Al Qaeda | AEIdeas

Friday, May 24, 2013

REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani

Al Qaeda and its affiliates in 2013

Katherine Zimmerman | April 25, 2013, 11:07 am

Al Qaeda is the terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden in 1988. The group’s ideology is founded on the premise that Muslims who follow secular leaders are treating these leaders as gods, and therefore, are apostates because they are … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

A new wave of military restructuring decrees in Yemen

Sasha Gordon | April 12, 2013, 9:29 am

The United States relies on a partnership with the Yemeni government in conjunction with direct-action operations to combat the Yemen-based al Qaeda affiliate, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). What is worrying about this partnership is that the Yemeni … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

Obama’s Middle East trip: Why?

Danielle Pletka | March 19, 2013, 4:00 pm

President Obama heads for the Middle East this week. Why is he going? What is he seeking to achieve? Good questions. I just got back from Israel, and they were asking the same thing. Indeed, here’s a confession: I have … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Middle East and North Africa

Yemen: The Southern Movement uprising

Sasha Gordon | February 28, 2013, 10:49 am

Yemen’s fragile and reversible gains against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) are threatened by a new challenge: The re-emergence of a violent secessionist movement in the south. Southern Movement violence has spiked significantly over the past seven days, … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Terrorism

The first World Trade Center bombing and the next attack

Marc Thiessen | February 26, 2013, 10:03 am

Twenty years ago today, al Qaeda first attempted to bring down the World Trade Center in New York — killing six people and injuring more than 1,000. As we remember the victims today, we should also remember something else: Eight … read more >

Image Credit: REUTERS/US Air Force/Tech. Sgt Effrain Lopez/Handout

Foreign and Defense Policy

Recognizing our drone warriors

Marc Thiessen | February 20, 2013, 9:10 am

While the drone campaign is under attack on Capitol Hill, the Pentagon is taking action to recognize the achievements of our nation’s drone warriors. These men and women have carried out some of the most important strikes in (what used … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Defense

The State of the Union, Obama style

Danielle Pletka | February 12, 2013, 3:19 pm

The press is reporting that tonight’s State of the Union will be light on defense and national security. Shocking. Indeed, the president is likely to spare little breath for previous commitments to extend free trade, prioritize victory in Afghanistan, roll … read more >

Foreign and Defense Policy, Terrorism

No, Americans do not really oppose killing American al-Qaeda with drones

Marc Thiessen | February 7, 2013, 2:25 pm

Over at Slate, Dave Weigel reports on a new Farleigh-Dickinson poll which purports to show that a majority of Americans oppose drone strikes on American-born al-Qaeda leaders: Via CNN, the new Farleigh-Dickinson poll finally, finally separates two questions about drone … read more >

Photo Credit: The White House/Pete Souza

Foreign and Defense Policy

The top 10 ObamaLeaks John Brennan needs to explain

Marc Thiessen | February 6, 2013, 10:40 am

When John Brennan appears for his confirmation hearing as the next CIA director tomorrow, he needs to explain to the Senate these ten major leaks of classified national security information from the Obama administration — including the strange timing of … read more >

Image Credit: DrSmith 7383 (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

Foreign and Defense Policy, AfPak

Zero troops in Afghanistan = zero drone strikes in Pakistan

Marc Thiessen | January 9, 2013, 1:03 pm

The New York Times reports today that the Obama administration is considering doing what it did in Iraq, and withdrawing all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by 2014: On the eve of a visit by President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, the … read more >