DNI: Major Points of US Worldwide Threat Assessment

James Clapper, right, the US director of National Intelligence, testifies on 'World Wide Threats' on Capitol Hill Photo: REUTERS

Major Points of US Worldwide Threat Assessment -- Voice of America

The U.S. Director of National Intelligence on Tuesday presented to Congress an assessment of worldwide threats to U.S. national security interests. The following are some of the key points as listed in James. Clapper's prepared statement for the record.

Terrorism: The Pakistan-based "core" al-Qaida group once led by Osama bin Laden has diminished in operations importance. However, the global jihadist movement of al-Qaida and like-minded groups continues to be a dangerous transnational force.

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More News On The DNI's Major Points Of US Worldwide Threat Assessment

Four takeaways from spy chiefs’ brief on global threats -- Laura Rozen, The envoy
U.S. Intel Head James Clapper On Greatest Threats In 2012 -- ABC News
Al-Qaida in decline, but US faces a "multiplicity" of linked threats, from nuclear to cyber -- Chicago Tribune/AP
Intel Chief: Al Qaeda Hurting, Iran 'More Willing' To Launch Attacks In U.S. -- FOX News
Intelligence report cites strides, threats -- CNN
Iran Now a ‘Top Threat’ to U.S. Networks, Spy Chief Claims -- Danger Room
DNI: Al-Qaida in Decline, But Threats Multiply -- Military.com/AP

US: Iran 'More Willing' to Conduct Attack on American Soil -- Voice of America
Iran 'willing to stage attacks on US soil’ -- The Telegraph
Iran, Perceiving Threat From West, Willing To Attack On U.S. Soil, U.S. Intelligence Report Finds -- Washington Post
Iran increasingly willing to launch US attack, top intelligence official warns -- The Guardian
U.S. officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran -- Boston Herald
U.S. Intel: Iran Willing to Attack on American Soil -- Slate
Iran Willing to Attack US: Report -- Newser
US intelligence warns Iran poised to conduct terror attacks in US -- Hot Air
Iranian Officials More Willing to Attack in U.S., Clapper Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Iran Stepping Up Spying, Support for Terror -- Bloomberg
Iran prepared to attack US, intelligence says -- New York Post

New U.S. intelligence assessment says core al Qaida group seriously hurt -- McClatchy News
Al-Qaeda in decline, says US -- Sydney Morning Herald/AP
Intel chief: Bin Laden death crippled al-Qaida -- Army Times
Al-Qaida in decline, but threats to US multiply -- FOX News/AP
New U.S. intelligence assessment says core al Qaida group seriously hurt -- McClatchy News
Intelligence Chief Sees Al Qaeda Likely to Continue Fragmenting -- New York Times

US intelligence expects NKorea under new leader to attempt more exports of weapons technology -- Washington Post
U.S. official: N. Korea likely to continue weapons policy -- USA Today/AP

Iran keeping option open on nuclear weapon: U.S. spy chief -- Reuters
Diplomacy can influence Iran over nuclear program: US -- AFP

Pakistan still sharing intel with U.S. -- CNN

Top US intelligence official says Ukraine becoming dangerously authoritarian -- Washington Post/AP

Intelligence chief: Iran, Russia, China top intel threats to U.S. -- Washington Times

Top 4 threats against America: the good and bad news -- Anna Mulrine, Christian Science Monitor

Why It's So Hard To Cut A U.S. Defense Program

F-35 Story Shows Why It's So Hard To Cut A Federal Program -- McClatchy News

WASHINGTON — For all its high-tech stealth and record price tag, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter embodies the droll military motto, "Hurry up and wait."

Conceived in the heady post-Cold War 1990s, the futuristic fifth-generation jet fighter was to be a technological marvel built in a rush and paid for with "peace dividend" dollars.

But now with the economic crash, the fighter is billions over budget and years behind schedule.

Here's part of the problem: axing the F-35 would eliminate tens of thousands of jobs in 47 states. Few members of Congress are willing to go along.

