Approximately ten months after Iran released the five British sailors that were held for straying into Iranian water. Iran released Sarah shourd yesterday after a year long detention in an undisclosed location in Tehran. There were unconfirmed reports about the events leading to Ms. Shroud’s release, whether it was a humanitarian gesture ordered by president Ahmadinajad or it was purely a judicial decree to free Sarah due to insufficient evidence of spying or “ill-intention” on the part of the American. Regardless of the responsible party behind Sarah’s release, the broader lesson that should be drawn from the drama is that Iran is in a state of cold war with the U.S and Israel. Foreign nationals are viewed with extreme suspicion, and Iran is sending the message that it will cost dearly anyone who violates its territory. Sarah’s release is a good omen for the remaining two captives and their families. They, too, will be released, when and under what circumstances, another clemency or bail is unclear
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
