Blowback

Iraq-Turkey oil export pipeline seen back in 72 hours after new attack

"A bomb placed under the Kirkuk-Ceyhan line in Iraq's Ninewa province exploded early Sunday halting flows, a senior Iraqi oil official told Platts. 'The exports were completely stopped from Kirkuk,' said the senior official with the state-run North Oil Company, who asked not be identified. The official said the explosion took place in Ain al-Jahsh, south of the city of Mosul, in the middle of an area increasingly rife with al-Qaeda and other militants. The pipeline had been operational for just two weeks since the last attack, on June 21, which kept the route offline until July 17." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIraq-Turkey oil export pipeline seen back in 72 hours after new attack

Senator Chambliss: NSA program helped gather current ‘terror chatter’

"'There is an awful lot of chatter out there,' Senator Saxby Chambliss, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on NBC’s 'Meet the Press.' He said 'chatter' – electronically monitored communications among terrorism suspects about the planning of a possible attack – was 'very reminiscent of what we saw pre-9/11.' Chambliss said one of the surveillance programs revealed by former spy agency contractor Edward Snowden had helped. Those programs 'allow us to have the ability to gather this chatter,' he said. 'If we did not have these programs then we simply wouldn’t be able to listen in on the bad guys.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSenator Chambliss: NSA program helped gather current ‘terror chatter’

“U.S. homeland security has forced terrorist groups to target Americans overseas”

"Increased security in the U.S. has forced terrorist groups to target Americans overseas instead. 'The enemy is going to find an easier way. They’re gonna find softer targets, they’re gonna find ways that they can hurt us and it may not be bringing it to America in hijacked airplanes. It may be doing things when we’re not looking, in places that are vulnerable and every embassy is vulnerable if you think about it,' said Smullen. The government has also issued a global travel warning for all Americans overseas. It will remain active until at least August 31st." Continue reading →

Continue Reading“U.S. homeland security has forced terrorist groups to target Americans overseas”

Interpol issues global security alert after prison breaks

"Interpol issued a global security alert on Saturday advising its members to increase their vigilance against attacks after a series of prison breaks in Iraq, Libya and Pakistan that the agency is investigating to determine if they were linked. The Lyon, France-based Interpol said given that al Qaeda was suspected to be involved in some of the incidents, it was asking its 190 member countries to watch out for information connected to the prison breaks, with an aim to determine whether they were coordinated and also locate the escaped prisoners." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingInterpol issues global security alert after prison breaks

Interpol issues global security alert after prison breaks

"Interpol issued a global security alert on Saturday advising its members to increase their vigilance against attacks after a series of prison breaks in Iraq, Libya and Pakistan that the agency is investigating to determine if they were linked. The Lyon, France-based Interpol said given that al Qaeda was suspected to be involved in some of the incidents, it was asking its 190 member countries to watch out for information connected to the prison breaks, with an aim to determine whether they were coordinated and also locate the escaped prisoners." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingInterpol issues global security alert after prison breaks

US issues global travel alert over Al Qaeda threat, prepares to close embassies

"The State Department issued a worldwide travel alert on Friday to U.S. citizens over an Al Qaeda terror threat as Washington prepared to close its embassies and consulates throughout the Muslim world this Sunday over security concerns. U.S. officials have not offered many details on the nature of the threat, but apparently are taking it seriously. A White House official said Friday night President Obama was being updated on 'a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula.' 'There is a significant threat stream and we're reacting to it,' said Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS issues global travel alert over Al Qaeda threat, prepares to close embassies

US issues global travel alert over Al Qaeda threat, prepares to close embassies

"The State Department issued a worldwide travel alert on Friday to U.S. citizens over an Al Qaeda terror threat as Washington prepared to close its embassies and consulates throughout the Muslim world this Sunday over security concerns. U.S. officials have not offered many details on the nature of the threat, but apparently are taking it seriously. A White House official said Friday night President Obama was being updated on 'a potential threat occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula.' 'There is a significant threat stream and we're reacting to it,' said Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingUS issues global travel alert over Al Qaeda threat, prepares to close embassies

Ron Paul on New Egyptian War: Americans Lose, Again

"Looking at the banners in the massive Egyptian protests last week, we saw many anti-American slogans. Likewise, the Muslim Brotherhood-led government that was deposed by the military last week was very critical of what it saw as US support for the coup. Why is it that all sides in this Egyptian civil war seem so angry with the United States? Because the United States has at one point or another supported each side, which means also that at some point the US has also opposed each side. It is the constant meddling in Egyptian affairs that has turned Egyptians against us, as we would resent foreign intervention in our own affairs." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingRon Paul on New Egyptian War: Americans Lose, Again

Can You Pass The Terrorism Quiz? (Updated June 2013)

"It should be banal to read in the mainstream media that the US not only engages in terrorism but often aggravates it; that if the current crop of terrorists in, say, the Middle East were killed, new terrorists would simply arise if the underlying political and economic conditions remained unchanged; and, that if a particular country is perceived as actively supporting dysfunctional political and economic conditions in a part of the world, it will become the target of anger and, possibly, violence. Yet, instead of such obvious conclusions about terrorism, we are daily exposed to much bias and distortion. To counter such inadequate journalism, I have prepared the following quiz." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCan You Pass The Terrorism Quiz? (Updated June 2013)

What Does History Say About U.S. Success in Arming Rebel Movements?

"So what does history say about how successful the U.S. has been in arming rebel opposition movements? On that, we get two views, Michael Pillsbury was assistant undersecretary of defense for policy planning during the Reagan administration. He was responsible for coordinating covert aid to the Afghanistan mujahideen in their fight against the Soviets. He's now a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and still advises the Defense Department. And Robert Dreyfuss is a journalist and contributing editor at 'The Nation' and author of the book 'Devil's Game: How the United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWhat Does History Say About U.S. Success in Arming Rebel Movements?