Where will the Free Syrian Army gang go? Over to the DoD program? Is this really a consolidation and coordination of two similar kind of programs albeit with different clientele? The CIA seems to gravitate toward more extreme elements, for those of us who remember the Mujahadeen. But beyond the headlines and lamenting of the Post, walnut shells have been moved around
One state means compelling the GoI to implement equal policies and integrate Christian, Muslims, and other religious groups in to the jewish state without prejudice. Not to mention - stop taking homes away from the non Jewish residents precisely because they are not members of the state religion.
Too many avoidable ironies here. Dr Abushamma has done great service for Americans at the Cleveland Clinic but her visa is wrongly canceled. Then she has to fly back with no visa and that had to be nerve wracking for her. The order literally made people who follow the law, face punishment.
Hopefully, Steve Bannon and friends will learn sooner or later - they are elected officials and not kings or queens
I did not vote for Trump, but having lived in the former USSR - it is hard to believe a businessperson goes there and does not know -- the FSB is monitoring him or her left and right. Why would you engage in such behavior that could wind up on the pages of the media or worse? Maybe lower level functionaires go and don't get this but a senior level person should understand the vulnerability
Probably a game, with the hope power could result in both publications outdoing each other for sycophancy or producing the same themed-stories and titles, the way the NY Times and Washington Post are currently operating. Politics makes for bizarre bed fellows
Team Clinton really have themselves to blame. WIki could have released stuff, but if Podesta and friends had't done what they did, there would have been zero scandals. It's passing the buck to blame Assange. From now on elected officials should ask - do I want my mom or the voter reading about this in the paper? And that should be a guide for them to act responsibly - not hey. let's switch to gmail to discuss classified stuff so the Chinese can get in on this. NOw we get why CHinese intel has been breaching gmail often
I still remember the infamous Ashcroft Hospital showdown, when Comey literally sped to the hospital where then-AG john Ashcroft lay, sedated following an operation. Remember Alberto Gonzalez? He wanted to get Ashcroft's comatose signature on a memo to authorize torture and Comey absolutely opposed this, and he threatened to quit if Gonzalez did this at the hospital.
With all due respect, I think the guy puts government before party. The sad issue to me was DoJ official Peter Kadzik writing Podesta via personal gmail alerting Podesta to an investigation at that time into the State email scandal. And we know who Kadzik is, historically or one can google him
Why are government officials using gmail to avoid FOIA and transparency? Meanwhile you as the historian or citizen can file a FOIA that will be ignored. That has to stop The transparency onus and working under a glass should be on the government officials -- not violating our 4th Amendment and spying on us. Go catch the bad guys, please
Yeah, immigration is a band aid but works for politicians and businesses with short-term sight/planning/goals.
Really need to reform the labour laws too. The western countries have fallen into a mindset need two people to afford all the good things in life (insert personal definition here) and also economic troubles have influenced people to put off having kids. Not enough has been done in most western countries to make it easier to be a working mom or to keep essential costs down. Education costs more than a house for example - I'm talking about college. Daycare alone eats a huge chunk of income, at the other end of the spectrum. Then factor in food, utilities, all that keeps rising fast and jobs are not being created or pay like they used to
I lived and worked in DC at the time. What 'lots of folks'? Turned out the "opposition" in the halls of government were too interested in keeping their jobs and picket fences in northern virginia and proved much easier to snuff out than any opposition and ISIL combined in Iraq.
State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) tried to raise red flags. However the sheep public kept quiet as civil servants were pushed out of jobs for political reasons - conveniently civil servants who raised that opposition. One employee of INR jumped off the roof at State at the time - was that person part of a purge and through depression ended his life? ALl the chips fell into line at the end of the day, and here we are
THank you, it's been hard to find information on this recent visit and what is going on. That is dismal because it seems if we all got together on this - we could squash Isil from opposite directions but it seems the will to wipe out ISIL in Syria is not there on our side and that is rather alarming
Like Al-Nusra and radical company in Syria? Would love to know how much we spend on them, an ally of Al Qaeda, but isnt that part of the bill Congress authorizes kept secret??
These groups are disengenuous - the ones supporting the legislation above are connected to groups that push for supporting the radical islamist groups like Al Nusra in Syria. But hey - they have to earn a living and work to make sure their claims have some basis but don't look too closely at how they play a role in this
These fascist groups should be spending $208 million dollars for legislation that creates jobs, not fans hate. Insecurity is big business for these crazies
A couple of the groups named above were also headed or founded by Daniel Pipes. Pipes was once on the Fulbright Board -- these guys shouldn't be allowed near any government job or anything security-related, especially for the sake of a democratic and transparent society - yet how do they make it??
The second wife was reported to be divorced and one year older than Mateen, too. In Central Asian cultures, this is not the norm. Almost always, a woman would be preferred who is much younger and inexperienced marriage-wise ahem.
Marriage to an older and divorced woman would likely prompt gossip about the groom's orientation, given these kind of circumstances
Bad news. This is one case where the US is ahead of Israel. Usually, we copy their bad anti-terrorism laws that yield more terrorism. Civil Forfeiture is that controversial program still in place and bonus - you dont have to be a terrorist. Just be born suspicious-looking in a way entirely subjective way.
