May 29, 2014US President Obama has made it clear that he plans to withdraw ALL troops from Afghanistan by 2016. After more than a decade of fighting, spending, training and dying, Obama is going to try to keep his vision of ending two wars before he leaves office. (Note, “ending,” not necessarily winning.) The Good News:We’re … Continue reading THE US AND AFGHANISTAN: THE NEXT CHAPTER
Tag: Obama
GLOBAL UPDATE: MAY 2014
May 26, 2014 Every once in a while, I’ll stop and post some views on what’s happening in the world. It almost seems like a full-time job just to try to keep track of all that’s happening. Here’s my “simplified” list of five complex issues that are happening now: EGYPTIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: What’s happening? Egypt … Continue reading GLOBAL UPDATE: MAY 2014
The Iranian DEAL
November 26, 2013The DEAL has been struck. After a decade of tension between Iran and the West over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, a deal of sorts has been reached and now we will wait and see if it ends up being good for the world, or not. What’s the Deal?Basically, Iran has agreed to limit its nuclear … Continue reading The Iranian DEAL
Al-Qaeda Terrorist Captured Instead of “Droned.” Why the Shift in US Strategy?
On October 5th the US conducted two raids to capture high-value targets in Africa, one in Libya and the other in Somalia. The raid in Somalia netted nothing, but the incursion in Libya turned up Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, aka Abu Anas al-Libi - who was arrested and is apparently on the USS San Antonio being … Continue reading Al-Qaeda Terrorist Captured Instead of “Droned.” Why the Shift in US Strategy?
Syrian President Assad: Brilliant Politician
(Photo by Spencer Irvine) How do you wage a civil war, get accused of using chemical weapons on your citizens, avoid a US military strike, admit that you actually have chemical weapons, sit for two US televised interviews and pretty much guarantee that you’ll stay in power? Ask Mr. Bashar al-Assad - because that’s exactly … Continue reading Syrian President Assad: Brilliant Politician
Benghazi: One Year Out
It’s the 12th anniversary of 9/11 - a dozen years have passed. 9/11 has definitively changed the world and the way people look at safety, security, terrorism, radicalism and how nations interact with one another and against one another. But today is also the one year anniversary of another event: The murder of US Ambassador … Continue reading Benghazi: One Year Out
Waffling on Syria
First, we have a leadership problem. Regardless as to whether or not I think military action in Syria is a good idea or not, if a president is going to make big “red-line” statements, then he should do what he says he’s going to do. Or don’t say anything. Obama said he was going to … Continue reading Waffling on Syria
Syria, Chemical Weapons and the US Response
My source inside of Syria contacted me today. He’s a Syrian journalist in Damascus covering the ongoing civil war. He doesn’t want me to use his name, but I trust his information - I’ve literally put my life in his hands when I worked on a project in Damascus back in 2009. After giving me … Continue reading Syria, Chemical Weapons and the US Response
The Global Nexter 