At a "Discussion on the Middle East" this week at The Center on National Security at Fordham Law, we listened to John O. Brennan and Ali Soufan provide their thoughts on important issues. Many topics were covered. These are just some interesting highlights:
-The US should engage with Iran and assuage their fear that they'll end up like Iraq/Saddam
-US is becoming irrelevant in Afghanistan. US criticized for meeting/negotiating with Taliban and not the other players, including the govt, Russia, and China. Russia is taking the lead here.
-Yemen is "the worst disaster in the world."
- Libya, Yemen, Algeria, Sudan - Combatants are proxies for Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, etc. Money, especially from Iran and Saudi Arabia are behind the conflicts.
-The root of the ideology that supports and spreads military/terrorist Islam throughout the world continues to be Saudi Arabia's export of Wahhabi philosophy/education. Because the most important thing to MBS is staying in power, he's willing to work w/Wahhabi religious leadership.
Paul, Udall introduce bill to end Afghanistan War - Ellen Mitchel (The Hill)
Former IDF Legal Expert: Hamas, Hizbullah "Hide Missiles in Children's Rooms" - Yaakov Lappin (JNS)
Hamas Is Negotiating with Explosives - Yaakov Lappin (i24News) Recent days have seen a spike in the number of Hamas-orchestrated bombs and IEDs on the border with Gaza. According to a Kan TV news report, Hamas is demanding $20 million for a cessation of grenade-throwing rioters and balloons carrying explosives over the border into Israeli communities.
The Media Only Cares About Palestinians If Israel Can Be Blamed - Sean Durns (The Algemeiner)
Report: Putin Promises Netanyahu to Stop Delivery of S-300 to Syrian Regime - Nazir Magally (Asharq Al-Awsat-UK)
Russian Special Forces Train Palestinian Militia in Syria - Caleb Weiss (Long War Journal) In a video released Tuesday by the Russian news channel RT,Russian special forces were shown training members of Liwa al Quds, a pro-regime Palestinian militia group in Syria.
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt Reject Clause Stopping Normalization with Israel (Middle East Monitor-UK) Saudi Arabia, UAE and Egypt on Monday rejected a statement by the Union of Arab Parliaments meeting in Amman which called for stopping normalization with Israel, the Shehabnews agency reported.
Why???
70 years of transcripts from UK’s parliament show clear ‘obsession’ with Israel - Robert Philpot (Times of Israel)
Debunking the Guardian myth that anti-Zionism is not antisemitic - Adam Levick (CAMERA UK Media Watch)
CUNY investigates allegations that partner group is tied to terrorism - Madina Toure (Politico)
CUNY Law Teams Up with PFLP-Linked NGO on UN Submission (NGO Monitor)
Venezuela in Crisis: Iran's Poisonous Role - (Video/Youtube Middle East Forum) The Maduro regime in Venezuela is fortified by Russian mercenaries, Cuban paramilitary elements, Hezbollah, and Iranian Basij and Quds Force operatives. What is behind Iranian and Hezbollah penetration into Venezuela and other parts of South America?
