  Clauset and Woodard (2013) ask, "What is the likelihood of another September
11th-sized or larger terrorist event, worldwide, over the next decade?" This
question has implications for numerous policy arenas - national security,
international relations, public safety, disaster preparedness, and so on - but
it also has resonance for any individual who remembers 9/11. Thus, the Area
Editors chose this paper to engage the audience at the 2013 Joint Statistical
Meetings (JSM) in Montreal. The discussions in this issue of The Annals of
Applied Statistics include those presented formally at JSM 2013 as well as
others from individuals who were unable to attend JSM 2013 or who contributed
discussions after the meeting.