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My Comment: Tens of thousands of jobs, coupled with tens of thousands of jobs tied in with these jobs .... no politician in his right mind would want to cut a program that may end up throwing scores of his voters into the unemployment line. Unfortunately .... with trillion dollar deficits .... this may actually happen regardless of the political pressures on politicians to not cut programs like the F-35..

Picture Of The Day

An F/A-18F Super Hornet launches from the USS Carl Vinson in the Arabian Sea, Jan. 26, 2012. The F/A-18F crew is assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 22. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Timothy A. Hazel

Is The US Fighting A Coward's War?

Photo: USAF

With Its Deadly Drones, The US Is Fighting A Coward's War -- George Monbiot, The Guardian

As technology allows machines to make their own decisions, warfare will become bloodier – and less accountable

The ancient Greeks, unlike the Jews or the Christians, invested their gods with human failings. Divine judgment, they believed, was neither flawless nor dispassionate; it was warped by lust, vengeance and self-interest. In the hands of Zeus, the thunderbolt was both an instrument of justice and a weapon of jealousy and revenge.

Those now dispensing judgment from on high are not gods, though they must feel like it. The people striking mortals down with drones are doubtless as capable as anyone else of self-deception, denial and cognitive illusions. More so, perhaps, as the eminent fictions of the Bush years and the growing delusions of the current president suggest.

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My Comment: A harsh criticism of the U.S. drone program. While I do not share the commentator's conclusions .... I do agree that we are evolving into a situation where our technology is making warfare easier to conduct without the usual hindrances. I am also of the opinion that as we continue to fight the many wars that we now find ourselves involved in .... blow-back against us will become more likely as time passes by.

Flu Research Is Being Compared To The Development Of Nuclear Weapons

A scanning electron microscope image of the avian flu virus. Details from recent bird flu virus studies could allow for the development of a devastating biological weapon, a U.S. federal panel said on Tuesday in defending its decision to seek limitations on the information’s release (PRNewsFoto/Zygote Media Group).

Flu Work Akin to Nuclear-Bomb Experiments, Board Says -- Global Security Newswire

Experts who made an unprecedented recommendation that bird-flu researchers hold back some details of their work justified the controversial decision on Tuesday, saying that the experiments were akin to the 1940s work on nuclear weapons or the first attempts at genetic engineering in the 1970s (see GSN, Jan. 26).

Members of the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity said that bioterrorists or rogue governments could use details of the experiments to make a global weapon of catastrophic potential.

“We found the potential risk of public harm to be of unusually high magnitude,” they wrote in a statement published jointly in the rival journals Science and Nature.

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My Comment: I can just imagine the horror and fear that would strike the world if an easily transmittable virus with a mortality rate of H5N1 can have on the world. And what I find frightening from what I am reading, is that it appears that man .... with the proper lab resources .... can easily develop one.

Iraq Is The Achilles Heel In Oil Production And Prices

Forget Iran, Iraq Is Threatening Oil Prices -- CNN

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The deteriorating situation in Iraq is leading some analysts to worry that the country may not be able to meet its lofty goals for rapidly ramping up oil production.

Violence in Iraq is a big problem, especially for the people who live there.

But it's an issue for oil markets because increased oil output from Iraq is supposed to offset rising demand from places like India and China. Iraq's ability to deliver on that oil is one reason oil prices haven't jumped even higher than they are now.

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My Comment: It is a surprise that oil prices have not climbed to the $150 /barrel levels that we saw a few years ago. Nigeria oil production is down because of sectarian strife. Libya's oil production will take a few years to recover from it's civil war. Venezuela's policy of oil nationalization has scared away the majors. Central Asian oil production will take a few years to come online, and Iran is threatening to shut the taps if tougher sanctions are enforced. Yup .... Iraq oil is needed .... and needed soon.

Special Forces Are Now The 'In Thing' In Washington

Obama’s Special Forces Fascination -- Richard Weitz, The Diplomat

Barack Obama’s attraction to unconventional operations has perhaps only been rivaled by John F. Kennedy. But plans for a floating base have their limits.