But have to agree, and Im a Sanders person, you know Clinton is going to go hawk in order to curry favour with the neo-cons and prove how 'tough' she is on security matters and will find away to support more restrictions
Super - no one supports ethnic cleansing except morons and ironically, the Clinton administration was FAMOUS for inacting on the Rwandan and Yugoslavian massacres, waiting until people were murdered before convening conferences and acting like they did something useful. People were dead by then
I read that this guy's father came to the US after or during our last war in Afghanistan.
If so, how? I'm worried this may be yet another case where we pick the wrong crowd to back and what needs to be reformed is our foreign and intel policy. Too often we align with human rights abusers and they get immigration or other perks to the US. We need to be better discerners whom we support but we seem to be making the same mistakes today - ie supporting allies of Al Qaeda in Syria and 9/11 anniversary is 3 months away
Another famous example are the Salvadoran military officials who were responsible for the rape and murder of seven American nuns in El Salavador -- and who were rewarded with citizenship in the US! The US ambassador at the time, Robert White, lost his job because he tried to advocate justice for our compatriots. Ambassador White died last year, I believe, but devoted his life after being fired for taking a moral stand to obtaining justice for these poor souls.
Something is broken. It's hard to hear people say 'never again' but allow things to continue
Because alot of the guys who join up -- were not particularly observant or practicing Muslims, except in name only. The further you go outward from the heart of the Middle East (and im simplyfing this) the more likely you are to find people who do not understand the regulations and basis of their own faith.
In addition, religious education varies country to country and in many cases, people do not undergo any religious instruction so what they learn is from the western media with fantastic irony, and they wind up subscribing to stereotypes about their own faith
Lastly what is drawing people to join ISIS and the radicals from other countries? Often lack of economic empowerment/jobs in their own countries and being guys -- a sense of boredom and wanting excitement
Part of the real failure of our occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. We built a few forts, hunkered down, and failed to transform the economies in a way to benefit the local populaces (ie the majority community numerically compared to us). The only economic changes we made were with an eye on the US voter and benefiting American businesses. You might as well build a skyscraper on an active fault line
You can't expect to invade, retroactively announce plans to build an infrastructure then do nothing. Its a recipe for disaster
Just because someone is born into a religion, doesnt mean they know it or know the rules of their particular faith.
How many Catholics in the US know there are some sects of Catholicism where the priests CAN marry? Probably zero (it's some of the eastern rite branches of the Catholic Church, comprised of over 20 groups actually). Some don't even know they have to go to confession first if they missed a prior mass before going up to receive communion.
In Central Asia, understanding of Islam is uneven, partly because of geography and political history. Many people do not know the finer points or the actual difference between Shi'a and Sunni. When I was a Peace Corps volunteer in an Uzbek village, people were worried about wahhabi/salafi groups but didn't know what they were per se - they thought of them as political trouble makers. My female counterpart once confided she didn't like the Wahhabis - they would make her veil and convert to Baptist faith. At that point, I released she had heard these terms but didn't know a Baptist was very different than a Wahhabi. Can you imagine a Catholic having to explain the difference between a Baptist and a Wahhabi???
Is having Robert Kagan and the neocons' support THAT good a thing?
This candidate has to overcompensate for the stereotyped view that democrats and female candidates especially are weak on security. The irony is -- you can promote a weak security by being too aggressive as well
There is a constituency this candidate has failed -- her own department's whistle blowers.
There is little difference between Trump and Clinton, except he is a bona fide racist and HRC panders to lobbyists.
As presidential candidates, neither has successfully articulated their plan for tackling our nation's problems. Neither one has stamina. For her part, HRC has backed down many occassions on key issues to avoid hurting her image. It is naive to think either one cares about anything beyond obtaining the White House
Howard Dean was quoted today saying no one wants to be remembered as Ralph Nader, in a veiled reference to Bernie Sanders.
Nader, to those of us with a political memory, did an outstanding job as a consumer advocate and opened the way for alternate parties in the 2 party-system we are stuck with. If anything, no one remembers Dean and he wishes he had accomplished half as much as Nader
Sanders, no matter what happens to his bid, has made a tremendous impact and flung the doors open for alternate candidates. He has also raised famously no-go issues for campaigning candidates such as support for Netanyahu and the right. Sanders has exemplified candidates can have backbone and compete too
CBunny -- the other irony with the HRC crowd -- our vote does NOT matter in the primary - but we'd better fall into line and vote for HRC in the presidential race.
If our vote doesnt matter in the primaries, why will it matter in the presidential race? What would have changed -- people do not reason things through.
Yeah, our vote matters all right but if it cant be counted in the primary, the Clintonians may have created a monster that could bite their butts come the next phase
Hopefully. It is ironic or maybe somehow related that here in the US, pluralism has been sharply criticized and seemingly rejected by people on the right politically. Could pluralism in the Middle East therefore make a come back, while the right here - often a driver when it comes to national security and military policies in the US and how these play out in the Middle East -- is distracted from pluralism?
Pluralism is sorely needed but it is a sign of the times people have lost the vital art of connecting to others and working together. We really need pluralism in our lives and as a partial antidote to alot of problems taking place. Crossing my fingers
The so-called think tanks are really NOT think tanks in spite of this term. They are more like 'jockeyers for favours and prestige" with the Washington establishment, and do not expect any intelligent or serious thinking outside-the-box ideas or plans from them. Often, these organizations task areas to specialists who did not previously specialize in anything Middle Eastern-related and there are various reasons why that is, none are really professional. Many if not most of the so-called think tanks are affiliated with lobbying or political organizations. When they work, it is behind-the-scenes, not before the scrutinizing glare of daylight.
