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For those of you interested in pirates outside of their rakish hilarity and annual holiday – that is, in the continuing and significant threat they pose to international security – there's been considerable additional discussion today of the Somali pirate affair. Here's Patrick Barry on the various international parties now attempting to police the Gulf […]

Here is Evan Kohlmann at CounterTerrorismBlog. Short version: Al-Zawahiri has put his foot in his mouth before, angering even other Islamic terrorists by acting as if groups like Hamas and other Iraqi insurgents are duty-bound to do as he tells them. Walid Phares assesses the whole tape. Kohlmann also helpfully links a full transcript of […]

While the Big Three U.S. automakers plead for massive public bail-outs, European carmakers have followed hot on their heels, asking governments for large soft loans to help keep their businesses afloat as credit markets tighten. The requests have led to a similar debate to that raging in Washington over whether the car industry deserves support […]

Henry Waxman did it. Waxman beats Dingell to chair energy committee is the story from Reuters. In a secret ballot vote of 137 to 122, the Democratic Caucus in the US House of Representatives voted to install a smart, tough, progressive to the chair of the most significant committee (in the House) by far for […]

After receiving the cabinet's approval this past weekend, the Iraqi parliament is expected to pass the long-debated security pact sometime over the next few days. Disagreement has centered on the concept of security vs. sovereignty, i.e. should security, which would be helped with an extended US military presence in Iraq, take precedence over an ‘unoccupied’ […]

As we bid 2008 goodbye, we want to get your thoughts on which woman was the most influential or inspirational in world politics this year. She could be someone whom you admire or despise. She doesn't have to be a professional politician. We're looking for women whose ideas, words, deeds and heels have left a […]

Ilan Goldenberg's analysis here. Goldenberg suggests the attack on Obama shows Al Qaeda's recruitment efforts are threatened by Obama's ability to rebrand America's image, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. Our own Josh Hammer has a similar analysis here. As always, when we discuss Al Qaeda, whether it's an attack on AQ-affiliated targets in […]

The European media have reacted cautiously, even skeptically, to reports that President-elect Barack Obama is considering offering the job of Secretary of State to Hillary Clinton, his bitter rival for the Presidential nomination in the lengthy Democratic primaries. As the reports below suggest, many European commentators believe that it would be a mistake for Obama […]

  In a recently released video message Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri challenged President-Elect Obama's election promise to send more troops to Afghanistan, saying, “Be aware that the dogs of Afghanistan have found the flesh of your soldiers to be delicious, so send thousands after thousands to them,” and using other language that can only […]

The Clintons are in the headlines again – and for two of my absolute favorite topics: transparency and public diplomacy.  I’m giddy with excitement at all the ways you can slice the conversation – marriage, careers, national security, politics, philanthropy, international development, republicans/democrats, and can she do it? I won't drag you through the internal conversations I’ve been […]

House Panel Backs Waxman Over Dingell As Energy Chair is the story from ABC News. This news is not just big. It’s “yooge” as Bernie Sanders would say. Dingell may have finally created more discontent than the Democrats could support. It also may be that Waxman has been perceived as the right man for the […]

In a recently released audio tape, al Qaeda second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri lashes out at President-Elect Obama both for his policies, and quite oddly, the color of his skin.  This is an unusual departure for al Qaeda leadership, many of whom have attempted to create a pan-ethnic and global Muslim identity distinct from race and ethnicity.  […]