The new U.S. Defense Department budget documents released by the Pentagon this month confirm one thing we knew and another we didn’t. As expected, the documents show that the Obama administration plans to maintain strong funding support for the Special Forces in the coming years, even while spending on more conventional forces will grow slower and in some cases even fall. But the documents also reveal that the Defense Department plans to deploy a new floating base that can support hostage rescues, clandestine terrorist assassinations, and other special missions along the world’s littorals.

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Update: Obama’s Lean, Mean SEAL Machine -- Daily Beast

My Comment: President Obama attraction to special forces is very simple .... they get the job done, and usually with minimal casualties. Success brings recognition and more resources .... so this heightened focus on special forces from the White House should not surprise anyone.

Intense 2012 Firefight With U.S Marines And Taliban

Hat Tip: Theo Spark

Cartoon Pic For Today

(Click on Image to Enlarge)

Beating The Internet Censors

The Invisible Revolution Is Online -- CNN

Guided by an army of "geeks with a conscience," a network of digital activists, working mostly in the shadows, is emerging to challenge the restrictions of repressive governments around the world.

Sascha Meinrath is part of that army.

Working with a team of tech experts inside a nondescript building in downtown Washington, Meinrath is developing new technologies that could one day be used to evade government censors and secret police. "You can imagine any of the world's hot spots, and we have been contacted by people there," he told CNN.

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My Comment: Short of governments making the decision to completely unplug from the world's communication grid .... which will not happen .... my money is on the digital activists to win.

Why Is Israel So Chatty About Iran?

Why Is Israel So Chatty About Iran? Israeli Intelligence Journalist Ronen Bergman Explains To Yahoo News -- Laura Rozen, Yahoo News/The Envoy

Pentagon officials have lost sleep in recent weeks preparing for one contingency: what does the United States do in the event of a surprise Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities? Israeli intelligence writer Ronen Bergman interviewed several senior Israeli intelligence and defense officials for his Sunday New York Times Magazine cover story asking about that very prospect: "Will Israel Attack Iran?" Bergman comes to the conclusion in his piece that yes, Israel will attack Iran this year. But the Israeli officials who publicly discuss the option in the piece, and who have made other recent public statements, also present the question: why are Israeli leaders suddenly so chatty on the topic? Doesn't that put at risk one key strategic advantage Israel has prized in the past, the element of surprise? Bergman spoke to Yahoo News by phone from Israel Sunday. The interview has been edited and condensed.

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My Comment: An interesting perspective .... read it all.

German Satellite Was 'Minutes Away' From Crashing Into Beijing

The research satellite Rosat, seen here in a computerized reprodution, crashed to Earth last October. dapd/ EADS Astrium

German Satellite Almost Crashed into Beijing -- Spiegel Online

Last October, the German research satellite Rosat plunged into the Bay of Bengal, more than 20 years after it had been launched into orbit. But had it remained aloft for just seven more minutes, it would have landed in Beijing instead, new calculations show.

It was a proud day for German science when, on June 1, 1990, Rosat was launched into orbit from Cape Canaveral. The research satellite was chock full of the most modern technology available, allowing scientists the ability to search the skies for the source of X-ray radiation for the first time.

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Update: German satellite 'minutes from crashing into Beijing' -- The Telegraph

My Comment: Crashing in the middle of Beijing .... hhhmmmm .... that would have produced a few red faces.

Last Surviving Founding Member Of SAS 'Originals' Dies At 92

Storie, right, and a fellow 'Original' in the desert in 1941.

Legendary Last Surviving Founding Member Of SAS 'Originals' Dies At 92 -- Daily Mail

He was in the Special Air Service before it was even called the SAS: a member of the formidable L Detachment who carried out stealth raids and daring missions throughout World War Two.

Jimmy Storie, the last surviving veteran of ‘The Originals’ who went down in history as the founders of the legendary SAS, has died aged 92.

Ayr-born Mr Storie was one of a handful of men brought together as the first raw form of the regiment, born out of fighting Rommel’s Afrika Korps in North Africa.

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My Comment: Truly an end to an era.

