In the wake of Osama bin Laden's death yesterday in Pakistan, there are lingering questions about what remains of his Al Qaeda network, and whether the terrorist group maintains sufficient strength to retaliate against the United States.
The Observer spoke with a few national security and terrorism experts, who posited that while remaining Al Qaeda forces Read More
The great military strategist Carl Von Clausewitz declared it "the supreme ... act of judgment that the statesmen and commander have to make is to establish ... the kind of war on which they are embarking; neither mistaking it nor trying to turn it into something which is alien to its nature." By contrast, President Read More
ISTANBUL, July 29—Two nights after devastating terrorist bombs exploded on its popular pedestrian shopping block, the neighborhood of Gungoren swarmed with people: old and young men repaired the shattered windows of a clothing shop under the blank, watchful eyes of naked mannequins; women in head scarves shared ice cream next to women in sundresses; shop Read More
Two fresh takes on YouTube in today's New York Times.
On the op-ed page, Daniel Kimmage files a piece from Baku, Azerbaijan, titled "Fight Terror With YouTube" about how Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda aren't keeping up in the Web 2.0 world.
As Mr Kimmage writes:
Statements by Mr. bin Laden and Read MoreJohn McCain is in London to meet with Gordon Brown on Iraq (and hold a fund-raiser). Talking to reporters outside 10 Downing Street, he said he appreciates the contribution of British troops to the war and “that the British public opinion has been frustrated."
"Having just come from Iraq," he continues, "I can tell you Read More
This volume, a collection of essays and broadcasts by Ayman Zawahiri and Osama bin Laden, does the Al Qaeda leaders no favors. Whatever their capacities as terrorists, Dr. Zawahiri tends toward the wordy and Mr. bin Laden is inordinately proud Read More
“When there is a gap between one’s real and one’s declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long words and exhausted idioms, like a cuttlefish spurting out ink.” —George Orwell Last week, the ink spurted vigorously from the usual tentacles of conservative alarm after a memo leaked out of the House Armed Services Read More
John McCain's speech today at the Virginia Military Institute left no doubt about his belief that American needs to persist and prevail in Iraq, and that the Democratic candidates' "reckless" withdrawal plans would make for an unacceptable and catastrophic defeat. "Our defeat in Iraq would constitute a defeat in the war against terror and extremism Read More
In metro reporting, it's important to get someone's occupation and location of residence right. Today, The Times Alan Feuer goes to great lengths not to let the reader down. The piece begins: A Bronx martial arts instructor from the Bronx pleaded guilty today to a charge of "conspiring to provide material support or Read More
CIA Warning of 9/11 Attacks “It comes from the most sensitive sources and methods that we have as a government. It’s the family jewels.”—May 19, 2002, explaining why the Aug. 6, 2001, Daily Presidential Brief, titled “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.,” should not be made public. “There wasn’t anything really new in it. Read More
Hillary Clinton has gone to significant lengths to cultivate relationships with U.S. military leaders. Hillary said she'd sign on with the Democratic plan to withdraw all combat trrops from Iraq by the end of the summer of 2008, but also said that she would keep some troops there "to deal with al Qaeda." Read More
Americans frustrated with the Democratic Congressional leaders for dithering over Iraq should never forget who actually drove us into the Iraqi quagmire. Even those Democrats who voted for the President’s war resolution in 2002 did so only after the President publicly and repeatedly promised—with the deepest insincerity—that he would only invade Iraq as a “last Read More
In the 15 years during which I more or less regularly conducted a column for this newspaper, I can’t recall presuming to address issues of foreign policy more than once or twice. I suppose this is because I’ve always found the question of what kind of country we want this one to be more interesting Read More
My Stump Speech (And How It Went Over) Hello! Great to be here in New York City! [mild applause] I see a few familiar faces down there. Hey, guys. All right. So … New York. Go, Knicks! [light booing] I didn’t come here to talk sports, ladies and gentlemen. I came here to talk about Read More
My Stump Speech (And How It Went Over) Hello! Great to be here in New York City! [mild applause] I see a few familiar faces down there. Hey, guys. All right. So … New York. Go, Knicks! [light booing] I didn’t come here to talk sports, ladies and gentlemen. I came here to talk about Read More