Our US officials, particularly those with conservative spins or those appointed to this area with zero background or understanding of the country or region, have often favoured federation. Do the Iraqi people favour this too? This is the question. There are a sizable number who fought in the Iraqi army against Iran in that war, including Shi'a Iraqis, who are loyal to the notion of a state of Iraq. Protestors aren't yet calling for the dissolution of the country; they are demanding action from the current leadership
The political solution we have imposed on Iraq is a failed one; indeed across the region the parties or systems we have 'set up' are anemic and rickety - Libya is another lately in the news. We need to get smarter at promoting feasible political solutions, not imposing them and importantly, factor in populations in these countries when we 'plan' (if you want to call what has transpired since 9/11 planning).
We seem to be rolling in and forgetting, oh yeah, these countries have populations with basic needs and expectations; instead we are stuck on putting out fires and this is not sustainable anywhere
Don't believe the Economist. Their 'journalists' often rely on official stats and sources and fail to do legit research.
They need to factor in all aspects of the economy, including the 'shadow', the black market, and interviewing everyday people. But that would mean -- getting out of the expensive hotels in the capital and away from all the luxuries. So much for getting the real picture. Then we wind up believing our own poor propaganda
"but this is a thin sliver of the upper bureaucracy, whereas most people who work in government offices have a career unaffected by the party in office"
Im sorry to say, as a former Fed - the spoils system is back. Under the Bush-Cheney admin, the focus was on bringing in contractors to replace civil servants and replace them with loyalists and people who would support without questions projects going through that should not take place or permit otherwise questionable contracts.
You need a compliant staff, people who are inexperienced and content to follow orders without question. Part of the problem with the corruption of our services in Iraq and Afghanistan, relied in part on spoiling the civil service system. The problem occurs elsewhere in the system as well, I'm sorry to report.
Watch the jobs that are posted, then pulled, and recompeted two weeks later with some tweaking to the language of the annoucement.
The Vatican Radio reported a direct plea from a Roman Catholic Bishop in Aleppo for the "world powers' to stop funding terrorism - highlighting, as a view from the ground too, all that this article pointedly raises:
The title of this article is "Did the US DIA see ISIL as a strategic Ally against al-Assad in 2012?" and Dr Cole answers, our DIA did not.
However, the DIA is not the only agency with a dog in this fight; agencies notoriously do not work together and administrations have been known to foster special departments within agencies or alternate agencies, at the expense of competing agencies, to do a job that political group wants done.
Departments that don't seem to support a party line, get left out of the loop, underfunded, see work dry up. Voter beware
And in Central Asia, the group or person being referred to as 'Wahhabi' doesnt need to be from Saudi Arabia or even a follower of Wahhabi ideas, it's a synonym for jihadi or extremist. The village I worked in Central Asia would be visited by guys driving through the porous borders from other countries, often further south like Uzbekistan or Afghanistan, to pass out leaflets and propaganda they would come and liberate everyone. People in my village would derisively call them 'Wahhabis'. There's a difference at times between a textbook or classical definition, and how people on the ground view the same phenomenon
It's amazingly depressing. Right up there, with previously there not being an Al Qaeda connection and Iraq to our war spurring such a relationship - the politically self-fulfilling prophesy.
Today it's being reported Tadmur/Palmyra has fallen to ISIL, and that it means half of Syria is under their control. The question now is - what next -- how far is ISIL going to push on -- Baghdad is not far from Ramadi, an hour and a half. What is the state of things from the Jordanian and Lebanese perspectives?
The neo-cons (the UK Guardian had a great article on this last winter) had envisioned federation to be a kurdish state in the north, the Shia in the south to align with Kuwait (this is the neo-cons' ill-informed idea) and the center of Iraq to align with Jordan. Just change the parts out the neo-cons thought each region of Iraq would appendage too, and you stiill have some kind of federation idea
If things really keep going to hell in a handbasket, and ISIL pushes on and attacks Jordan, then it could be a scenario where Jordan aligns with the center of Iraq if ISIL attacks and say Jordan falls. That's hypothetical of course, but scary to consider
Isnt that what there is in effect? The Shia dominate the government in Baghdad and the Kurds in the north -- for now. The tribes in the center-ish might be replaced with ISIL. The Federation idea is going to fail too. Really, this problem is bigger than this issue
Has it? Sadly, the worst-case scenario is about to take a turn for the worse. It's frightening that Da'esh has gotten this far. And it's equally frightening the political paralysis, the cover up
1) Likely Bin Ladin would have gone for the Towers or something dramatic anyway, irregardless of our first war with Iraq. A) Bin Ladin was further radicalized by the Afghan war and comes from that generation of terrorism, and B) Bin Ladin has always harbored resentment against the US. I used to work at the American University in Cairo and his views were well known. While members of his family were solicited for donations, it was known - leave him off the mailing list
2) You are referencing the famous dialogue between Ambassador April Glaspie and Saddam Hussein where the Ambassador indicated the US would not interfere. Then she was pulled from view and has never made an interview following that. The State Department made a point of secluding her. Why? That question has never been appropriately tackled. Was Glaspie's response the result of a conflict of view and/or lack of coordination within the foreign policy apparatus? State does NOT make foreign policy -- few people realize this. It's another agency that does - they set the priorities and State executes. Or Was Glaspie instructed to deliberately mislead Hussein? And later the lesser hawks won out over the chicken hawks in the policy establishment?
