Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri reversed his plans to resign as he returned to Lebanon on Nov. 22, punctuating an already volatile November with abundant uncertainty throughout the region. Hariri previously announced from Saudi Arabia on Nov. 4, his plans to step down as Lebanon’s prime minister citing, among other things, Iran’s influence in the […]
International
Perspective: North Korea Again Named Terror State
At a recent Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump announced his intention to designate North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism. The announcement came following the President’s recently completed 13-day trip to Asia. North Korea had been on the list, but was removed by the George W. Bush administration in 2008. Secretary of State Rex […]
Perspective: ISIS-Taliban Alliance Means Longer Afghanistan Commitment
A suicide bomber attacked a rally for Balkh Province Gov. Atta Mohamad Noor in Kabul Nov. 17, killing nine. Noor, who was not present at the rally, has hinted that he will run against President Ashraf Ghani in 2019. He has not officially announced that he will run, but he is a very popular political […]
Perspective: Human Rights Violations, The Root of Intl. Conflict
Human rights violations are often the root cause of domestic, regional, and international conflict.[1] Whether it is discrimination based upon religion, ethnic minorities, race or national origin, the genesis of war is often found in the systematic denial of human rights. This year, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated: “Promoting human rights and democratic […]
FBI, DHS Identify North Korea Malware Attacks
Two Joint Technical Alerts from the Department of Homeland Security and FBI on Tuesday identified cyber operations from North Korea that target “media, aerospace, financial, and critical infrastructure sectors in the United States and globally.” The United States calls North Korea’s cyber activity Hidden Cobra. The alerts identify two malware tools used by North Korea […]