Global Security Studies Practicum

(Yemen)- Exactly two weeks after US drone strikes killed Anwar Al-Awlaki , another drone strike has claimed the life of his 21-year-old son, Abdul Rahman Anwar Awlaki. The attack in the Shabwa district claimed nine militants, including Ibrahim al-Banna, head media officer for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) . Reports indicate the younger Awlaki had been hiding in the mountains for more than eight months. Washington continues to stamp out the threat from AQAP, the most active and dangerous branch of al-Qaida and the perpetrators of the failed attack of the underwear bomber . The strike was one of five overnight drone attacks aimed at al-Qaida positions in Shawba and Abyan . Anwar al-Awlaki was formerly the senior leader of the AQAP before his death September 30th. There has been no comment from the al-Awlaki family. Source: www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2011-10-15/yemen-militants-drone-strikes/50784330/1?csp=34news Reliability: 9

According the United Nations, illicit poppy cultivation in Afghanistan, the world’s leader in opium production, increased and spread into declared “poppy free” areas in 2011, despite efforts to destroy poppy fields. The attempt to disrupt opium-smuggling operations and insurgent networks that profit form opium production has cost hundreds of millions of dollars. The increase is likely due to insecurity in the region as well as the soaring opium prices. The amount of land used to cultivate poppies increased by 7%. One acre of land can produce more than $4,000 worth of opium. Profits gained from opium production and smuggling benefits insurgent groups, drug warlords, and corrupt politicians and security forces, making it difficult for Afghanistan to increase stability in the region. Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/12/world/asia/un-reports-sharp-rise-in-opium-production-in-afghanistan.html (Reliability: 9)

12 October 2011 Police caught up with four Taliban militants after they robbed a bank, shooting them dead on a bridge as they attempted to flee to Afghanistan. The daylight raid on the bank and the bombing in June were carried out by the “Black Night” group, a unit of the Pakistani Taliban dedicated to raising funds through robberies, kidnappings, and extortion. Al-Qaida, the Taliban, and other associated groups are relying less on cash from abroad and more on crime to get money for equipment, weapons, and the expenses associated with running an insurgency. Iraq has also seen a jump in crime in recent years. Militants there use profits from crime to finance operations. Their targets are wealthy Pakistanis who are able to pay top dollar for the release of their loved one. Ransom demands range from about $150,000 and to $1 million. Source : Pakistani Taliban Raise Funds Through Street Crime http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/12/ap/asia/main20119008.shtml Reliability : 9

Possible Peace Agreement Between Israel and Palestine 11 October 2011   WASHINGTON – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that the attention on the Israel-Palestine conflict should aid in the attempt at peace.   The US and Europe are both supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state.   The US is leading the attempt at positive negotiations between Israel and Palestine .   The Quartet , the US , UN, EU and Russia , has been attempting at a negotiation since 2002.   After Palestine requested UN membership, the Quartet revitalized negotiations.   The amount of attention drawn by the circumstance will aid in negotiations talks and pressure to resolve the differences.   Events surrounding Palestine and Israel could hinder progress.   The best move for both is to settle a peace agreement .   Reliability:   9 Source:   Mideast mediators propose Israeli-Palestinian meeting this month in Jordan http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/national-security/mideast-mediat

12 October, 2011 Anwar al-Awlaki is dead, but the threat of al-Qaeda online recruitment still continues. In order to prevent new terrorist members, U.S. officials are monitoring social networks, internet forums, chat rooms, and videos encouraging individuals to recruit. Nine officials who speak Arabic and Urdu expose their identity to angry young Muslims with the goal to steer them away from their radicalization views. Critics state that their role models al-Awlaki and bin Laden’s illegal sexual activities of possessing porn and hiring prostitutes should be exposed to the public and not held confidential by the government. Exposing their behavior may change the views of potential members in a positive or negative way. The battle against internet al-Qaeda recruitment is on, unfortunately it’s being fought by a small army of officials. Source: http://http://www.searchevolvedoptimization.com/2011/10/06/social-networks-used-to-counter-al-qaeda/ (Reliability: 8.5)