3) Definitely the responsibility for the Iraq debacle likes with the chicken hawks in the Cheney administration. 'Yellow Cake' if anyone remembers that. A friend of my uncle, was one of the heads of the UN weapons inspection team that was later disbanded. They did not find evidence of nuclear weaponry, but of course Yellow Cake was prefabricated along the lines that claimed Iraq had these or was close to it and which formed the basis for justifying the invasion of Iraq in 2007
Dear Ms. Levinson, very interesting article. History is repeating itself but our country doesnt pay notice to history, and hence the stuck-in-a-rut mode, again. One irony, the emphasis on strength by our authorities-that-be falls on the wrong aspect of strength, and as a result we have economic crises, military and political vulnerabilities, and lack of solutions for man-made conflicts (ie that should be solvable because they are man-made). And political impotency as well. The ensuing power vacuum is really a biparty system - eating itself and that also makes us very vulnerable. Often with conflicts, the unity front against a common enemy falls away and in-fighting takes place along with corruption. Our society produces enough 'Cassandras' in the mythical sense of the word -- and has failed to learn the lesson of the Trojans
It would be a welcome change if other parties were elected, and would be par for the course, given past history of Israeli elections.
Furthermore, it would be great if the Arab parties were to take on a larger role. It remains to be seen what kind of party deals will be struck, though. If it does happen, there could be foreign policy repercussions too. Are our 'wonks' ready for it??
Of course we all know that environmental and democracy activists are the 5th column and a threat to our nation. Older female activists like Vera Scroggins are more dangerous than ISIS and Al Qaeda. She's educated, which makes the situation more dangerous. Beware of grandmothers
Havent heard of her? Google the Mother Jones story on Vera Scroggins and her role as a fracking activist
I remember watching a famous American professor on Islam being invited to talk at the State Department for a public talk, with press present. He had been invited by then A/S Secretary Hughes' staff to talk to the Department employees as part of a series these officials wanted to host where experts on the region would come and talk to large groups of State employees.
Dr Esposito expressed some frustration at being invited over a period of several years and each time the topic was basically being repeated, and it was time to raise the level of discussion and issues and he applauded Secretary Hughes' staff for creating this special series of speakers for Department employees.
He was the last speaker as well. This is a problem with our various parts of the establishment -- they are rigidly embedded in the same notions and arguments. It's as if the scripts just keep being recylcled, just the date changes. It's easy for people not to have to read or research. Just keep it easy
Thank you. Palestinians absolutely have a right to education. Our diplomats need to step up to the plate and advocate for that right to be respected. The Fulbright Association again needs to go to bat and other organizations to protect the rights of Palestinian students. Yes, even a famous neo-con, Condileeza Rice, stated that Palestinians have a fundamental right to education when she learned the Fulbright program for Gazans had been pulled and she personally stepped in to reinstate that program. Let's not be cowed now
Islamic law can be established with weaponry and baseball caps were worn in the 7th Century?? These must of been the guys sleeping at their desks during religious lessons. Conservatives here and there have gotten too emboldened and sure of themselves
Thanks, that was a great laugh. Cheney should THANK Mrs Clinton instead, for all the times the Cheney-ites at State were shielded from accountability because of the pervailing ethos 'the hierarchy must be defended at all costs, no matter what' that reigns at State. Not to mention, during her tenure at State, Mrs Clinton's staff forgot to reform all the problems the Cheney-ites caused or do anything about it.
He should be particularly grateful that proteges such as Victoria 'open-mouth-insert-two-feet' Nuland enjoyed promotion up the chain of responsibility. Look how great the Ukraine crisis is turning out.
Mr Cheney should be more grateful indeed to the Clinton staffers. It's hard to hold Mrs Clinton accountable -- she was often out of the country somewhere....
The bus ad is ugly - no doubt about it. I'm not sure how many buses they are on, but the wording is a bad reflection on the source of the ad, not its intended message.
The last ad that was run was pulled off stations by commuters or defaced, and just as forgetfully melodramatic
© 2025 All Rights Reserved
Where will the Free Syrian Army gang go? Over to the DoD program? Is this really a consolidation and coordination of two similar kind of programs albeit with different clientele? The CIA seems to gravitate toward more extreme elements, for those of us who remember the Mujahadeen. But beyond the headlines and lamenting of the Post, walnut shells have been moved around
Another concern - back door methods to excluding Arabs and Muslims from countries not on the official seven-oops-six
These are not new proposals. This is Cheney 2.0 - just these guys follow the Meir Kahana school of thought - 'I saw what you only think'
One state means compelling the GoI to implement equal policies and integrate Christian, Muslims, and other religious groups in to the jewish state without prejudice. Not to mention - stop taking homes away from the non Jewish residents precisely because they are not members of the state religion.
Dear Right: Be careful what you wish for
Thanks - I miswrote there. Unfortunately, we are stuck with such officials now
Too many avoidable ironies here. Dr Abushamma has done great service for Americans at the Cleveland Clinic but her visa is wrongly canceled. Then she has to fly back with no visa and that had to be nerve wracking for her. The order literally made people who follow the law, face punishment.
Hopefully, Steve Bannon and friends will learn sooner or later - they are elected officials and not kings or queens
Did they find any of the uranium Saddam Hussein supposedly obtained and for which we/the US believed was cassus belli for the Iraq invasion and war??
