He is a senior fellow at the Truman National Security Project, an adjunct fellow with the American Security Project, and a charter member of the American Council of Young Political Leaders.