Morning Bell: What to Do in Syria
Reports are rampant that the Obama Administration will call for U.S. missile strikes against the regime in Syria at any time now. That country is… Read More
Obama Mulls Response to Syrian Chemical Attacks
The Obama Administration is now seeking the least bad option for responding to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s increasingly brazen use of chemical weapons against Syrian… Read More
Hasan Verdict: The Threat of Homegrown Terrorism Continues
Today, a jury of 13 military officers found Major Nidal Malik Hasan guilty for his shooting rampage at Fort Hood in Texas nearly four years… Read More
Fighting New Terror Threats Requires Defining Them
The way the U.S. President talks about terrorism matters. As chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Representative Michael McCaul (R–TX), recently put it, “Great… Read More
Obama Administration Stumbles in Egypt’s Shifting Sands
The Obama Administration’s influence in Egypt has evaporated as Egypt’s “Arab Spring” hopes for a democratic transition have wilted during a summer of rising violence…. Read More
U.S. Embassies Remain Closed: 5 Heritage Must-Reads on Counterterrorism
Twenty U.S. embassies and consulates remain closed throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Asia this week. The State Department says that “current information suggests that… Read More
Q&A on Embassy Closings and Terrorist Threats
James Carafano, Heritage’s vice president for foreign and defense policy and the E. W. Richardson Fellow, sat down with us to answer some frequently asked… Read More
Morning Bell: Where NOT to Travel This Month
The State Department closed 21 U.S. embassies over the weekend and issued a travel alert for Americans regarding the Middle East and northern Africa, warning… Read More
SecurityNews
War of Tweets: The State Department Takes on Islamists
Twitter and other social media are the new battle ground in the war of ideas between Islamist radicals and the U.S. State Department. Since July… Read More
SecurityNews
Embassy Closings Reflect Benghazi Failure
The closing of 21 U.S. embassies throughout the Middle East grows out of the September 11, 2012, Benghazi attack in at least two ways: The… Read More
Benghazi: The Scandal That Won’t Go Away
Rumors of the disappearance of the Benghazi scandal are vastly premature. This week, Special Forces veterans gathered on Capitol Hill to unveil a 60-foot scroll… Read More
Zero Troops in Afghanistan: The Taliban Dream Option
“The zero option is the Taliban dream option. An abrupt drawdown would pave the way for the Taliban to regain influence and cripple the U.S…. Read More
Government Investigation Reveals Inadequate Security at U.S. Embassies
Recent testimony has revealed the fragile nature of the security of many American embassies. State Department officials Gregory B. Starr and Bill A. Miller testified… Read More
SecurityNews
TSA PreCheck Expansion: A Step in the Right Direction
In a welcome move, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently announced that it is expanding the pre-screening program known as PreCheck to the general public…. Read More
GUEST POST: 10 Years of Mixed Results from Homeland Security
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS was established to help prevent terrorist attacks within… Read More
Iraq Unravels in the Shadow of Syria’s Bloodbath
Iraq, which has fallen out of the spotlight since the December 2011 U.S. troop withdrawal, has been plagued by rising internal conflict and instability. On… Read More
GUEST POST: Unconventional Warfare: The Forgotten Threats
On April 15, our nation was the victim of a terrorist attack at one of our most celebrated sporting events, the Boston Marathon. Citizens from… Read More
The Growing Presence of Iran in Latin America
The Oversight and Management Efficiency Subcommittee recently held a hearing about Iran’s influence and presence in Latin America. Contrary to a prior report released by… Read More
News
Napolitano Out: 5 Next Steps for Homeland Security
Today, Janet Napolitano announced her resignation as the Secretary of Homeland Security. The new secretary will face some significant challenges. The Senate must take seriously… Read More
SecurityNews
Fort Hood, Boston Bombing Trials Place Homegrown Radicalization Back into Media Focus
On Tuesday, the trial of accused Fort Hood shooter Major Nidal Malik Hasan commenced in Texas, reopening the wounds from an act of terrorism that… Read More
Q&A: U.S. Foreign Aid to Egypt
James Phillips, Heritage’s senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs, answers key questions about U.S. foreign aid to Egypt. What is U.S. foreign aid to… Read More
Iran in Latin America: State Department Ignores Allies
The State Department recently released a report to Congress assessing the threat posed by Iran in the Western Hemisphere. Regrettably, it seems that the State… Read More
Boko Haram Leaders Captured
The Nigerian military has captured top leaders of the terrorist group Boko Haram, according to local media reports. The capture comes after Nigeria’s president, Goodluck… Read More
SecurityNews
Phone Records and the NSA: Legal and Keeping America Safe
A couple weeks ago, Edward Snowden exposed a NSA counterterrorism program that collects the phone records of millions of U.S. citizens. As Mr. Snowden continues… Read More
NSA Spying Stops Terrorism but Should Also Respect Liberties
General Keith Alexander, the director of the National Security Agency (NSA), testified in an open hearing before the House Permanent Select Committee for Intelligence on… Read More
Iran’s Election: Little Hope for Change
Iran’s theocratic dictatorship has gone to great lengths to shore up its crumbling domestic legitimacy with a facade of democratic process. But today’s presidential election… Read More
Obama Administration Backs into Policy of Arming Syrian Rebels
The White House announced yesterday that President Obama has authorized the transfer of arms to Syria’s rebels after concluding that Bashar al-Assad’s regime had violated… Read More
Syria: Obama Administration Slow-Walks Decision on Chemical Weapons
The Obama Administration has been moving very slowly on the Syrian chemical weapons issue. Caution is in order, because the President’s credibility is on the… Read More
Iran Steps Up Its Global Terrorism Campaign
Senior Obama Administration officials held a background briefing on Friday in which they discussed the “alarming trend” of escalating Iranian support for terrorism. Two high-ranking… Read More
Secretary Kerry Fumbles at the African Union
Boko Haram, the Islamist insurgency in Nigeria, was called a terrorist organization by Secretary of State John Kerry last week. At the 50th anniversary Summit… Read More
