Iyad: An Epic of Modern Mali
By Joe McKnight One name kept repeating itself: Iyad ag-Ghali, leader of Ansar Dine. It seems to me his story, and his political role, may be one that ends up profoundly altering Mali’s future. Continue Reading →
Tag: al-qaeda
Getting Past the Pirates
Joe McKnight: The neo-colonial overtones of the Heritage Foundation’s report, “Saving Somalia: The Next Steps for the Obama Administration,” have obviously influenced U.S. foreign policy in the region. Continue Reading →
Attack their Ideology
Malcolm Nance tells Rachel Maddow that the best way to defeat Al-Qaeda is to spread understanding of their doctrine throughout the Muslim world. They’re a cult, says Nance, determined to radicalize Islam, not support Muslim governments and law as they exist. “Break their Muslim support,” he says, by ending their manipulation of anti-American sentiment. For too long, the US has conflated Al-Qaeda with the larger Muslim World, further complicating our relations in the Middle East and allowing Al-Qaeda to determine the length of the war. “Our ally in this fight is the Muslim world,” he continues. (via Attackerman) Continue Reading →