Imad Mughniyah, Chief of Hezbollah International Operations, was one of the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists and was sought by authorities in 42 other countries. Over a 30-year span, Mughniyah repeatedly eluded capture, masterminding a slew of major terrorist attacks, such as the bombing of the U.S. Embassy and Marine Barracks in Beirut in 1983, the… Read More "The Failed Attempt to Get a Terrorist Mastermind"
Yemen and the War on Terror
The ongoing political tumult in Yemen threatens to undermine the country as well as American counterterrorism efforts in the region. In August 2014, unrest led to Houthi militias taking over Sana’a and the formation of a new unity government, which included a range of Yemeni factions. This, however, did not last long because of a political impasse caused… Read More "Yemen and the War on Terror"
Reunited on Valentine’s Day
January 30th, 1968 marked the beginning of one of the most significant campaigns of the Vietnam War: the Tet Offensive. Named for the traditional Vietnamese New Year, Tết Nguyên Đán, it was the day the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army forces launched their surprise attacks on military and civilian command-and-control centers throughout South Vietnam,… Read More "Reunited on Valentine’s Day"
Too Fast and Furious — Adult Supervision for the USS Cole Investigation
Relations were tense in Yemen between the United States and Yemen after the attack of the Naval vessel U.S.S Cole in 2000 and the situation was not helped by the sudden onslaught of Americans. As Mike Metrinko, who arrived on the scene in March 2001, describes it, there was “a huge clash of cultures” among… Read More "Too Fast and Furious — Adult Supervision for the USS Cole Investigation"
Suicide Bombers and the Rapper M.I.A. — The Sad Legacy of the Sri Lankan Civil War
Artistic inspiration, such as it is, can come from the most unexpected of places. Case in point, Grammy-nominated one-hit wonder rapper M.I.A. (2007’s “Paper Planes”), who fills many of her songs with references to the violent conflict in Sri Lanka. Her father, Arul Pragasam, founded the Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS), a political Tamil… Read More "Suicide Bombers and the Rapper M.I.A. — The Sad Legacy of the Sri Lankan Civil War"
Dissension, Tension and Succession in the House of Saud
In 1932, Saudi Arabia was established by King Abd al-Aziz and has been ruled by the Saud clan ever since. On the demise of the King, the Crown Prince assumes the throne, with a new Crown Prince traditionally appointed among the sons of Ibn Saud. However, sometimes things don’t go so smoothly. In 1954 the eldest… Read More "Dissension, Tension and Succession in the House of Saud"
Resigning Over the Conflict in El Salvador
Central America in the 1980s became a proxy battleground as the United States supported right-wing leaders against leftist socialist guerrillas who, in turn, were usually funded by the Soviet Union, Cuba and others. In El Salvador, the struggle for power took an ugly turn when Archbishop Óscar Romero, who had openly pleaded for the government… Read More "Resigning Over the Conflict in El Salvador"
Evacuating Uganda — With Style
From 1971-1979, Uganda was under the control of the mercurial Idi Amin, one of the most brutal military dictators ever to rule in Africa. Towards the end of 1973 it became clear that the United States could no longer maintain its embassy in Kampala and would have to shut it down. Deputy Chief of Mission… Read More "Evacuating Uganda — With Style"
A Dream Deferred
What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore– And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over– like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. … Read More "A Dream Deferred"
Horrible Bosses: Internal Tension at the U.S. Mission in Geneva
After years of serving in Africa, you finally get a nice cushy assignment at the U.S. Mission in Geneva, with your own staff, a large budget, a fancy title, and you don’t even have to worry about the regular office bureaucracy. It should be a dream job. Except your boss is a former used tire… Read More "Horrible Bosses: Internal Tension at the U.S. Mission in Geneva"