Given the U.S. capitulation to Iran, the growing American and European pressure on Israel to relinquish its national security and identity as the Jewish state in favor of the Palestinians, while Syria has become the training "melting pot" for … [Read more...] about Islam and the Other: The al-Wala’ wal-Bara’ Doctrine
Iran
Iran Flexes Muscles in the Gulf
The Iranians now feel confident enough to attack Sunnis openly - scary for the Saudis. For the first time, the Iranians are attacking not just the Saudi government, but also the Wahhabi extremist Sunni sect that is the ideological underpinning of … [Read more...] about Iran Flexes Muscles in the Gulf
Connect the Dots . . . Please!
Recent press accounts illustrate the mainstream media’s growing awareness of threats to the electric power grid and the need to counter them. These threats extend from physical attacks, to cyber attacks, to natural and manmade electromagnetic pulse … [Read more...] about Connect the Dots . . . Please!
The Fatwa: From the Middle East to South Asia
In early February 2014 Egypt's shadowy Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (the ABM, or Partisans of Jerusalem) were continuing their attack on government forces and institutions. The Sinai-based Islamist intransigents, whose leadership appears tied to Al Qaeda … [Read more...] about The Fatwa: From the Middle East to South Asia
“Our Goal is Jerusalem” – Militant Islamists in Southeast Europe
Over the past several years, the Balkans has emerged as a new battleground for militant Islamism. [i] In June 2010, Islamist extremists bombed a police station in the central Bosnian town of Bugojno, killing one police officer and wounding six … [Read more...] about “Our Goal is Jerusalem” – Militant Islamists in Southeast Europe
On the State of the Confusion*
The State of the Union Address was notable in that it provided nothing new-and misrepresented a number of important matters. The President's threat to veto legislation calling for sanctions on Iran if they do not cease their development of nuclear … [Read more...] about On the State of the Confusion*
Deceiving the Nation
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
Washington’s Artful “Engagement” Diplomacy
Mirabile Dictu! Even Fareed Zakaria says the Joint Plan of Action, signed between Iran + P5+1 countries in Geneva, Switzerland, is a “train wreck.” Why? Because Iran has no intentions to freeze any parts of Iran’s nuclear program. “They talked about … [Read more...] about Washington’s Artful “Engagement” Diplomacy
Iran’s Nuclear Enablers
The speed at which the United States, Britain, France, Germany, China, and Russia are advancing Iran's nuclear ambitions is mind-boggling. Even before the ink dried on the P5+1's six-month Geneva accord with Iran -- aptly described as "just an … [Read more...] about Iran’s Nuclear Enablers
Hezbollah Intensifies Fighting in Syria
1. In late 2013, Hezbollah had intensified its military involvement in the civil war in Syria, suffering heavy losses. The main three sites of Hezbollah fighting were the eastern rural area of Damascus (Al-Ghouta al-Sharqiyya), the Al-Qalamoun … [Read more...] about Hezbollah Intensifies Fighting in Syria