The Mystery of the Islamic State - Rachel Ehrenfeld -- Over several months last year, in an effort to understand the Islamic State movement, Maj. Gen. Michael K. Nagata, commander of American Special Operations forces in the Middle East, sought the … [Read more...] about Weekly Briefing – January 5-9, 2015
Oil Trade
Weekly Briefing – December 28-January 2, 2014/15
Cybersecurity and the 114th Congress - Rachel Ehrenfeld - The Sony hacking served as a national reminder that cybersecurity should be taken more seriously...In May 2010, former National Security Agency Director Keith Alexander lamented, "The scale of … [Read more...] about Weekly Briefing – December 28-January 2, 2014/15
Obama Losing War on America’s Economy
Whether the fourth quarter 5% growth of the U.S. gross development product [GDP] is a fluke, another wave of the troubled sea of the longest recovery in recent American history, it is evidence of the miraculous strength of the U.S. economy. Some are … [Read more...] about Obama Losing War on America’s Economy
Weekly Briefing – December 21-27, 2014
Left: Israel - completely clear - on Christmas morning from the International Space Station. Astronaut Barry Wilmore woke up early on Christmas to reflect upon the beauty of the Earth and snap some images to share with the world. Photo credit: … [Read more...] about Weekly Briefing – December 21-27, 2014
Israel and Oil
With the price of a barrel of benchmark crude oil falling by a half in the past six months, the punditocracy is out in force prophesying about what it all means. Predictably, their conclusions range from “It’s wonderful for the world’s economy in … [Read more...] about Israel and Oil
ISIS: Portrait of a Jihadi Terrorist Organization*
An ISIS operative holds a shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missile on the background of a black ISIS flag (Picture sent by ISIS via Twitter) Objectives 1. This study examines the nature of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), an Islamic … [Read more...] about ISIS: Portrait of a Jihadi Terrorist Organization*
Weekly Briefing, November 10-15, 2014
Left: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shakes hands with attendants of the First Latin American Muslim Religious Leaders Summit in Istanbul, where he announced that Muslims discovered the Americas before Columbus. Turkey Reaches Out to Latin … [Read more...] about Weekly Briefing, November 10-15, 2014
Libya – Ali al-Salabi and the Re-Emerging Muslim Brotherhood
Left: Ali Muhammad al-Salabi "Ansar al-Sharia ('Supporters of Islamic Law'), the al-Qaida-linked militia believed to have led the Benghazi consulate assault in September, is a spinoff of the February 17 Martyrs Brigade. Reports remind us of ties … [Read more...] about Libya – Ali al-Salabi and the Re-Emerging Muslim Brotherhood
If we must speak Gaelic, Amaideas!*
All the media hype to the contrary notwithstanding, the referendum on independence for Scotland was very close to a farce. Ironic, too, that such political balderdash should have taken place in the historic home of a half dozen of the world’s most … [Read more...] about If we must speak Gaelic, Amaideas!*
The Islamic States’ Oil Revenue
The European Union Ambassador to Iraq, Jana Hybášková, repeated last week her claim that European countries are “inadvertently aiding the Islamic State.” She claimed the Europeans are purchasing $3 million worth of oil a day, from areas controlled by … [Read more...] about The Islamic States’ Oil Revenue