Nigeria's War Against Boko Haram Intensifies

SPECIAL REPORT: Boko Haram: Between Rebellion And Jihad -- Reuters

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - At about 10.40 one morning last August, Mohammed Abul Barra rammed his ash-coloured station wagon into a security gate outside the United Nations headquarters in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, knocking it off its hinges. Barra's 1996 Honda Accord then crashed through the main building's glass doors and slammed against the reception desk.

On security tapes of the incident seen by Reuters, a guard peers into the car, evidently unaware that it is packed with explosives. The grainy footage shows a dozen or so people in the reception edge towards the vehicle. Over 10 seconds pass in confusion before one man seemingly realises what is about to happen. He grabs the person next to him and darts towards the lift. But it's too late. Barra steadies himself, leans forward and the security screens blur into white fuzz.

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More News On Nigeria's War Against Boko Haram

Nigeria army kills 11 Boko Haram Islamists -- BBC
Police: Islamist sect kills 5 people in attacks on security targets in Nigeria’s northeast -- Washington Post/AP
Militants hit police station in Nigeria's north -- CNN
Boko Haram rejects talks in Nigeria -- Daily News
Nigeria’s Igbo Tribal Elders Call for Evacuation Due to Violence -- Voice of America
Nigeria on edge as Islamist group extends campaign of violence -- CNN
Analysts: Difficult Dialogue with Nigeria's Violent Boko Haram Essential -- Voice of America
Nigeria Islamist militant sect drawing increased scrutiny -- Washington Times
Nigeria: Islamic Terror, Slaughter Of Christians Receives Scant International Attention -- Neon Tommy
Nigeria's Boko Haram Militants Remain a Regional Threat -- Stewart Scott, Townhall
The Guardian on Boko Haram -- John Campbell, Council On Foreign Relations

Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- January 31, 2012

Members of coalition special operations forces wait for an air drop of supplies in the Shah Joy district in Afghanistan's Zabul province, Afghanistan, Jan. 25, 2012. Such drops help resupply forces in remote areas of Afghanistan. U.S. Navy Petty Officer Petty Officer 2nd Class Jon Rasmussen

Afghanistan: No Escape from Empire’s Graveyard -- Brahma Chellaney, Project Syndicate

NEW DELHI – With the stage set for secret talks in Qatar between the United States and the Taliban, US President Barack Obama’s strategy for a phased exit from war-ravaged Afghanistan is now being couched in nice-sounding terms that hide more than they reveal. In seeking a Faustian bargain with the Taliban, Obama risks repeating US policy mistakes that now haunt regional and international security.

Since coming to office, Obama has pursued an Afghan strategy that can be summed up in three words: surge, bribe, and run. The military mission has now entered the “run” part, or what euphemistically is being called the “transition to 2014.”

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Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials

Get used to it: Intervention in Syria is coming -- Hussein Ibish, NOW Lebanon

Syria slides towards civil war -- Michael Peel, Abigail Fiedling-Smith and Roula Khalaf, Financial Times

Where is Syria crisis heading? -- Nick Thompson, CNN

Saving Syria requires Russia’s cooperation -- Washington Post editorial

Russia has pride, contracts at stake in Syria -- Will Englund, Washington Post

Syria crisis: Why is Russia defending Bashar al-Assad? -- Artyom Krechetnikov, BBC

Russia, and the Putin Rules: A Pessimistic Assessment -- Paul Roderick Gregory, Forbes

Germany's Role in the European Debt Crisis -- George Friedman, Real Clear World/Stratfor

The Oil Off Cuba: Washington and Havana Dance at Arms Length Over Spill Prevention -- Tim Padgett, Time

The New Falklands War – OpEd -- Eurasia Review

Britain’s Falklands message to Argentina: don’t even think about it -- Niles Gardiner, The Telegraph
A war anniversary that U.S. wishes to forget -- Emil Guillermo, McClatchy News

Obama Exploits the Navy SEALs -- Leif Babin, Wall Street Journal

Revive Made in USA? Easier said than done -- Parija Kavilanz, CNN

Twitter's censorship cheerleaders -- Uri Friedman, Foreign Policy

World News Briefs -- January 31, 2012 (Evening Edition)

(Left-right) FBI Director Robert Mueller, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and CIA Director David Petraeus appear before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Capitol Hill yesterday. The committee met to hear testimony on the topic of “World Wide Threats.” AFP

Iranian Attack On America And Allies Increasingly Likely – Intelligence Chief -- The Guardian

Washington openly blames Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei for first time over Saudi ambassador plot.

