President Obama's remarks on his foreign policy achievements in his State of the Union address on January 28, 2014, were misleading. A good example is his boasting, "American diplomacy, backed by the threat of force, is why Syria's chemical weapons … [Read more...] about Deceiving the Nation
Al Qaeda
The Media & The Muslim Brotherhood
Western media coverage of Egyptian politics seems to focus almost entirely on the depredations of the military-backed interim government, with a strong residue of sympathy for the Muslim Brotherhood. There is no mention of the Brotherhood’s … [Read more...] about The Media & The Muslim Brotherhood
The Caucasus Snake Pit
An Islamic militant plot target, the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, was reported in late May 2012. News reports indicated that Russia's security agencies, working with Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee in Georgia's former Abkhazia region, … [Read more...] about The Caucasus Snake Pit
Erdogan’s Russia Problem and Vice Versa
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's growing Islamist tendencies, his crackdown on the military and the media have upset many in Turkey. Revelations of the gold-for-oil raid and the extent of his and his associates' corruption, bribes to members of … [Read more...] about Erdogan’s Russia Problem and Vice Versa
The Sunni-Shiite Divide Widens
Quoting Iran's official news agency, Agence France-Presse reported on 6 January that General Muhammad Hejazi, Iran's Deputy Chief of Staff, had just announced that, if asked, the Islamic Republic of Iran was "prepared to provide military equipment … [Read more...] about The Sunni-Shiite Divide Widens
Hurtling Downhill
If recent events are any indication, the pace of U.S. withdrawal from the world and the extent of our fecklessness (and the West's generally) in the face of threats coming from Islamist terrorism, Russia, China, and Iran promises to pick up in 2014. … [Read more...] about Hurtling Downhill
Al Rajhi Bank Links to al Qaeda in Syria
A bankcard and a credit card issued by the Saudi Al Rajhi bank, as well as other possessions of an al-Qaeda operative who was killed in Syria last week, were shown on the Syrian official TV station and posted on YouTube* on December 12, 2013. This … [Read more...] about Al Rajhi Bank Links to al Qaeda in Syria
Iran – The Whitewash
Washington's efforts to whitewash Iran's terrorist credentials are picking up speed. One way to do it is to expose our traditional Middle East allies for crimes we didn't bother with until now. Last week, a bi-partisan resolution was introduced in … [Read more...] about Iran – The Whitewash
Inviting Iranian Meddling in Syria
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif announced that Iran has apriori accepted the anticipated U.N. invitation to participate in talks on "peaceful political transition" in Syria. His announcement would surely encourage the Obama … [Read more...] about Inviting Iranian Meddling in Syria
Terrorism Financing in North Africa
Introduction: Financial resources and funding methods of the North African terrorist organizations have been largely influenced by two factors. The first is their longtime strategic and tactical independence. Despite the fact that several of these … [Read more...] about Terrorism Financing in North Africa