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
South Asia
Iran’s Strategic Role in the Global Jihadist Movement
When the last of the Soviet military departed Afghanistan in 1988-1989, thousands of well-trained "Afghan-Arab" mujahedeen already indoctrinated in Salafist concepts began to return home. Soon, from Algiers to Jakarta and from Cairo to Khartoum … [Read more...] about Iran’s Strategic Role in the Global Jihadist Movement
India – A New Beginning?*
Hardly. In a conversation decades ago with an old Asia hand about differences between India and China, my friend claimed her pursuit of knowledge on China was so much easier than anything similar for India. There, she said, everything had … [Read more...] about India – A New Beginning?*
The Transformation of American Intelligence*
Review of 'The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth' by Mark Mazzetti. New York: Penguin Press, 2013, 381 p. $29.95 After twelve years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s difficult to remember how it … [Read more...] about The Transformation of American Intelligence*
Russia: The Geopolitics of Natural Gas
Russia’s economic weakness lies in its dependency on natural gas, which represents nearly 60 percent of its exports. This dependency, which led Senator John McCain to describe Russia as “a gas station masquerading as a country,” should make economic … [Read more...] about Russia: The Geopolitics of Natural Gas
Pakistan Redux*
With all the attention being paid to the Turkish election, the continuing "negotiations" between the six powers and Iran and the ins and outs of the talks that at some point may or may not take place between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, … [Read more...] about Pakistan Redux*