As World Powers Clash, ISIS Returns for Revenge

The Islamic State militant group is capitalizing on widespread unrest and flaring tensions over major conflicts, including those raging in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip, to pave the way for new, deadly attacks across the globe, analysts told Newsweek.

The once-sprawling caliphate declared over a decade ago by the Islamic State (referred to as ISIS or IS) was largely defeated in Iraq and Syria by 2019 at the hands of an array of campaigns waged by local forces and international powers, including the United States, Russia and Iran. But the jihadis have since regrouped within the region and beyond, becoming particularly active in parts of Africa and in Afghanistan, where ISIS’ so-called Khorasan province (referred to as ISIS-K or ISKP) has emerged as an especially capable force when it comes to carrying out operations worldwide.

CONTINENTAL COLLABORATION Nations Establish New Alliancesto Tackle Shared Challenges

A Swahili proverb says, “If a snake bites your neighbor, you too are in danger.” The meaning is clear: A community is safest when everyone is protected. This is as true for a village as it is for a continent.
In the defense realm, this concept is known as “shared security,” and its importance is illustrated all too often. When a country descends into chaos, it becomes a haven for extremists to launch attacks outward. When criminals find ungoverned spaces, they exploit them and destabilize the region. When a civil war shatters peace, it sends refugees fleeing across borders.

Terrorist Attacks Multiply in Junta-Led Countries

The number of violent events involving extremist groups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger has nearly doubled since 2021.

That is according to a Reuters review of data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data crisis monitoring group, which recorded 224 violent events a month on average since January, up from 128 in 2021.

Iran Pressures the Gulf States to Help Deter Israel

  • Iranian leaders view the Arab states of the Persian Gulf as pivotal to their efforts to deter Israel from attacking key targets in Iran.
  • Iran is pressuring the Gulf states to deny Israel access to their airspace for any retaliatory strike on Iran.
  • Iranian officials display no hesitation to threaten the Gulf states with strikes by Tehran or its regional allies if they help Israel or the United States.
  • Attacks on Gulf energy installations would significantly expand the regional war and rattle the global economy.

The European Council Summit: Migration, Migration, Migration

As the October 17-18 meeting of EU leaders approaches, an axis of right-wing and populist governments and parties in Central Europe has been flexing its muscles on migration.

Immigration will be front and centre of the EU summit on October 17-18 after the European Commission buckled under pressure from member states to explore further steps to curb irregular migration.

The Future of the Security Sector in Ukraine

Executive Summary

The aim of this report is to present practical options for advancing Ukraine’s security sector capabilities to consolidate peace and stability as the country transitions from war to peace; the United States Institute of Peace does not take specific policy positions or advocate for specific forms of assistance. Although winning the war rightly remains Ukraine’s highest priority, this report focuses on the security sector issues at the heart of the country’s ability to win the peace. These include tackling corruption; holding the perpetrators of war crimes accountable; integrating veterans into society; and strengthening civilian security.

The Myopia of Anglo-American Rulers: How They Can’t Face Their Loss to the “Eurasian Miracle”

How the ideology of Eurocentrism, paternalism, racism and imperialism keeps the West in a fog about how badly its situation actually is.

International Relations (IR) theory fails to deliver on one of its key promises, specifically to produce positivist, value free analysis. What we encounter in the vast majority of international theory is the provincial or parochial normative purpose of defending and celebrating the ideal of the West in world politics. IR theory can no longer be represented as positivist, objective or value free.
~ John M. Hobson

USA and its allies must not use double standards if success against terrorism is to be achieved

One of the issues on which consensus should be created and can be treated at world level is that terrorism in all its forms should be firmly rejected. However this needs honesty and sincerity. Problems arise if some bigger powers insist on condemning terror attacks made by others but at the same time justify the use of terror by themselves on a large scale.

Israel’s War on the World

Each new week brings new calamities for people in the countries neighboring Israel, as its leaders try to bomb their way to the promised land of an ever-expanding Greater Israel.

In Gaza, Israel appears to be launching its “Generals’ Plan” to drive the most devastated and traumatized 2.2 million people in the world into the southern half of their open-air prison. Under this plan, Israel would hand the northern half over to greedy developers and settlers who, after decades of U.S. encouragement, have become a dominant force in Israeli politics and society. The redoubled slaughter of those who cannot move or refuse to move south has already begun.

Israeli weapons of mass destruction are a real-life Frankenstein

Israel’s dystopian weapons industry poses a threat to humanity, with the Hezbollah pager attacks setting a dangerous precedent, says Richard Silverstein.

Israel specialises in weapons of mass destruction.

In the 1990s, Israel pioneered the use of armed drones in warfare and was the first to use exploding cell phones in assassinations. Thirty years later, Israel was among the first to use satellite-operated, AI-guided, autonomous weapons, to assassinate an Iranian nuclear scientist.