Maybe, someday ...
I did not vote for Trump, but having lived in the former USSR - it is hard to believe a businessperson goes there and does not know -- the FSB is monitoring him or her left and right. Why would you engage in such behavior that could wind up on the pages of the media or worse? Maybe lower level functionaires go and don't get this but a senior level person should understand the vulnerability
Probably a game, with the hope power could result in both publications outdoing each other for sycophancy or producing the same themed-stories and titles, the way the NY Times and Washington Post are currently operating. Politics makes for bizarre bed fellows
Team Clinton really have themselves to blame. WIki could have released stuff, but if Podesta and friends had't done what they did, there would have been zero scandals. It's passing the buck to blame Assange. From now on elected officials should ask - do I want my mom or the voter reading about this in the paper? And that should be a guide for them to act responsibly - not hey. let's switch to gmail to discuss classified stuff so the Chinese can get in on this. NOw we get why CHinese intel has been breaching gmail often
I still remember the infamous Ashcroft Hospital showdown, when Comey literally sped to the hospital where then-AG john Ashcroft lay, sedated following an operation. Remember Alberto Gonzalez? He wanted to get Ashcroft's comatose signature on a memo to authorize torture and Comey absolutely opposed this, and he threatened to quit if Gonzalez did this at the hospital.
With all due respect, I think the guy puts government before party. The sad issue to me was DoJ official Peter Kadzik writing Podesta via personal gmail alerting Podesta to an investigation at that time into the State email scandal. And we know who Kadzik is, historically or one can google him
Why are government officials using gmail to avoid FOIA and transparency? Meanwhile you as the historian or citizen can file a FOIA that will be ignored. That has to stop The transparency onus and working under a glass should be on the government officials -- not violating our 4th Amendment and spying on us. Go catch the bad guys, please
Yeah, immigration is a band aid but works for politicians and businesses with short-term sight/planning/goals.
Really need to reform the labour laws too. The western countries have fallen into a mindset need two people to afford all the good things in life (insert personal definition here) and also economic troubles have influenced people to put off having kids. Not enough has been done in most western countries to make it easier to be a working mom or to keep essential costs down. Education costs more than a house for example - I'm talking about college. Daycare alone eats a huge chunk of income, at the other end of the spectrum. Then factor in food, utilities, all that keeps rising fast and jobs are not being created or pay like they used to
These morons are still on our payroll??
If the Chilcott Report had been charged with determining the war was legal or not, it would mean jail terms for certain officials
At least the UK has had a Chilcott Investigation; in the US, what have we had??
I lived and worked in DC at the time. What 'lots of folks'? Turned out the "opposition" in the halls of government were too interested in keeping their jobs and picket fences in northern virginia and proved much easier to snuff out than any opposition and ISIL combined in Iraq.
State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) tried to raise red flags. However the sheep public kept quiet as civil servants were pushed out of jobs for political reasons - conveniently civil servants who raised that opposition. One employee of INR jumped off the roof at State at the time - was that person part of a purge and through depression ended his life? ALl the chips fell into line at the end of the day, and here we are
An army that included terrorists who bombed us in NY and VA on 9/11
Now is a fantastic time for a third or third and fourth parties to enter the elections. Time to jolt and bolt both parties
THank you, it's been hard to find information on this recent visit and what is going on. That is dismal because it seems if we all got together on this - we could squash Isil from opposite directions but it seems the will to wipe out ISIL in Syria is not there on our side and that is rather alarming
Like Al-Nusra and radical company in Syria? Would love to know how much we spend on them, an ally of Al Qaeda, but isnt that part of the bill Congress authorizes kept secret??
These groups are disengenuous - the ones supporting the legislation above are connected to groups that push for supporting the radical islamist groups like Al Nusra in Syria. But hey - they have to earn a living and work to make sure their claims have some basis but don't look too closely at how they play a role in this
These fascist groups should be spending $208 million dollars for legislation that creates jobs, not fans hate. Insecurity is big business for these crazies
A couple of the groups named above were also headed or founded by Daniel Pipes. Pipes was once on the Fulbright Board -- these guys shouldn't be allowed near any government job or anything security-related, especially for the sake of a democratic and transparent society - yet how do they make it??
The second wife was reported to be divorced and one year older than Mateen, too. In Central Asian cultures, this is not the norm. Almost always, a woman would be preferred who is much younger and inexperienced marriage-wise ahem.
Marriage to an older and divorced woman would likely prompt gossip about the groom's orientation, given these kind of circumstances
Bad news. This is one case where the US is ahead of Israel. Usually, we copy their bad anti-terrorism laws that yield more terrorism. Civil Forfeiture is that controversial program still in place and bonus - you dont have to be a terrorist. Just be born suspicious-looking in a way entirely subjective way.
But have to agree, and Im a Sanders person, you know Clinton is going to go hawk in order to curry favour with the neo-cons and prove how 'tough' she is on security matters and will find away to support more restrictions
Super - no one supports ethnic cleansing except morons and ironically, the Clinton administration was FAMOUS for inacting on the Rwandan and Yugoslavian massacres, waiting until people were murdered before convening conferences and acting like they did something useful. People were dead by then
I read that this guy's father came to the US after or during our last war in Afghanistan.
