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Top World Politics Topics

US helps Syria’s ruling Al Qaeda offshoot while punishing its people

Aaron Mate • 261 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Military Strategy Human Rights Sanctions Counterterrorism
  1. The US labeled Syria's Al Qaeda group as terrorists but still supported them. This support continued even though the US also imposed sanctions that hurt ordinary Syrian people.
  2. Recently, the US has recognized a new Syrian government linked to Al Qaeda while continuing to impose harsh sanctions on civilians. This creates a confusing situation where the US is helping militant leaders instead of the Syrian population.
  3. As the US expands its presence in Syria and keeps sanctions, they acknowledge the damage done to ordinary Syrians. Many are now calling for these sanctions to be lifted to help rebuild the country's economy.

The Reach of 'the President's Private Army'

God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger • 65 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Military operations Government Power Counterterrorism Intelligence Operations
  1. JSOC, known as the President's private assassination squad, operates globally with a wide range of secretive military missions.
  2. SOCOM and its sub-command JSOC conduct specialized tasks like assassinations, intelligence analysis, and counterterrorism operations.
  3. JSOC operates in multiple continents, including Africa and the Middle East, with a specific focus on counterterrorism activities.

THE FIRE ANTS OF GUANTÁNAMO BAY

Seymour Hersh • 45 implied HN points • 24 May 23
🌍 World Politics Torture Counterterrorism
  1. Hambali, a detainee at Guantánamo Bay, has been a controversial figure for the US due to his alleged ties to terrorism.
  2. Hambali's arrest and detention led to key intelligence on Al Qaeda's operational activities in Southeast Asia.
  3. The interrogation tactics used on Hambali raised concerns and became a point of contention within the CIA.

What happened to Islamic terrorism?

Omnibudsman • 0 implied HN points • 23 Apr 23
🌍 World Politics Terrorism Counterterrorism Global Conflict Middle East
  1. Islamic terrorism did not get worse in the West, facing conventional terror attacks instead of catastrophic ones like dirty bombs or biological agents.
  2. Deaths related to Islamic extremism peaked around 2015, with groups like Boko Haram and Al Qaeda causing significant casualties.
  3. The decline of ISIS was due to coalition airstrikes killing fighters, and the decline of terrorism inspired by ISIS in Europe reflected the group's decline.

YourINT SITREP (03 OCT 2024)

TOP SECRET UMBRA • 0 implied HN points • 03 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Law Foreign Relations National Security Military Strategy Counterterrorism
  1. China is preparing for conflict, and this raises concerns about the readiness of the U.S. defense system.
  2. The ongoing tensions in the Middle East are escalating, especially involving Israel and Iran.
  3. Russia's influence is increasing in various regions, including their partnership with North Korea and meddling in Moldova's politics.
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