Mark R. Jacobson is a Senior Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States where he focuses on a wide range of security and defense issues, particularly with regards to emerging threats, strategic challenges, and the politics of national security. He is also a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Prior to joining GMF, Jacobson served from August 2009 July 2011 at the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan in several capacities, ultimately as the Deputy NATO Senior Civilian Representative (SCR). In this capacity Jacobson helped to bring cohesion to a coalition of nations and international organizations and served as the principal foreign policy advisor to two ISAF commanders.