All Security Watch
- The UN document on women that has terrified Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood
The Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt has teamed up with Iran, Russia, and the Vatican to oppose a UN draft proposal on reducing violence against women on moral grounds.
- From every direction, arms for Syria
France is pushing hard, it seems, for Western powers to arm Syria's rebellion. If they get their way, they'll be joining an already crowded playing field.
- War draws closer to Lebanon with Syrian threat of attack
In an ominous turn, Syria warned Lebanon today against continuing to provide refuge for rebels battling the Assad regime, saying its restraint was limited.
- Iraq attack shows coordination, planning, and numbers
What the latest terrorist attack in Baghdad tells us about the health of Sunni militant groups (hint: pretty healthy).
- Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood says UN proposal on women will destroy the world
The Muslim Brotherhood of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has greeted a UN proposal designed to reduce violence against women with unabashed horror.
- India bars Italian envoy from leaving, escalating tensions over marines shooting incident
India wants Italy to send two Italian marines accused of shooting Indian fishermen back to stand trial. Italy has refused, despite having promised earlier that it would.
- Terrorism and freedom fighting along the Syria-Iraq border
When some rebel groups kill Syrian government soldiers, the US applauds. When others do the killing, it's 'terrorism.' Why?
- Militant attack in Kashmir shatters years of calm
The armed separatism of the 1990s had largely faded away, but a peace accord never followed. Frustration had been mounting in recent weeks over an execution and an expansive policing law.
- With aid to Afghanistan, past performance is a predictor of future returns
A lot of aid to Afghanistan has been squandered. The latest project indicates that the US still doesn't seem to understand the country's basic needs.
- Armistice dead? US and South Korea dismiss North Korea's edict
Skepticism about the effect of the North's dismissal of a cease-fire is grounded in past experience.
- US in Afghanistan: Why throw more good money after bad?
That two more US troops were killed by an Afghan soldier today is a reminder that the Afghanistan 'surge,' which ended last year, accomplished few of its objectives.
- North Korea leaves phone to South Korea off the hook
This follows threats from Pyongyang last week both to end the armistice and to 'exercise the right to a preemptive nuclear attack.'
- UN peacekeepers pull out of Syrian-Israeli DMZ as civil war edges closer
The eight peacekeepers, who were escorted into Israel by the IDF, are part of the same battalion as 21 UN troops who were captured by Syrian rebels on Wednesday.
- Syrian rebels: UN peacekeepers captured in Golan are our 'guests'
A hostage situation that began when Syrian rebels captured UN peacekeepers working in the Golan Heights yesterday seems to be rapidly deescalating as the captors scale back their threats.
- Nearly 1 in 20 Syrians are now refugees
Neighboring nations are straining to handle the 1 million refugees generated by two years of fighting.
- Syria's violence continues its march across borders, into Iraq
Dozens of Syrian Army soldiers were killed yesterday while in Iraq seeking temporary refuge from fighting with rebels. They were ambushed by suspected Al Qaeda-affiliated militants.
- Pressure mounts on Pakistan to secure Shiites after Karachi blast
The bombing of a Shiite mosque in Karachi killed 48 and injured more than 140. Already this year, nearly 250 Shiites have been killed in Pakistan in such attacks.
- Malaysia standoff in Borneo spurs concern about broader repercussions
A rising death toll, three weeks after Filipino militants stormed Malaysia’s eastern state of Sabah on Borneo Island, could spur a broader confrontation between Malaysia and the Philippines.
- Sentencing of Islamist leader brings unhealed rifts to surface in Bangladesh
Thousands in Bangladesh protested the death sentence handed to an Islamist political leader for crimes committed during the independence war. At least 40 were killed in the clashes.
- Report: UK stripping terrorism suspects of citizenship, US killing some of them
So says an investigation by The Independent, a London-based paper.