12 October 2011 President Chavez talks about his health to the media. Associated Press ( CARACAS ) – President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela will return to Cuba  during the week of 16 October to undergo another round of medical tests. The announcement was issued by the president during a telephone interview via state-run television on 10 October. President Chavez previously said he finished his final round of chemotherapy but remains under observation for signs of recurrence. Cuban doctors removed a tumor from the president’s pelvic region in June without revealing details about his type of cancer. Source:  http://www.miamiherald.com/chavez-cuba.html (Reliability: 9) Comment: The president’s announcement comes amid questions regarding his ability to run for Venezuela ’s presidential elections set for 7 October 2012. Without an obvious successor matching his popular and charismatic ways, it is likely that Chavez’s socialist movement will significantly weaken after his deat

Cairo - Egypt experienced their worst violence earlier this week since the outing of Hosni Mubarak Christian protesters allegedly initiated violent clashes with armed troops by attacking with swords and firebombs during a Christian rally . Egyptian soldiers accused of opening fire with live ammunition on protesters and intentionally running them over with armored vehicles deny the allegations. About 26 people are reported dead and a majority of them are believed to be Christians attending the rally. Forensic reports state that many of the victims had signs of wounds from gunfire and crushed by vehicles. An estimated three soldiers are among the fatalities. There are two stories of the events floating around the media. One of the stories told by Egyptian government states that the protestors became violent and attacked a unit of about 300 soldiers armed with only anti-riot gear . Also, the government made it clear that the protestors held within their possession swords, gas cylinders

12 October 2011 BANGKOK, THAILAND – Residents have been clearing the shelves of markets in preparations to brace for intense flooding in the coming days. Yingluck Shinawatra , the Prime Minister of Thailand has issued a warning to businesses across the country stating that business owners should reframe from price gouging and taking advantage of typical supply and demand situations in times of natural disaster preparations. T he Prime Minister feels that if businesses raise their prices that it will cause suffering locals, who were hit hard by the heavy monsoon rains, to turn to crime and the hoarding of businesses to get the provisions they need. Another issue that Thai officials are worried about is the fact that Bangkok is a mere two meters above sea level, which leaves the country’s capitol highly vulnerable to reservoir overflows due to the intense swelling of the Chao Phraya River . According to Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation , since late J

11 October 2011 London (The Guardian) —While agencies bring food and medical aid to famine-hit Somalia, escalating sexual violence is treated as a low priority. This is in part due to the difficulty for large foreign-aid organizations to access the women in need, those living in al-Shabaab -controlled internally displaced persons (IDP) camps. For sexual predators, famine and vulnerability equals opportunity. A recent United Nations assessment reported that cases of rape have quadrupled during the famine. If a victim of rape dares to complain, she is accused of promiscuity or “speaking against the brotherhood,” both crimes punishable by beheading or stoning. Solutions outside the traditional big-aid model have proven to be effective. Grassroots Somali leader Fartun Adan opened Sister Somalia , a rape crisis center inside Mogadishu’s government-controlled safe zone. She has developed a malleable direct-aid structure informed by local context, catering to victims’ specific needs. SOURCE:

5 October 2011 MOGADISHU,SOMALIA- Somaliland, a breakaway nation from Somalia is providing humanitarian aid to drought stricken Somalia. Nine thousand drought stricken families from Mogadishu will be receiving a month supply of food and four hospitals will be receiving medication. Before parting to Mogadishu, Mohamed Shurgi Jama, the representative for the Somaliland humanitarian aid delegation announced the collection of about $700,000 donated by the people and government of Somaliland to distribute among Mogadishu and the refugee camps in Dadaab, Kenya where many Somali refugees are located. Source: Somaliland sends first humanitarian mission to Somalia http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/oct/05/somaliland-humanitarian-aid-somalia-mogadishu?newsfeed=true Reliability:9

State Workers Strike in Athens 11 October 2011 ATHENS ,  GREECE  – Beginning today, Greek petroleum workers will strike indefinitely. The strike is in response to the government’s plan to cut the workforce and reduce wages. The Panhellenic Federation of Employees in Petroleum Products and Refineries stated it would strike for as long as necessary. The union believes the government wants to dissolve unions. The petroleum union joins other unions on strike as a response to budget measures. Comment –  The union responses are a result of austerity measures undertaken by the Greek government. The government must cut state spending to secure the next loan tranche from the EU, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank ( troika ). Inspectors from the troika recently finished examining the Greek books. Troika representatives expect the November loan payment to occur, but has not been officially announced.  Greece  is already having trouble reaching budget benchmark

