Libya: Crisis-Plagued Government Struggles for Control

February 22, 2012

With the transitional government’s failure to impose order since taking control of Libya last November, the integrity of the upcoming elections are in doubt and a worst-case-scenario for Libya and north Africa is appearing more likely.

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Libya: Crisis-Plagued Government Struggles for Control

Libyans Celebrate the One-Year Anniversary Marking the Start of the Uprising Against Qaddafi (GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images)

Countries Hunt for Rare Minerals to Offset Imports from China

February 22, 2012

China’s recent decision to cut off exports of rare earth elements has the United States, Japan and Germany scrambling to renew production of these metals, which are essential to their defense and aerospace industries.

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Terrorism: What Al-Qaeda's Merger With Al-Shabaab Means for the West

February 21, 2012

On February 9, al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri announced that al-Shabaab was officially joining al-Qaeda. Al-Shabaab was al-Qaeda’s leading terrorist franchise in Africa. Based in Somalia, it has committed numerous terrorist attacks over the past several years and was developing new branches in Kenya. In an exclusive interview with LIGNET’s London office, al-Shabaab expert Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens explained why the two have joined forces and why it could mean a new wave of terrorist threats in the West.

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Russia: Putin’s Media Blitzkrieg May Backfire

February 21, 2012

Despite having no strong challenger, the regime of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has been aggressively mobilizing its allies to stage counter-demonstrations, wage a pro-Putin media blitzkrieg, and discredit opposition voices. With the largest protest demonstrations since the fall of the Soviet Union and United Russia’s diminished representation in the Duma, it is an “all hands on deck” scenario for Putin allies and those who have benefited in any way from his tenure. In this analysis, both the short and longer-term implications of Putin’s manipulation of the media are explored, including the impact it will have on opposition parties in Russia in the future.

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Mali: Tuareg Rebellion Gains Momentum Potentially Destabilizing Region

February 20, 2012

The National Movement for the Liberation of the Azawad (NMLA), a group of Tuareg rebels in northern Mali, have launched attacks on seven towns in the region and reportedly killed several hundred civilians. These attacks have driven around 50,000 Tuaregs to Niger and Mauritania, further endangering the stability of the region and providing a refuge for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) to plot terrorist attacks with impunity. Thirty political parties in Mali called for a ceasefire on February 15, urging talks and an end to the violence. This announcement comes days after the government set its deadline for stopping the rebellion by April’s scheduled presidential election. The success of the government offensive will play a significant role in determining if stability can be restored to Mali.

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Gaza: Hamas Split Spells Trouble for Israel

February 20, 2012

Members of the militant group Hamas, which effectively governs the Gaza Strip, are sharply divided after a reconciliation deal brokered earlier this month paved the way for a unity government of the Palestinian territories with the more moderate Islamic group, Fatah. It appears the more radical Hamas members could soon hive off, form their own group and renew the fight against Israel. They could certainly count on financial support coming from one main source.

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Why the ‘Spectacular Attack’ Report Cannot Be Ignored

February 17, 2012

Reports that Iran is cooperating with al-Qaeda on plans for a “spectacular” attack on the West have to be taken seriously, particularly in light of the attempted assassinations of Israeli diplomats last week and the revelation last year that al-Qaeda had begun using Iran as a transit point to its bases in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Iran could be helping al-Qaeda in very specific ways to plan the kind of high-profile attack that would allow it to once again assert itself as a serious threat to security in the world.

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