If so, how? I'm worried this may be yet another case where we pick the wrong crowd to back and what needs to be reformed is our foreign and intel policy. Too often we align with human rights abusers and they get immigration or other perks to the US. We need to be better discerners whom we support but we seem to be making the same mistakes today - ie supporting allies of Al Qaeda in Syria and 9/11 anniversary is 3 months away
Another famous example are the Salvadoran military officials who were responsible for the rape and murder of seven American nuns in El Salavador -- and who were rewarded with citizenship in the US! The US ambassador at the time, Robert White, lost his job because he tried to advocate justice for our compatriots. Ambassador White died last year, I believe, but devoted his life after being fired for taking a moral stand to obtaining justice for these poor souls.
Something is broken. It's hard to hear people say 'never again' but allow things to continue
Someone who supports Salafism would want to think of themselves as religious. They are writing their own narrative, so to speak
Most Muslims don't buy Salafism, however, and might say it's hypocrasy. 'Do as I say, don't look at what I do'
Because alot of the guys who join up -- were not particularly observant or practicing Muslims, except in name only. The further you go outward from the heart of the Middle East (and im simplyfing this) the more likely you are to find people who do not understand the regulations and basis of their own faith.
In addition, religious education varies country to country and in many cases, people do not undergo any religious instruction so what they learn is from the western media with fantastic irony, and they wind up subscribing to stereotypes about their own faith
Lastly what is drawing people to join ISIS and the radicals from other countries? Often lack of economic empowerment/jobs in their own countries and being guys -- a sense of boredom and wanting excitement
Part of the real failure of our occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. We built a few forts, hunkered down, and failed to transform the economies in a way to benefit the local populaces (ie the majority community numerically compared to us). The only economic changes we made were with an eye on the US voter and benefiting American businesses. You might as well build a skyscraper on an active fault line
You can't expect to invade, retroactively announce plans to build an infrastructure then do nothing. Its a recipe for disaster
Just because someone is born into a religion, doesnt mean they know it or know the rules of their particular faith.
How many Catholics in the US know there are some sects of Catholicism where the priests CAN marry? Probably zero (it's some of the eastern rite branches of the Catholic Church, comprised of over 20 groups actually). Some don't even know they have to go to confession first if they missed a prior mass before going up to receive communion.
In Central Asia, understanding of Islam is uneven, partly because of geography and political history. Many people do not know the finer points or the actual difference between Shi'a and Sunni. When I was a Peace Corps volunteer in an Uzbek village, people were worried about wahhabi/salafi groups but didn't know what they were per se - they thought of them as political trouble makers. My female counterpart once confided she didn't like the Wahhabis - they would make her veil and convert to Baptist faith. At that point, I released she had heard these terms but didn't know a Baptist was very different than a Wahhabi. Can you imagine a Catholic having to explain the difference between a Baptist and a Wahhabi???
Is having Robert Kagan and the neocons' support THAT good a thing?
This candidate has to overcompensate for the stereotyped view that democrats and female candidates especially are weak on security. The irony is -- you can promote a weak security by being too aggressive as well
There is a constituency this candidate has failed -- her own department's whistle blowers.
There is little difference between Trump and Clinton, except he is a bona fide racist and HRC panders to lobbyists.
As presidential candidates, neither has successfully articulated their plan for tackling our nation's problems. Neither one has stamina. For her part, HRC has backed down many occassions on key issues to avoid hurting her image. It is naive to think either one cares about anything beyond obtaining the White House
Howard Dean was quoted today saying no one wants to be remembered as Ralph Nader, in a veiled reference to Bernie Sanders.
Nader, to those of us with a political memory, did an outstanding job as a consumer advocate and opened the way for alternate parties in the 2 party-system we are stuck with. If anything, no one remembers Dean and he wishes he had accomplished half as much as Nader
Sanders, no matter what happens to his bid, has made a tremendous impact and flung the doors open for alternate candidates. He has also raised famously no-go issues for campaigning candidates such as support for Netanyahu and the right. Sanders has exemplified candidates can have backbone and compete too
It's high time for spokes to be thrown into the wheels of the democratic and republican parties.
Would be great if both a sane Republican candidate and Sanders announced they will fight on -- via alternate or new party tickets.
It's time to challenge this process. It's failing us anyway; we need more parties. We are 1 step away from a dictatorship with just 2 parties
CBunny -- the other irony with the HRC crowd -- our vote does NOT matter in the primary - but we'd better fall into line and vote for HRC in the presidential race.
If our vote doesnt matter in the primaries, why will it matter in the presidential race? What would have changed -- people do not reason things through.
Yeah, our vote matters all right but if it cant be counted in the primary, the Clintonians may have created a monster that could bite their butts come the next phase
Democracy has died
Hope Sanders can do it
Hopefully. It is ironic or maybe somehow related that here in the US, pluralism has been sharply criticized and seemingly rejected by people on the right politically. Could pluralism in the Middle East therefore make a come back, while the right here - often a driver when it comes to national security and military policies in the US and how these play out in the Middle East -- is distracted from pluralism?
Pluralism is sorely needed but it is a sign of the times people have lost the vital art of connecting to others and working together. We really need pluralism in our lives and as a partial antidote to alot of problems taking place. Crossing my fingers
The so-called think tanks are really NOT think tanks in spite of this term. They are more like 'jockeyers for favours and prestige" with the Washington establishment, and do not expect any intelligent or serious thinking outside-the-box ideas or plans from them. Often, these organizations task areas to specialists who did not previously specialize in anything Middle Eastern-related and there are various reasons why that is, none are really professional. Many if not most of the so-called think tanks are affiliated with lobbying or political organizations. When they work, it is behind-the-scenes, not before the scrutinizing glare of daylight.