Jerusalem- Palestinian leaders will release Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit , in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims Shalit will return in a few days, after the Cabinet voted 26-3 in favor of the swap brokered by Egyptian mediators. The deal calls for the release of 450 prisoners, followed by 550 in two months and 27 additional women. Imprisoned Palestinian lawmaker Marwan Barghouti is not among the prisoners scheduled to be released. Shalit was captured more than five years ago after Palestinian forces tunneled into the Jewish state and attacked an Israeli military post. Shalit was 19 years old and is expected to be returned healthy and in good physical condition. Source: http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/11/world/meast/israel-shalit-release/index.html Reliability: 9

10 October 2011 A computer virus first detected nearly two weeks ago by the military’s Host-Based Security System has infected the cockpits of America ’s Predator and Reaper drones. This computer virus entails the capability of logging pilots’ every key stoke as they remotely fly missions over Afghanistan and other pertinent war zones. Network security specialist commented the virus has resisted multiple efforts in removal from the Creech’s computers and the infection underlies the ongoing security risks in the U.S. military’s most important weapons system. “We keep wiping it off, and it keeps coming back,” states a source familiar with the network infection, “We think it’s benign, but we just don’t know.” It is unknown whether the virus and key logger payload was intentional or accidental; this may be a common piece of malware making its way into a sensitive network. Specialists are unaware of the depth of the virus however they are certain the infection has hit both classified

11 October 2011 Russia came to an agreement to construct the first ever $9 billion nuclear power station. President Alexander Lukashenko signed the resolution with the Russian federation to construct the first nuclear plant in the country of Belarus. This agreement came to be only if Russia receives 50% of the profits from the power sales of the plant. Construction of the plant is already underway by the Russian contractor Atomstroiexport near the town of Ostrovets . Russia’s nuclear station building corporation Rosatom , is the primary company to build this plant along with 14 out of the 62 reactors worldwide. The reactors will have a power of a capacity of 2,400 megawatts. According to the local experts, the securities of this nuclear plant will four independent safety systems, which will make it one of the safest so far. European nations around the Ukraine have protested due to past nuclear accidents, safety, and environmental concerns. This power plant is to be in service by the

9 October 2011 Cairo - Ali Abdullah Saleh has once again avoided resigning from office as Yemen’s president even after signing a deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council in the spring. Yemeni’s foreign minister, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, presented a new plan to the council stating that Saleh will remain in office until next year elections. The council’s plan, the Gulf Initiative, proposed that Saleh transfer all presidential power to his deputy while offering him and his family immunity. Saleh failed to react because of his main concern of leaving the country in control by his foes, General Ali Mohsin al-Ahmar and Hamid al-Ahmar. Government officials believe both men are using the antigovernment demonstrations to vie for power and blame them for the June bomb attack leaving Saleh injured. Yemen’s coalition of political opponent’s l eader, Yassin Saeed Noman, states that Saleh’s return is negative for the political situation and that negotiation with political opposition will get harder. S

A week after the capture of Haji Mali Khan, the senior Haqqani network leader, NATO ’s International Security Assistance Force ( ISAF ) announced the killing of his associate Dilawar. Dilawar, Khan’s principle subordinate, killed during a coalition airstrike in the Musa Khel district of eastern Afghanistan Khost province. ISAF described the effort as “another significant milestone in the disruption of the Haqqani network.” Dilawar conducted numerous operations with the Haqqani network including attacks against Afghan forces near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, facilitated the movement of weapons, and was associated with both al Qaeda and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan . ISAF stated in efforts to disrupt the Haqqani network, security forces have conducted operations this year leading to the death of 20 Haqqani network leaders and the capture of more than 1,400 suspected network associates. Source: NATO says top Haqqani leader killed in strike http://articles.cnn.com/2011-10-0

Associated Press (Tehran)- Iran has criticized Turkey for allowing NATO to place missile defense systems in Southeast Turkey. President Ahmadinejad of Iran states that the aim of the defense shield is to protect Israel against Iranian missiles in the event of war between Israel and Iran. Earlier in September, Turkey agreed to host NATO’s radar system aimed at countering Iran’s ballistic missiles. However, Turkey claims the missile defense system does not target a specific country and has vowed to block the deal if NATO names Iran as a threat. Turkey is a key Muslim voice in NATO and the missile deployment indicates improving relations with Washington since the 2003 Iraq invasion. Also, Turkey works closely with U.S troops in Iraq and Afghanistan on non-combat roles. Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/04/ap/middleeast/main20115639.shtml Reliability(9) Comment: Turkey is strategically located between Europe and the Middle East is trying to balance its relationsh