The head of US intelligence has warned that there is an increasing likelihood that Iran could carry out attacks in America or against US and allied targets around the world.

The warning from the director of national intelligence, James Clapper, reflects rapidly rising tensions over Iran's nuclear programme after the US and EU announced embargoes on the Iranian oil trade in the past few weeks, Israel leaked details of its preparation for a possible conflict and both the west and Iran boosted their military readiness in the Gulf.

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MIDDLE EAST

UN resolution could spur Syria civil war, Russia warns. Russia says West's UN effort over Syria 'path to civil war'. Arab League head to address U.N. on Syria.

Gulf Arabs have plans against Hormuz closure: official.

Mossad chief in Washington for Iran talks: media.

UN leader presses Mideast rivals back to talks.

Hamas leader embarks on visit to Iran, Gulf states.

Israel says it will deport South Sudanese.

ASIA

Pakistan: more than 60 killed in fighting between military and Taliban.

Parties campaign in Pakistan's tribal areas despite fears of Taliban.

Afghan officials consider own talks with Taliban.

US military deaths in Afghanistan at 1,766.

China boosts security in Tibet following protests.

Khmer Rouge court unable to pay Cambodian salaries.

Senior US diplomat for Asia says military deterrence will back up diplomacy with NKorea.

AFRICA

African Union summit, food crisis in the Sahel and global hunger figures.

Tuareg rebels attack 6th town in Mali.

Chinese workers seized in Egypt's Sinai peninsula.

Anti-government protests in Senegal continue this week, are peaceful a day after deaths. More election protests expected in Senegal. 2 shot dead in Senegal election protest.

US weighs response as extremist group expands reach across Nigeria.

Chinese workers held by Sudan rebels.

In South Sudan, a wave of tribal killings tests fragile independence.

EUROPE

Spanish judge defends investigation into civil war-era crimes.

French lawmakers seek rejection of genocide law.

Britain to shiver in temperatures 'colder than the South Pole' as health chiefs say more than 1,500 people a week could die in the big freeze. Dozens freeze to death as 'extreme cold' grips Europe. Siberian cold front sweeps across Europe, bringing record low temperatures (Photo Gallery).

Cameron and Sarkozy war of words over financial transaction tax.

Search for Costa Concordia missing called off.

Hungary grows weary of European Union.

Eurozone unemployment hits new record.

AMERICAS

U.S. Congressional Budget Office reports another $1 trillion deficit.

Mexican ambassador briefly held hostage in Venezuela.

U.S. home values continue to decline.

62 below: Deep freeze grips much of Alaska.

Police catch suspect in 75 drug cartel killings.

The Falkland Islands await the Duke of Cambridge as British commander says they are safe from Argentina.

Brazil's Rousseff visits communist Cuba.

Bolivia march revives Tipnis Amazon road dispute.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

US senators agree new sanctions on Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Witnesses: Drone attack kills 11 in Yemen. At least 12 militants killed in Yemen air strike.

Pakistan concedes advantages to US drone strikes.

Libyan militia leader sues former UK spy chief.

Strategic retreat (commentary).

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Investors face more than 70 pct loss in Greek deal.

European Commission turns antitrust lens on Samsung.

A new page opens for Facebook. Facebook’s IPO: Putting it in context.

China loses WTO appeal over raw materials exports.

Exxon profits beat street, as $100 oil cures many ills.