Our US officials, particularly those with conservative spins or those appointed to this area with zero background or understanding of the country or region, have often favoured federation. Do the Iraqi people favour this too? This is the question. There are a sizable number who fought in the Iraqi army against Iran in that war, including Shi'a Iraqis, who are loyal to the notion of a state of Iraq. Protestors aren't yet calling for the dissolution of the country; they are demanding action from the current leadership
The political solution we have imposed on Iraq is a failed one; indeed across the region the parties or systems we have 'set up' are anemic and rickety - Libya is another lately in the news. We need to get smarter at promoting feasible political solutions, not imposing them and importantly, factor in populations in these countries when we 'plan' (if you want to call what has transpired since 9/11 planning).
We seem to be rolling in and forgetting, oh yeah, these countries have populations with basic needs and expectations; instead we are stuck on putting out fires and this is not sustainable anywhere
Don't believe the Economist. Their 'journalists' often rely on official stats and sources and fail to do legit research.
They need to factor in all aspects of the economy, including the 'shadow', the black market, and interviewing everyday people. But that would mean -- getting out of the expensive hotels in the capital and away from all the luxuries. So much for getting the real picture. Then we wind up believing our own poor propaganda
"but this is a thin sliver of the upper bureaucracy, whereas most people who work in government offices have a career unaffected by the party in office"
Im sorry to say, as a former Fed - the spoils system is back. Under the Bush-Cheney admin, the focus was on bringing in contractors to replace civil servants and replace them with loyalists and people who would support without questions projects going through that should not take place or permit otherwise questionable contracts.
You need a compliant staff, people who are inexperienced and content to follow orders without question. Part of the problem with the corruption of our services in Iraq and Afghanistan, relied in part on spoiling the civil service system. The problem occurs elsewhere in the system as well, I'm sorry to report.
Watch the jobs that are posted, then pulled, and recompeted two weeks later with some tweaking to the language of the annoucement.
Theodore Roosevelt must be roiling in his crypt
What good is a gender-equal cabinet when the men and women picked are obsequious and self-serving?
How about cabinet where the members don't sell out, "just because" they have made it
The Vatican Radio reported a direct plea from a Roman Catholic Bishop in Aleppo for the "world powers' to stop funding terrorism - highlighting, as a view from the ground too, all that this article pointedly raises:
link to en.radiovaticana.va
The title of this article is "Did the US DIA see ISIL as a strategic Ally against al-Assad in 2012?" and Dr Cole answers, our DIA did not.
However, the DIA is not the only agency with a dog in this fight; agencies notoriously do not work together and administrations have been known to foster special departments within agencies or alternate agencies, at the expense of competing agencies, to do a job that political group wants done.
Departments that don't seem to support a party line, get left out of the loop, underfunded, see work dry up. Voter beware
And, yeah, that gets confusing
And in Central Asia, the group or person being referred to as 'Wahhabi' doesnt need to be from Saudi Arabia or even a follower of Wahhabi ideas, it's a synonym for jihadi or extremist. The village I worked in Central Asia would be visited by guys driving through the porous borders from other countries, often further south like Uzbekistan or Afghanistan, to pass out leaflets and propaganda they would come and liberate everyone. People in my village would derisively call them 'Wahhabis'. There's a difference at times between a textbook or classical definition, and how people on the ground view the same phenomenon
That is great Mr Kiriakou is working at the Institute for Policy Studies
It's amazingly depressing. Right up there, with previously there not being an Al Qaeda connection and Iraq to our war spurring such a relationship - the politically self-fulfilling prophesy.
Today it's being reported Tadmur/Palmyra has fallen to ISIL, and that it means half of Syria is under their control. The question now is - what next -- how far is ISIL going to push on -- Baghdad is not far from Ramadi, an hour and a half. What is the state of things from the Jordanian and Lebanese perspectives?
The neo-cons (the UK Guardian had a great article on this last winter) had envisioned federation to be a kurdish state in the north, the Shia in the south to align with Kuwait (this is the neo-cons' ill-informed idea) and the center of Iraq to align with Jordan. Just change the parts out the neo-cons thought each region of Iraq would appendage too, and you stiill have some kind of federation idea
If things really keep going to hell in a handbasket, and ISIL pushes on and attacks Jordan, then it could be a scenario where Jordan aligns with the center of Iraq if ISIL attacks and say Jordan falls. That's hypothetical of course, but scary to consider
Isnt that what there is in effect? The Shia dominate the government in Baghdad and the Kurds in the north -- for now. The tribes in the center-ish might be replaced with ISIL. The Federation idea is going to fail too. Really, this problem is bigger than this issue
Has it? Sadly, the worst-case scenario is about to take a turn for the worse. It's frightening that Da'esh has gotten this far. And it's equally frightening the political paralysis, the cover up
Thank you for this insightful update, and looking forward to reading more on the state of the tribes there
Kenneth and Zeke:
1) Likely Bin Ladin would have gone for the Towers or something dramatic anyway, irregardless of our first war with Iraq. A) Bin Ladin was further radicalized by the Afghan war and comes from that generation of terrorism, and B) Bin Ladin has always harbored resentment against the US. I used to work at the American University in Cairo and his views were well known. While members of his family were solicited for donations, it was known - leave him off the mailing list
2) You are referencing the famous dialogue between Ambassador April Glaspie and Saddam Hussein where the Ambassador indicated the US would not interfere. Then she was pulled from view and has never made an interview following that. The State Department made a point of secluding her. Why? That question has never been appropriately tackled. Was Glaspie's response the result of a conflict of view and/or lack of coordination within the foreign policy apparatus? State does NOT make foreign policy -- few people realize this. It's another agency that does - they set the priorities and State executes. Or Was Glaspie instructed to deliberately mislead Hussein? And later the lesser hawks won out over the chicken hawks in the policy establishment?
