Terrorism
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 08:08
A senior NATO official said Thursday that NATO was prepared to consider a training mission to Iraq as part of a wide-ranging policy mix to tackle the so-called Islamic State.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 08:05
Scores of al Qaeda militants have moved into Yemen's capital San'a in an attempt to exploit swelling political unrest and destabilize the government, officials said.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 08:03
The Islamic State poses a grave danger to the United States and its allies in the Middle East and around the world. Reports that it is not currently planning an attack against the American homeland are little comfort. Its location, the resources it controls, the skill and determination of its leaders and fighters, and its demonstrated lethality distinguish it from other al-Qaeda-like groups. Its ability to offer safe-haven and support to terrorists planning attacks against us is beyond any terrorist threat we have ever seen. The thousands of American and European citizens who are fighting alongside the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra in Iraq and Syria constitute an unprecedented threat to our security regardless of whether those groups intend to attack us. The Islamic State is a clear and present danger to the security of the United States. It must be defeated.
Developing a strategy to accomplish that goal is daunting. The situation today is so bad and the momentum is so much in the wrong direction that it is impossible to articulate a direct path to an acceptable endstate in Iraq and Syria. American neglect of the deteriorating situations in both countries has deprived us of the understanding and even basic ground intelligence needed to build a strategy. We must therefore pursue an iterative approach that tests basic assumptions, develops our understanding, builds partnerships with willing parties on the ground, especially the Sunni Arabs in Iraq who will be essential to set conditions for more decisive operations to follow.
The core challenge facing the U.S. in Iraq and Syria is the problem of enabling the Sunni Arab community stretching from Baghdad to Damascus and Turkey to Jordan to defeat al-Qaeda affiliates and splinters, while these extreme groups deliberately concentrate in Sunni majority areas. Persuading those communities to rejoin reformed states in Iraq and Syria after long seasons of internal strife will be daunting. But their participation in state security solutions will be essential to keep al-Qaeda from returning. Many of these populations, especially Syrians, may be losing confidence in such a post-war vision.
The problem in Syria is relatively easy to state, but extremely difficult to solve. The Assad regime has lost control of the majority of the territory of the Syrian state. It has violated international law on many occasions and lost its legitimacy as a member of the international community. Assad himself is the icon of atrocities, regime brutality, and sectarianism to Sunni populations in Syria and throughout the region. His actions have fueled the rise of violent Islamists, particularly ISIS and JN. U.S. strategy must ensure that none of these three actors control all or part of Syria while supporting the development of an alternative, inclusive Syrian state over time.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 07:20
Speaking as an international summit on battling Islamic State (IS) militants opened Monday in Paris, French President François Hollande said there was "no time to lose" in confronting the extremist group that has seized vast areas of Iraq and Syria.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 07:06
In this week’s address, the President reiterated his comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group ISIL.
His plan brings together a campaign of targeted airstrikes, increased support for Iraqi and Kurdish forces already taking on terrorists, assistance from allies and partners, expanded efforts to train and equip the Syrian opposition, and ongoing humanitarian aid for those displaced by ISIL. The President expressed his immense appreciation for the military men and women who make these efforts possible, and reminded the world that America continues to lead and stand strong against terror.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 06:22
With new marching orders from President Barack Obama in hand, the U.S. military on Thursday began setting in motion an expanded campaign to combat Islamic State militants through airstrikes in Iraq and Syria and military training for fighters from both countries.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 05:46
The U.S. Embassy told Americans in Uganda to seek safety on Saturday, warning that local authorities had uncovered a “terrorist cell” run by Somali militant group al-Shabab, which they believed was planning an imminent attack.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 05:45
A leading commander of Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has been killed along with 200 other militants in a rare victory for Nigeria’s armed forces, according to reports.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 05:44
Following the killing of al Shabaab leader Ahmed Godane and several field commanders, the next challenge security agencies in the region are facing is how to deal with a fragmented terrorist group, which present significant threat.
Monday, September 15, 2014 - 05:38
French president François Hollande cooperated with Washington in the operation that led to the death of the leader of Somali Islamist group al Shabaab on 1 September, said a source close to the President.