The Morning Brief - Lignet
Chechen Connection Suggests Possible Al-Qaeda Link to Boston
Terror Attack
News that two young brothers from the Russian province of Chechnya who
have lived in the United States for several years were behind the April
16 bombings makes it likely that they were at least so-called “homegrown
terrorists,” possibly radicalized by al-Qaeda propaganda on the
Internet. There also is a strong possibility that the two were somehow
recruited and trained by al-Qaeda operatives to stage the Boston attack.
To continue reading this LIGNET special report, upgrade your
account status by clicking here.
Can North Korea Really Launch a Nuclear-Armed Missile?
Last week’s revelation that North Korea may have achieved the ability to
place a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile has magnified concerns
over Kim Jong Un’s recent bellicose rhetoric. With the intelligence
community divided about the accuracy of this assessment, LIGNET reached
out to several leading experts, including former CIA Director Michael
Hayden, Ambassador John Bolton, nuclear analyst Jeffrey Lewis, and
former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Pete Hoekstra for their
perspectives on how far Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program has
advanced.
To continue reading this LIGNET special report, upgrade your
account status by clicking here.
Russia: Human Rights Sideshow Makes Cooperation With US Less
Likely
U.S.-Russia relations are on a downward spiral after both states
blacklisted individuals from the other over alleged human rights
violations. President Vladimir Putin’s proclamation that 18 Americans
have violated human rights and are not allowed to visit Russia is
farcical, but shows how far the Obama administration has to go as it
begins a new round of negotiations with Putin’s government on issues
like nuclear arms reductions and how to deal with Iran, Syria and North
Korea.
To continue reading this LIGNET special report, upgrade your
account status by clicking here.
Iron Dome Not a Panacea for South Korean Missile Defense
Recent reports about advances in North Korea's ballistic missile program
and its reported plans to conduct more missile tests have caused alarm
in northeast Asia and have led to calls for South Korea to step up its
missile defense shield, including by acquiring Israel’s well-regarded
Iron Dome system. Iron Dome would not be a game changer for South
Korea’s missile defense shield, but LIGNET believes it could still play
a role in defending against some of North Korea's less sophisticated
Scuds and smaller rockets.
To continue reading this LIGNET special report, upgrade your
account status by clicking here.
Western Sahara in Danger of Becoming a Terrorist Haven
As the situation in the disputed territory of Western Sahara becomes
increasingly tense, Morocco is growing nervous that the chronic
stalemate over the region’s political status could attract the militant
Islamists who fled Mali following the French intervention there. The
heightened regional tensions have raised the longstanding conflict’s
international profile, with the United Nations also concerned that the
impoverished territory could be used as a fertile recruiting ground for
terrorists in North Africa.
To continue reading this LIGNET special report, upgrade your
account status by clicking here.
Vietnam's Subs to Challenge China in the South China Sea
Vietnam is to take delivery of two Russian diesel-electric submarines
this year, complicating an evolving military dynamic in the South China
Sea. The new subs represent both an effort by Vietnam to defend its
territorial claims against China as well as a bid by Russia to advance
its economic and strategic claims in the region.
To continue reading this LIGNET special report, upgrade your
account status by clicking here.
Making Tough Demands, North Korea Wants Talks
North Korea's demands to drop sanctions against it and stop joint
U.S.-South Korea military exercises as a pre-condition for resuming
multilateral talks are unacceptable to Washington and Seoul and suggest
that while tensions with the North may be cooling, the situation is far
from being resolved. Pyongyang made similar demands before prior talks
and they mark a shift in its recent stream of daily threats, including
threatening nuclear war against the United States.
To continue reading this LIGNET special report, upgrade your
account status by clicking here.
As Formula One Race Approaches, Bahrain Braces for More Protests
Bahrain is cracking down hard on demonstrators ahead of the country’s
Formula One race this weekend as the increasingly radical February 14
youth movement threatens to turn violent. The government appears to be
firm in its resolve to stop unrest from marring the race, especially
considering how protests during the event last year cast a spotlight on
the country’s poor human rights record.
To continue reading this LIGNET special report, upgrade your
account status by clicking here.
|