From In Homeland Security A mere six days after President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria, Israel initiated an air strike near Damascus that targeted Iranian and Hezbollah missile locations. Whether Trump’s announcement played any role in the Israeli decision to strike the missile storage site is unknown. Although Israel has struck […]
Iran
Balance of Power Shifts to Iran if U.S. Leaves Syria
From In Homeland Security During the Cold War, it was common to discuss the various forms of socialism and communism. The intelligence community was well aware of this, and analysts were often well-versed in The Communist Manifesto. When it comes to combating Islamic extremism, the same level of expertise is needed. Understanding Extremism When studying […]
Liberalism Key to Christian Survival Around the Globe
From First Things A vast oblong of Islamist, authoritarian, or sectarian persecution stretches from Egypt, Eritrea, Turkey, and Sudan, all the way to China and North Korea, across India and Pakistan. According to a recent report published by Aid to the Church in Need, “the persecution of Christians is today worse than at any time […]
Competing for Regional Power and Peace in Afghanistan
As the Unites States tries to break the long stalemate of war in Afghanistan, regional powers continue jockeying for position, attempting to carve out their own spheres of influence in the country. A combination of fears over the Islamic State’s Afghanistan branch—Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP)—and prospects of mineral wealth have pulled more of Afghanistan’s […]
Understanding Donald Trump’s Grand Global Strategy
President Trump is visiting Europe for a NATO summit and a one-on-one chat with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many Trump detractors are concerned that the U.S. President is overly lenient with Russia, given Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and its interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. His detractors are also concerned that Trump is far […]