Blog Posts

"Leaders of France, Russia, Ukraine and Germany to meet in December; new report into 2014 downing of Malaysian passenger jet further implicates Russia."

"The modern Middle East was formed exactly 100 years ago when, in the wake of World War I, the victors began creating new countries. Among the populations deemed deserving of nationhood — along with Armenians and Azeris — were the Kurds."

"President Donald Trump has pardoned a former U.S. Army commando set to stand trial next year in the killing of a suspected Afghan bomb-maker and for a former Army lieutenant who had been convicted of murder after he ordered his men to fire upon three Afghans, killing two, the White House announced late Friday."

"A senior U.S. coalition commander said Friday the partnership with Syrian Kurdish forces remains strong and focused on fighting the Islamic State group, despite an expanding Turkish incursion into areas under Kurdish control."

"The Israeli Air Force just wrapped up a 'Blue Flag' wargame with the US & European allies and a real war with Islamic Jihad in Gaza."

"European and other members of the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group must take back and prosecute their nationals detained in Iraq and Syria to help keep ISIS from regaining territory, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday."

"U.S. Africa Command on Nov. 1 announced that the new base in Agadez, Niger — designed to house armed drones and other aircraft that have been operating out of an international airport in Niamey, Niger’s capital — had begun flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions that week."

"The move comes a day after President Trump met with Turkish President Erdogan at the White House."

"U.S. airstrikes targeting Islamic State fighters in Libya in September knocked out nearly one-third of the group’s fighters, but U.S. officials aren’t sweating over a massive ISIS resurgence in the country."

"President Donald Trump and Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, met Wednesday as relations between the NATO allies have fallen to their lowest point in decades, with Turkey drifting closer to Russia and facing a Washington backlash over its military offensive against Kurds in Syria."

Israel called up reserve forces and stationed artillery on the border with Gaza. Speaking in parliament, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Islamic Jihad knew Israel would keep striking Islamic Jihad "with no mercy." Netanyahu also clashed with Arab parliament members, one of whom was forcibly removed from the room.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House for a second time at what is a low ebb in relations between Washington and Ankara.

"Former officials have said that Mr. al-Baghdadi could have ordered Ms. Mueller’s death because she had become a liability as he sought to avoid capture or death, but the American government has not publicly confirmed Umm Sayyaf’s account."

"A select panel of elite U.S. military special operators offered their insights and warnings for American policymakers after the Delta Force raid in northern Syria that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in October."

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visits the White House for talks Wednesday with U.S. President Donald Trump, with the two leaders likely to discuss Turkey's incursion in northern Syria and its purchase of a Russian air defense system.

"More than 40 days after the pivotal presidential election, we’re still unsure how many votes were cast - not to mention who the victor is."

"At a base in eastern Syria, a senior U.S. coalition commander said Monday that American troops who remain in Syria are redeploying to bases, including in some new locations, and working with the Kurdish-led forces to keep up the pressure on the Islamic State militants and prevent the extremists from resurging or breaking out of prisons."

"President Donald Trump said Tuesday that America now has its eye on a new Islamic State leader, telling the Economic Club of New York that “we know where he is.”"

"Nothing remains to be said about the American abandonment of Syrian Kurdistan. But what about Europe?"

Despite major setbacks in recent years, the al-Qaida terror group seems to remain resilient and is slowly rebuilding its capabilities in many conflict-ridden countries around the world, while the world's focus is on the Islamic State (IS), experts warn.

Turkey's October military intervention into Syria is increasingly straining relations with its regional allies and neighbors, but the country is pushing back against mounting criticism of its Syrian incursion.

"The killings were a reminder of the stubborn threat of communist insurgents in rural areas of the Philippines."

Taliban will release two Western hostages they have held for three years in return for the Afghan government releasing three senior Taliban leaders, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced Tuesday morning.

"Our elite close combat forces are outnumbered. As a national priority we must increase the numbers of those capable of doing these hazardous jobs by transferring the skills of JSOC warriors to Army and Marine conventional infantrymen."

"The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says about 500 or 600 U.S. troops will remain in Syria to counter Islamic State fighters."