Here Comes The British Navy

Photo: The £1bn ship is among the largest and most powerful air defence destroyers built for the navy. BBC

Back Off! British Show Of Strength As Navy Sends £1Billion Warship HMS Dauntless To The Falklands -- Daily Mail

* Deployment comes after rows between British and Argentine governments
* Countries arguing over sovereignty of islands
* MoD deny sending out Type 45 destroyer in response to increased tensions
* Say move was 'long planned'
* British minister will travel to the islands to commemorate 30th anniversary of Falklands war

Warship HMS Dauntless, one of the Royal Navy’s most advanced and powerful vessels, is being sent to the Falklands, the Ministry of Defence announced today.

The deployment comes after rows between the British and Argentine government over who has the right to own the islands.

A Royal Navy spokesman rejected suggestions the decision to send the ultra-modern destroyer to the region in March represented an escalation of the UK’s position.

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More News On The British Navy Deployment To The Falklands

Royal Navy to send HMS Dauntless to Falkland Islands -- The Telegraph
Britain sends new warship to Falklands -- AFP
HMS Dauntless destroyer deployed to Falklands by navy -- BBC
Britain sends warship to Falklands in planned operation -- Toronto Star/AP
Falklands Tensions Rise as Royal Navy Sends Destroyer to Islands -- IBTimes
Falkland Islands: Royal Navy packs considerable punch, warns William Hague -- The Telegraph
HMS Dauntless: Falkland Islands must be defended or 'it's game over' says Admiral Lord West -- The Telegraph
Lord West: UK could not recapture Falklands from Argentina -- BBC
Another war in the Falklands is ‘unwinnable’ because of defence cuts, says former head of Army -- Daily Mail
Falkland Islands: Government rules out protection law -- BBC
Minister to visit Falklands to mark war anniversary -- Reuters
The New Falklands War – OpEd -- Eurasia Review
Britain’s Falklands message to Argentina: don’t even think about it -- Niles Gardiner, The Telegraph

A Look At Syria's Assad Family

Meet The Assads: A Look At The Syrian Strongman’s Family -- Time

As the conflict in Syria reaches a critical phase, TIME looks at some of the regime's key figures.

The widow of President Hafez Assad and mother of the current president, she is thought to have considerable influence within the regime. Hailing from a prominent Alawite family, Anisa Makhlouf Assad rarely appeared in public with her late husband, nor has she played much of a public role since her son took power. According to local media reports, she was last seen at an Arab Women’s Union in Damascus in 2006. Nonetheless, it is she, not the president’s wife, Asma Assad, that is considered First Lady. “We’re hearing a lot of stories about her influence on her son, that she’s convincing him what happens now is the same as in the 1980s [when a Muslim Brotherhood revolt was suppressed] and that he has to use force,” opposition figure Radwan Ziadeh told Al Jazeera English.

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Update: Bashar al-Assad: President defined by violence -- CNN

My Comment: I did a similar post about the Gaddafi family in July of last year .... now I am doing this one. Hmmmmm ..... history is repeating itself.

Civil War In Syria -- News Updates January 31, 2012

U.S. Spy Chief Says Syria's Assad Cannot Hold Power -- MSNBC/Reuters

WASHINGTON — Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad cannot sustain his hold on power and it is a matter of time before his leadership falls, U.S. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said on Tuesday.

Syrian government forces reasserted control of Damascus suburbs on Tuesday after beating back rebels, and diplomatic pressure mounted on Assad as Western and Arab diplomats pushed for a U.N. Security Council resolution which would call for the Syrian leader to step down.

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More News On the Civil War In Syria

Syria: UN to hear Arab League proposals - live updates -- The Guardian
Fall of Syrian regime inevitable: US spy chief -- Khallej Times/AFP
Turkey: Assad is Doomed -- Arutz Sheva
Syria government forces retake Damascus suburbs as insurgency reaches new phase -- National Post/Reuters
Syria forces retake Damascus suburbs; showdown at U.N. -- Reuters
Syrian Army Advances on Opposition-Held Damascus Suburbs -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Syria army takes control of rebellious suburbs -- L.A. Times
Free Syria Army Claims Gains Against Government Forces -- Voice of America
Syrian opposition warns Iraq over arms shipment to Assad forces -- Al Bawaba

