Recent Posts

As Right-Wing Extremism Rises, Jihadism Still Persists

Six separate terrorist attacks took place in Europe between late September and late November of last year—three in France, and one each in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. All six attacks were inspired by Salafi-jihadist ideology, which is, and will remain, a persistent terrorism threat to Europe and elsewhere in the …

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Al-Qaida Is Diminished, but Don’t Write Its Obituary Just Yet

Rumors began swirling last fall that al-Qaida chieftain Ayman al-Zawahiri had died of natural causes. With no confirmation, counterterrorism analysts and long-time al-Qaida watchers weighed in with various assessments of what it would mean for the terrorist organization if it had indeed lost its leader. Just last week, al-Qaida’s official …

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Environmental Ruin Could Make Postwar Syria Unlivable

After nearly a decade of conflict, the extensive damage inflicted on Syria’s environment is emerging as another devastating, if less visible, tragedy of its civil war. Polluted soil and contaminated water are exacerbating the already severe suffering of Syrian civilians, undermining their ability to meet their basic needs and jeopardizing …

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Khamenei’s Iran Elections Impasse – OpEd

Less than two months to Iran’s presidential elections and the regime has yet to officially announce its candidates for the mock vote that will bring Iran’s next president to power. But this isn’t the only thing that sets this year’s Iran elections apart. An unprecedented number of Iranians, on social …

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Libya: 5+5 Joint Military Commission meets in Sirte

Libya’s 5+5 Joint Military Commission held a meeting Tuesday in the coastal city of Sirte. The head of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Menfi, and UN Special Envoy to Libya Jan Kubis took part. Representatives from the warring sides discussed the opening of the coastal road along the north of the …

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