Terrorism

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Snapshot,
Shiraz Maher and Samar Batrawi

All in all, the reaction of the online jihadist community to the Boston bombing was unusually tepid. For many, the relatively small attack was simply a sideshow to bigger operations, most notably in Syria. For others, it was an uncomfortable indication of the global jihadist movement’s real limitations in the West.

Snapshot,
Charles King

Since the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing were identified as ethnic Chechens, the national conversation about the incident has focused on the connection between the violence and terrorism in Chechnya. Here's why that is the wrong model.

Snapshot,
Fiona Hill

Vladimir Putin's unwavering support for the Assad regime in Syria is best explained by his dread of fracturing states and Sunni Islamism -- fears he confronted most directly while brutally suppressing Chechnya's attempted secession from Russia.

Snapshot,
Etienne de Durand

France's intervention in Mali has so far succeeded, but expelling Islamist militants was the easy part. Now Paris must turn its tactical achievements into a lasting victory -- which will require a light but enduring presence in the country.

Snapshot,
Sebastian Elischer

Although France quickly achieved its goals in Mali, the Islamist and Tuareg militants it fought are still at large, having swiftly retreated into the northeastern part of the country. The most likely outcome of the French operation, therefore, is not an end to West Africa's problems but their spread into neighboring Niger.

Essay, Mar/Apr 2013
Max Boot

Pundits tend to treat terrorism and guerrilla tactics as something new, but nothing could be further from the truth. Although the agendas have changed over the years -- from tribalism, to liberalism and nationalism, to socialism, to jihadist extremism -- guerrilla and terrorist warfare has been ubiquitous throughout history and consistently deadly.

Snapshot,
Shlomo Avineri

During the run up to the recent election, Israelis were less focused than usual on the Palestinian issue. But the current stalemate is untenable, and the next government will have to consider feasible ways to move forward, with an eye toward the lessons from similar conflicts such as those in Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Kashmir.

Snapshot,
Emma Sky and Harith al-Qarawee

Last month, tens of thousands of Iraqis took to the streets to protest the government's poor treatment of Sunnis and, for the first time, to call for the overthrow of Prime Minister Maliki. Unless Baghdad starts making concessions, and soon, Sunni leaders could demand an independent region, spelling the end of a unified Iraq.

Snapshot,
Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens

Until recently, experts assumed that al-Shabaab’s recruitment in Kenya was limited to the country’s Somali minority, which numbers roughly a million people. But recent attacks have forced a reassessment; as ex-members testify, now Kenyans are joining up as well.

Snapshot,
Richard A. Falkenrath

Showtime's blockbuster series is great television, but not a useful guide to real-world homeland security. Hint: we always tap the suspect's cell phone.

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