Syria bloodshed continues as U.N. talks loom -- CBS/AP
Showdown on Syria, Assad's future, likely in U.N. -- L.A. Times
High-level offensive launched on Syria at UN -- AP
Russia Faces Diplomatic Onslaught at UN to Support Ouster of Syria’s Assad -- Bloomberg
Russia: U.N. resolution on Syria is 'path to civil war' -- USA Today/AP
Russia says West's Syria push "path to civil war" -- Reuters
Russia Says UN Resolution Would Put Syria on Path to Civil War -- Voice of America

Syria's Alawites, a secretive and persecuted sect -- Reuters
Syria uprising: Religion overshadowing the democratic push -- Nicholas Blanford, Christian Science Monitor
A UN resolution on Syria, even watered down, would hurt Assad -- Fares Chamseddine, The Guardian
Syria slides towards civil war -- Michael Peel, Abigail Fiedling-Smith and Roula Khalaf, Financial Times
Where is Syria crisis heading? -- Nick Thompson, CNN

Grassley on gunwalking: 'Clean hands' excuse 'doesn't pass laugh test'

“The idea that senior political appointees have clean hands in these gunwalking scandals doesn’t pass the laugh test, especially considering we’ve seen less than 10 percent of the pages that the Justice Department has provided the Inspector General,” the release continues. [More]

This afternoon's Gun Rights Examiner report notes bloody hands are nothing to laugh at.

U.S. Intel Head : Greatest Threats In 2012

FBI Director Robert Mueller (left) and Director of National IntelligenceJames Clapper (right) are greeted by Sen. Saxby Chambliss, Georgia Republican and vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, in the Hart Senate Office Building in D.C., before a hearing on worldwide threats. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

U.S. Intel Head James Clapper On Greatest Threats In 2012 -- ABC News

The man in charge of all of America's intelligence gathering testified today before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence for the annual Worldwide Threat Assessment. The following are excerpts from National Director of Intelligence James Clapper's prepared remarks as provided to ABC News.

On Iran: We Don't Know If They'll Go for The Bomb, 'Concerned' About Attack on U.S.

"We assess Iran is keeping open the option to develop nuclear weapons, in part by developing various nuclear capabilities that better position it to produce such weapons, should it choose to do so. We do not know, however, if Iran will eventually decide to build nuclear weapons. Iran nevertheless is expanding its uranium enrichment capabilities, which can be used for either civil or weapons purposes."

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Update #1: Major Points of US Worldwide Threat Assessment -- Voice of America
Update #2: Intelligence report cites strides, threats -- CNN
Update #3: Intelligence chief: Iran, Russia, China top intel threats to U.S. -- Washington Times

My Comment: This intelligence gathering in front of the US Intelligence Committee is still ongoing. A lot of issues are being covered, and we will update and summarize what was discussed in front of the committee by the end of today.

Mossad Chief In Secret U.S. Talks On Iran Nuclear Threat

Photo: Mossad Chief Tamir Pardo. Moti Milrod

Mossad Chief Holds Secret U.S. Meetings On Iran Nuclear Threat, Senate Panel Reveals -- Haaretz

During a broadcasted meeting of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, CIA Director, panel Chairperson indicate they met Tamir Pardo in Washington this week.

Mossad chief Tamir Pardo held secret talks with top U.S. officials in recent days, cursory comments made during a public Senate hearing indicated on Tuesday.

The clandestine Washington visit was exposed during a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which was participated by CIA Director David Petraeus, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, and Dianne Feinstein, who chairs the Senate panel.

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My Comment: So much for keeping these talks secret.

U.S. Intelligence Chief: Al Qaeda Will Continue To Fragment

Intelligence Chief Sees Al Qaeda Likely to Continue Fragmenting -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — The nation’s top intelligence official said on Tuesday that continued pressure from the United States and its allies will likely reduce Al Qaeda’s core leadership in Pakistan to “largely symbolic importance” over the next two to three years as the terrorist organization fragments into more regionally focused groups and homegrown extremists.

