Latest Articles about Middle East

Al-Qaeda’s Presence in the Territories

Other than launching Katyusha rockets at Israel in December 2005 and attempting to launch rockets at Eilat from Aqaba in Jordan in August 2005, al-Qaeda has not launched significant attacks against Israeli targets in the Middle East. Al-Qaeda has not been active in the Palestinian... MORE

CHINESE INVESTORS CONSIDER JOINT PROJECTS WITH RUSSIAN FAR EAST

Moscow and Beijing have long hailed regional cooperation as an important element of bilateral ties. While meeting Volgograd Governor Nikolai Maksyuta on May 27, Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), noted that the Volgograd region has enjoyed successful... MORE

IRAN BLAMES “FOREIGN POWERS” FOR RECENT ETHNIC UNREST

Last week’s protests by Azeris in several major cities of Iran caught official Tehran off guard. Based on their response, Iranian officials fear domestic unrest could destabilize the ruling regime in Tehran. Leaders were quick to play up ethnic harmony inside Iran and argue that... MORE

MOSCOW GROOMS ACCUSED TERRORIST GIORGADZE FOR ROLE IN GEORGIA

The Russian government has announced its decision to grant political asylum to Igor Giorgadze, former chief of Georgia's state security, the presumed organizer of the 1995 assassination attempt that injured then-president Eduard Shevardnadze in the State Chancellery in Tbilisi. Indicted in Georgia on terrorism charges... MORE

RUSSIA, EUROPE DRAW BATTLE LINES IN THEIR DISPUTE OVER ENERGY

After the discussions at the latest Russia-European Union summit laid bare the growing disagreements between Moscow and the European bloc over how to guarantee "energy security" to the Old Continent's countries, the leaders of the pro-Western GUAM grouping (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) launched an initiative... MORE

Al-Qaeda Doctrine: The Eventual Need for Semi-Conventional Forces

Earlier in 2006, Terrorism Focus published three articles on al-Qaeda's doctrine for what the United States government has taken to calling the "Long War." In recent weeks, Western media reporting on developments in the Iraq and Afghan insurgencies seems to make a fourth article relevant.... MORE

Assessing al-Qaeda’s Position in Iraq

There is a confusing portrait emerging from Iraq regarding al-Qaeda's position inside the country. Recent reports present contradictory views on the level of al-Qaeda support, success and long-term prospects. One picture depicts continuous violent attacks, the defiance of key al-Qaeda-affiliated Iraqi insurgent groups and Abu... MORE