Empire Decline and Costly Delusions

When Napoleon engaged Russia in a European land war, the Russians mounted a determined defense, and the French lost. When Hitler tried the same, the Soviet Union responded similarly, and the Germans lost. In World War 1 and its post-revolutionary civil war (1914-1922), first Russia and then the USSR defended with far greater effect against two invasions than the invaders had calculated. That history ought to have cautioned U.S. and European leaders to minimize the risks of confronting Russia, especially when Russia felt threatened and determined to defend itself.

IS militants kill at least 18 people in an attack on villagers collecting truffles in eastern Syria

Islamic State militants attacked villagers collecting truffles in eastern Syria on Wednesday, killing at least 18 people and leaving dozens injured and missing, opposition activists and pro-government media said.

The attack against the truffle hunters was one of the deadliest strikes by the Islamic State group in the area in more than a year. It took place in a desert area near the town of Kobajeb in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq. Some of the truffle gatherers may have been kidnapped, opposition activists said.

Analysis of IAEA Iran Verification and Monitoring Report — November2023

This report summarizes and assesses information in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) quarterly report, dated November 13, 2023, Verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), including Iran’s compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). It also includes findings from a separate IAEA report, NPT Safeguards Agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran, dated November 15, 2023, referred to alternatively as NPT Report or NPT Safeguards Report.

Islamic State

Established In: 1999

Established By: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (death), Amir Mohammed Abdul Rahman al-Mawli al-Salbi (also known as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi);

Also Known As: Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, Daesh, ISIS, ISIL

From Boko Haram Combatant To Peace Advocate: Chilling Story Of A Female Fighter

A former Boko Haram leader who abandoned a suicide mission shares shocking actions of women as combatants and her journey to redemption.

Five young women embarked on a one-way journey from a remote location not far away from the Sambisa forest area, each carrying deadly explosives and two AK-47 rifles hidden under their gowns. Their destination: Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state in North East Nigeria.

Why Europe Can’t Get Its Military Act Together

Former U.S. President Donald Trump set off alarm bells in Europe when he told a campaign rally that he would encourage Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to any countries he judged to be delinquent on their defense obligations. European countries were already fretting about the possibility of a second Trump term, and these latest remarks sent these concerns into high orbit. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times a few days later that Europe was facing a world “that has got rougher” and that “we have to spend more, we have to spend better, and we have to spend European.”

Drone Strike Risks Dangerous U.S.-Iran Escalation

An attack from Iran-aligned forces that killed U.S. service members near Jordan’s border with Syria risks direct U.S.-Iran conflict in a region already embroiled in widening violence.

The January 28 drone attack that killed three U.S. troops near the Jordan-Syria border follows more than one hundred attacks by Iran-backed militias against U.S. forces since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Is the United States caught in an escalation trap with these groups?

Analysis of IAEA Iran Verification and Monitoring Report — February2024

This report summarizes and assesses information in the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA’s) quarterly report, dated February 26, 2024, Verification and monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in light of United Nations Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), including Iran’s compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Israeli strikes kill 7 Hezbollah members in south Lebanon

An Israeli drone strike hit a car in south Lebanon Saturday morning, killing three Hezbollah members, state media and officials said.

Another four Hezbollah members were killed in a strike on a house in the town of Ramia overnight, said a Lebanese security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists.

Senior Officials In The Yemeni-Houthi Judiciary Participate In A Military Exercise Simulating Direct Confrontation With U.S. And Israel, Use Biden Posters As Target Practice

Al-Masirah TV [Houthis-Yemen] aired a report about officials within the Houthi judiciary undergoing military training. According to the report, the Houthi Mufti of Yemen, the attorney-general, and the justice minister, along with other judiciary officials participated in a military exercise simulating a “direct confrontation” with America and Israel. Houthi Mufti of Yemen Shams Al-Din Sharaf Al-Din said that Jihad and the culture of martyrdom are the only way to bring honor and glory. Attorney-general Muhammad Al-Dulaimi said that the participants in the military exercise felt “very proud” to learn how to fire weapons.