3) Definitely the responsibility for the Iraq debacle likes with the chicken hawks in the Cheney administration. 'Yellow Cake' if anyone remembers that. A friend of my uncle, was one of the heads of the UN weapons inspection team that was later disbanded. They did not find evidence of nuclear weaponry, but of course Yellow Cake was prefabricated along the lines that claimed Iraq had these or was close to it and which formed the basis for justifying the invasion of Iraq in 2007
If the military-industrial complex prefers a long, drawn out war and for nothing to be accomplished up front, who better to send than Petraeus
Dear Ms. Levinson, very interesting article. History is repeating itself but our country doesnt pay notice to history, and hence the stuck-in-a-rut mode, again. One irony, the emphasis on strength by our authorities-that-be falls on the wrong aspect of strength, and as a result we have economic crises, military and political vulnerabilities, and lack of solutions for man-made conflicts (ie that should be solvable because they are man-made). And political impotency as well. The ensuing power vacuum is really a biparty system - eating itself and that also makes us very vulnerable. Often with conflicts, the unity front against a common enemy falls away and in-fighting takes place along with corruption. Our society produces enough 'Cassandras' in the mythical sense of the word -- and has failed to learn the lesson of the Trojans
"Are the wild-card ultra-Orthodox parties known to be bribable? "
Heck, yes. Not all, though. Happens in the US with clergy from other faiths as well. The allure of power and status
It would be a welcome change if other parties were elected, and would be par for the course, given past history of Israeli elections.
Furthermore, it would be great if the Arab parties were to take on a larger role. It remains to be seen what kind of party deals will be struck, though. If it does happen, there could be foreign policy repercussions too. Are our 'wonks' ready for it??
"“We’d go down to Buffalo Wild Wings, drink beer and debrief. It was surreal. It didn’t take long for you to realize how important the work is. "
If Russian agents in the form of beautiful and easy women suddenly start frequenting Buffalo Wild Wings, wouldnt that be just from left field??
Loose lips ....
Anything for defense of the homeland ....
Bringing the A-game to the war .....
Of course we all know that environmental and democracy activists are the 5th column and a threat to our nation. Older female activists like Vera Scroggins are more dangerous than ISIS and Al Qaeda. She's educated, which makes the situation more dangerous. Beware of grandmothers
Havent heard of her? Google the Mother Jones story on Vera Scroggins and her role as a fracking activist
I remember watching a famous American professor on Islam being invited to talk at the State Department for a public talk, with press present. He had been invited by then A/S Secretary Hughes' staff to talk to the Department employees as part of a series these officials wanted to host where experts on the region would come and talk to large groups of State employees.
Dr Esposito expressed some frustration at being invited over a period of several years and each time the topic was basically being repeated, and it was time to raise the level of discussion and issues and he applauded Secretary Hughes' staff for creating this special series of speakers for Department employees.
He was the last speaker as well. This is a problem with our various parts of the establishment -- they are rigidly embedded in the same notions and arguments. It's as if the scripts just keep being recylcled, just the date changes. It's easy for people not to have to read or research. Just keep it easy
Thank you. Palestinians absolutely have a right to education. Our diplomats need to step up to the plate and advocate for that right to be respected. The Fulbright Association again needs to go to bat and other organizations to protect the rights of Palestinian students. Yes, even a famous neo-con, Condileeza Rice, stated that Palestinians have a fundamental right to education when she learned the Fulbright program for Gazans had been pulled and she personally stepped in to reinstate that program. Let's not be cowed now
Islamic law can be established with weaponry and baseball caps were worn in the 7th Century?? These must of been the guys sleeping at their desks during religious lessons. Conservatives here and there have gotten too emboldened and sure of themselves
Thanks, that was a great laugh. Cheney should THANK Mrs Clinton instead, for all the times the Cheney-ites at State were shielded from accountability because of the pervailing ethos 'the hierarchy must be defended at all costs, no matter what' that reigns at State. Not to mention, during her tenure at State, Mrs Clinton's staff forgot to reform all the problems the Cheney-ites caused or do anything about it.
He should be particularly grateful that proteges such as Victoria 'open-mouth-insert-two-feet' Nuland enjoyed promotion up the chain of responsibility. Look how great the Ukraine crisis is turning out.
Mr Cheney should be more grateful indeed to the Clinton staffers. It's hard to hold Mrs Clinton accountable -- she was often out of the country somewhere....
The bus ad is ugly - no doubt about it. I'm not sure how many buses they are on, but the wording is a bad reflection on the source of the ad, not its intended message.
The last ad that was run was pulled off stations by commuters or defaced, and just as forgetfully melodramatic