A long-time analyst of global defense issues, he has worked in the U.S. government and several think tanks, including the Center for Naval Analysis and the Institute for Defense Analysis.
He is a Columbia University alumni, where he taught and worked for several years at the Research Institute of International Change, a think tank founded by Dr. Brzezinski. He is a frequent op-ed contributor to the defense press, and has written several books on international security issues.
Dr. Laird has taught at Columbia University, Queens College, Princeton University and Johns Hopkins University.
He has received various academic research grants as well from various foundations, including the Thyssen Foundation, the United States Institute for Peace, etc.
Dr. Laird has worked for many elements of the U.S. government and with think tanks such as The Center for Defense Analysis and the Institute for Defense Analysis.
He is a member of the Board of Contributors of Breaking Defense and publishes there on a regular basis.
He is a regular contributor to Front Line Defence as well.
His work regularly is republished as well on Real Clear Defense.
He is a frequent visitor to Australia where he works with The Williams Foundation in supporting their seminars on the transformation of the Australian Defence Force.
He is also based in Paris, France where he regularly travels throughout Europe and conducts interviews and talks with leading policy makers in the region.
He is the editor of Second Line of Defense and Defense.info