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
Middle East Conflicts
Al-Qaida’s Repudiation of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria
[At left] From the text of Al-Zawahiri’s announcement concerning Al-Qaeda’s repudiation of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria. The announcement was published on Islamist forums affiliated with Al-Qaeda (www.muslm.org) Overview 1. On … [Read more...] about Al-Qaida’s Repudiation of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria
The Proliferation of Suicide Bombing in the Middle East and Beyond
’’A nation that does not wage jihad cannot exist…God is with us and Satan with them. We will fight and fight until we regain our rights… God willing.’’ -- Muslim Brother Sheik Ahmed Yassin, Hamas’s founder and spiritual leader, October 1997 Suicide … [Read more...] about The Proliferation of Suicide Bombing in the Middle East and Beyond
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
Straws in the Wind?*
I never cease to be amazed at the well-honed ability of the media to devote most of its time and space to completely unimportant matters (yes, fans, such as the Super Bowl), while downplaying or completely ignoring events of potentially great … [Read more...] about Straws in the Wind?*
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*
Syria – Training Ground for Western Jihadists
Western governments are increasingly voicing their concern that growing numbers of their Muslim citizens who volunteered to fight the jihad in Syria, are becoming “battle-hardened extremists,” who are “exporting terrorism” to their home … [Read more...] about Syria – Training Ground for Western Jihadists
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
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