Terrorism: Commentary on Security Documents is a hardbound series that provides primary-source documents and expert commentary on the worldwide counter-terrorism effort. Among the documents collected are transcripts of Congressional testimony, reports by such federal government bodies as the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), and case law covering issues related to terrorism. Most volumes carry a single theme, and inside each volume the documents appear within topic-based categories. The series also includes a subject index and other indices that guide the user through this complex area of the law.

Volume 120, U.S. Preparedness for Catastrophic Attacks, discusses the critical topic of U.S. preparedness for catastrophic events. Doug Lovelace introduces documents that will inform researchers and practitioners of international law and national security about the ability of the United States to prevent and deter a catastrophic attack, as well as to mitigate and cope with the effects of such an attack.

This volume is divided into three sections: (1) Deterring and Defending Against Catastrophic Attacks; (2) Warning, Detection and Reaction to Catastrophic Attacks; and (3) Policy Voids and Initiatives Regarding Catastrophic Attacks on the United States. In each of these sections Doug Lovelace has selected CRS and GAO reports that provide insightful analysis of the issues at hand. Volume 120 examines diverse topics such as infrastructure protection, threat detection technology (biosurveillance, advanced spectroscoping portals for detection of nuclear materials), evacuation policy, cyberspace security, and federal assistance to state and local authorities for emergency preparedness.