Latest Articles about Middle East
Three Explanations for al-Qaeda’s Lack of a CBRN Attack
The evidence of al-Qaeda's interest in conducting a terrorist attack with chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) weapons appears compelling. As early as 1998, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden declared the acquisition of CBRN weapons a "religious duty" for Muslims [1]. He followed up in... MORE
The PKK and Syria’s Kurds
In January, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) appointed "Doctor Bahoz," the nom de guerre of Fehman Huseyin, a Syrian Kurd, to lead the People's Defense Forces (the HPG), putting him in charge of the movement's day-to-day military operations. The appointment of a Syrian—and a noted... MORE
New Sufi Group Joins the Iraqi Insurgency
Late last year, The Jamestown Foundation reported on a new insurgent group comprised of Qadiri Sufi insurgents calling themselves the Battalions of Sheikh 'Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani (Terrorism Focus, September 19, 2006). In September 2006, it was somewhat of an anomaly. At the time, it was... MORE
Somalia’s Islamist Leadership: Where Are They Now?
Bombings, shootings and mortar attacks continue in Somalia's capital of Mogadishu and the southern port city of Kismayo, as Somali Islamists engage Ethiopian occupation forces. Many Islamist leaders took refuge in Yemen's capital of Sanaa, where they were joined by Islamic Courts Union (ICU) second-in-command... MORE
RUSSIA SERIOUS ABOUT INF TREATY ABROGATION
The Russian military always disliked the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed in 1987 by Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. The INF eliminated all U.S. and Russian ballistic missiles (some 2,700 all in all) with a range from 500 to 5500 kilometers. The Russian... MORE
PUTIN EXPANDS THE GOVERNMENT AND DEROGATES THE MILITARY
A huge bureaucratic surprise occurred in Moscow on February 15 when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced new appointments in the government, typically providing very little explanation for his sovereign decisions. Most attention was focused on defense minister Sergei Ivanov’s elevation from deputy to first deputy... MORE
MOSCOW-BEIJING-NEW DELHI AXIS MOVES IN SLOW MOTION
On Wednesday, February 14, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his Chinese and Indian counterparts Li Zhaoxing and Natwar Singh in New Delhi, where the three countries pledged to contribute to global peace, security, and stability. In a joint statement issued after the meeting,... MORE
TATAR TREATY SUGGESTS DISSENT INSIDE KREMLIN ON REGIONAL POLICY
On Friday, February 9, the Russian State Duma ratified a power-sharing agreement between the federal authorities and the Republic of Tatarstan, a Muslim-dominated republic in the Volga region. The treaty gives Tatarstan a degree of economic and political autonomy that no other region enjoys (see... MORE
RUSSIA AND THE KOREAN AGREEMENT: RELIEF MINGLED WITH GLEE AND WARINESS
True to past experience, Russia greeted the six-party agreement on Korea signed February 12-13, with official expressions of correct appreciation and relief that the “nightmare of the Korean crisis [was] over.” Also unmistakable was a delight at what its media regarded as Washington’s “capitulation” and... MORE
Kirkuk’s Referendum Revives Fears of Ethnic Violence
Last week, the Iraqi government called for the implementation of Article 140 of the country's permanent constitution, which calls for the "normalization" of the situation in Kirkuk (Asharq al-Awsat, February 2). This gives Kurds the go-ahead to reverse Saddam Hussein's "Arabization" of Iraq's fourth-largest city.... MORE