Introduction The last four years seem now as the preamble to downgrade the U.S. intelligence and defense capabilities. While leading from behind on the world stage, the Obama administration is confidently emasculating the U.S. ability to protect … [Read more...] about Sequestration — The Impact on Future U.S. Defense Capabilities, The Economy and National Security
ACD/EWI Blog
Iran’s Upper Hand
Meeting with Iran in Kazakhstan next week, as part of the P5+1 (five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Germany) shows the Obama administration’s determination to end the United … [Read more...] about Iran’s Upper Hand
Morsi's Fouls
Port Said Unites Key Egyptian Government Critics: Workers and Soccer Fans By James M. Dorsey Military troops are protecting factories and government offices on the fifth day of a general strike in the Suez Canal city of Port Said that has brought … [Read more...] about Morsi's Fouls
Hamas Gets Ready For Obama
Gaza Strip Rocket Launching Policy Decided Exclusively by Hamas By Jonathan D. Halevi* & Hamas Gets Ready for OBAMA by Rachel Ehrenfeld & Ken Jensen Israel military's Operation Pillar of Defense in the Gaza Strip, which began on … [Read more...] about Hamas Gets Ready For Obama
The Time Is Ripe For Tit For Tat
Making the headlines, the 74-page report by Mandiant Corporation, that was released on February 18, details how Chinese government linked hacking groups in Shanghai had stolen data from at least 115 U.S. based companies. The report noted that the … [Read more...] about The Time Is Ripe For Tit For Tat
The Saudis, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Islamic Banking
The early successes of Arab/Muslim-owned banking in Europe and the Arabian Peninsula, and the establishment of an economic foundation that modernized the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were both the work of Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (1906-1975). … [Read more...] about The Saudis, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Islamic Banking
The Muslim Brotherhood's Diet: Would Egypt And The Region Survive?
Egypt's former Foreign Minister announced last week in Kuwait: "Egypt's economy requires $100 billion to recover," $12 [billion] of which are needed immediately. He went on to demand the convention of an international conference to discuss aid to … [Read more...] about The Muslim Brotherhood's Diet: Would Egypt And The Region Survive?
Islamic Finance-A Supply Driven Market
Despite the claims by proponents of Islamic finance that there is a "pent-up demand" for Islamic financial products, in reality there seems to be a growing disinterest in such products. Regardless, the proponents continue to argue for adjusting the … [Read more...] about Islamic Finance-A Supply Driven Market
The American Babe In The Iranian Wood
Introduction: The U.S. government's incomprehensible handling of Iran could be best described as clueless, overconfident and counterproductive; not a good recipe for dealing with a sophisticated and determined adversary. A disturbing account by … [Read more...] about The American Babe In The Iranian Wood
A Contrarian View: Sticks And Carrots – Energy Co-Operation And Iran
Since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the United States has periodically issued sanctions on trade with and weapons sales to Iran. In 1996, the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA) extended the economic sanctions on Iran to curtail its nuclear program … [Read more...] about A Contrarian View: Sticks And Carrots – Energy Co-Operation And Iran