In seeking to protect Israel from an existential Iranian threat, Prime Minister Netanyahu confronts problematic facts and key uncertainties. It will be interesting to hear how he deals with them in today’s address to Congress and all Americans—who also face an existential threat from Iran, whether they know it or not. Read Full Story
“America, for all that we’ve endured; for all the grit and hard work required to come back; for all the tasks that lie ahead, know this: The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong. ~ President Barak Obama, January 20, 2015 Read Full Story
“We still face more complex and ambitious plots that follow the now sadly well established approach of Al Qaeda and its imitators: attempts to cause large scale loss of life, often by attacking transport systems or iconic targets. We know, for example, that a group of core Al Qaeda terrorists in Syria is planning mass casualty attacks against the West.“ ~ MI5 Director Andrew Parker, January 8, 2015 Read Full Story
“”Our loyal, brave people… should know the truth. They should know that there has been a gross neglect and deficiency in our defenses; they should know that we have sustained a defeat without a war, the consequences of which will travel far with us along our road… and do not suppose that this is the end. This is only the beginning of the reckoning. This is only the first sip, the first foretaste of the bitter cup which will be proffered to us year by year, unless by a supreme recovery of moral health and martial vigour, we arise again and take our stand for freedom as in olden time.” ~Winston Churchill, in protest against the Munich settlement, 1938 Read Full Story
Former Defense Secretary and CIA Director Leon Panetta and other departed senior officials have stated their misgivings about President Obama’s strategy, that, among other things, helped make possible the rise of ISIS. Panetta recently stated: “When we stepped out of Iraq, we created this vacuum.” ISIS is currently filling the space in the Middle East. Will they succeed? Will they be defeated? Contained? Come here? Hmmmmm . . . Read Full Story
The rise of the Islamic State and its objective of re-establishing an Islamic caliphate committed to destroying Western civilization highlights a threat the U.S. has ignored for decades. The ability to launch nuclear armed ballistic missiles is not beyond its prospective capabilities and exists already from North Korea and possibly soon from Iran. The electromagnetic pulse (EMP) from a single nuclear warhead detonated 100 miles or so over the U.S. could destroy our unhardened electric power grid—leading to the death of several hundred million Americans within the following year. It’s time to counter this threat! Read Full Story
“. . . With access to technology that allows small groups to do great harm, they have embraced a nightmarish vision that would divide the world into adherents and infidels — killing as many innocent civilians as possible, employing the most brutal methods to intimidate people within their communities . . . No grievance justifies these actions. There can be no reasoning — no negotiation — with this brand of evil. The only language understood by killers like this is the language of force . . .” ~President Barak Hussein Obama Read Full Story
Fourteen of yesterday’s early morning attacks in Syria focused on ISIS targets. Very important is that another eight Khorasan target areas were attacked by U.S. weapons, reportedly as somewhat of an afterthought, because recent intelligence indicated that these jihadis were on the verge of launching attacks in Europe and/or the U.S. homeland. Are we prepared to counter other “unidentified” homeland attacks? Read Full Story
“. . . [P]otential allies do not quite know what the U.S. is doing, how long America will fight, and what will happen to U.S. allies when we likely get tired, quit, and leave. For now, most allies are sitting tight and waiting for preemptive, unilateral U.S. action. If we begin defeating the Islamic State, they may eventually join in on the kill; if not, they won’t. That is a terrible way to wage coalition warfare, but we are reaping what we have sown.” ~Victor Davis Hanson Read Full Story
“President Obama’s promise “to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL” may or may not end up causing problems for the Islamic State. Surely however, it further degraded our security by further engaging us in the combination of fantasy and half measures that has earned America a reputation for un-seriousness and opened hunting season on Americans everywhere.” ~Angelo Codevilla Read Full Story
We will be adding key policy briefs as we progress.