The assessment by the official, James R. Clapper, the director of national intelligence, added new detail to similar analyses by American counterterrorism officials in recent months. They were contained in prepared remarks to the Senate Intelligence Committee at the panel’s annual hearing to review global threats to the United States.

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More News On The Decline Of Al Qaeda

Al-Qaeda in decline, says US -- Sydney Morning Herald/AP
Intel chief: Bin Laden death crippled al-Qaida -- Army Times
Al-Qaida in decline, but threats to US multiply -- FOX News/AP
New U.S. intelligence assessment says core al Qaida group seriously hurt -- McClatchy News

My Comment: I hope this assessment is right.

American Intelligence Chief: Iran 'More Willing' To Attack On US Soil

FBI Director Robert Mueller, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and CIA Director David Petraeus appear before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on Capitol Hill January 31, 2012. (Getty Images)

Iran, Perceiving Threat From West, Willing To Attack On U.S. Soil, U.S. Intelligence Report Finds -- Washington Post

U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Iran is prepared to launch terrorist attacks inside the United States in response to perceived threats from America and its allies, the U.S. spy chief said Tuesday.

Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. said in prepared testimony that an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador in Washington that was uncovered last year reflects an aggressive new willingness within the upper ranks of the Islamist republic to authorize attacks against the United States.

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More News On U.S. Concerns That Iran Is More Willing To Attack On U.S. Soil

Iran increasingly willing to launch US attack, top intelligence official warns -- The Guardian
U.S. officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran -- Boston Herald
U.S. Intel: Iran Willing to Attack on American Soil -- Slate
Iran Willing to Attack US: Report -- Newser
US intelligence warns Iran poised to conduct terror attacks in US -- Hot Air
Iranian Officials More Willing to Attack in U.S., Clapper Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Iran Stepping Up Spying, Support for Terror -- Bloomberg

My Comment: All that I can say is that if Iran is involved in a mass casualty event on U.S. soil .... or for that matter any other major terror attack on U.S. targets worldwide .... and they proudly announce it .... expect this to lead up to war and massive U.S. retaliation.

Pakistan Concedes U.S. Drone Strikes Are Effective, But Still Wants Them To Stop

U.S. Reaper drones at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. One is armed with two 500-lb bombs. Source: GlobalPost

Pakistan Concedes Advantages To US Drone Strikes -- Military.com/AP

Pakistan on Tuesday acknowledged "tactical advantages" to U.S. drone strikes on the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, but appeared to shrug off the unexpected confirmation by Washington of attacks on its soil.

The remarks from Pakistan's foreign ministry came as President Barack Obama confirmed for the first time that drone aircraft had targeted Islamist militants in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal areas on the Afghan border.

"Notwithstanding tactical advantages of drone strikes, we are of the firm view that these are unlawful, counterproductive and hence unacceptable," ministry spokesman Abdul Basit told AFP in a text message.

"Our view has always been very clear and position principled," he added.

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My Comment: Pakistan concedes on the effectiveness of drone strikes .... but wants it to stop. Talk about .... having one's cake and eating it too.

Drone Wars

Coming soon, to a neighborhood near you...[Read]

To not only keep all of us who have nothing to hide safe and free, but to do it at bargain prices!

President Obama Confirms That US Drone Strikes Occur In Pakistan

Obama Confirms Drone Strikes In Pakistan -- Voice of America

U.S. President Barack Obama has publicly acknowledged for the first time that the United States uses drone strikes against militants in Pakistan.

Mr. Obama confirmed during an online town hall discussion Monday that drone attacks have been used to target al-Qaida and its affiliates, adding that many of the strikes have been in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.

The president defended the operations, which have greatly increased during his administration, saying they are used for "very precise, precision strikes" in the fight against al-Qaida.

Read more ....

More News On President Obama Confirming US Drone Strikes In Pakistan

Barack Obama admits US drone strikes on Pakistan -- The Telegraph
US drones regularly target terrorists in Pakistan: Obama -- Rediff
Obama admits to Pakistan drone strikes -- CNN
Obama admits Pakistan drone attacks -- Al Jazeera
Barack Obama confirms drone strikes in Pakistan -- The Telegraph
US president admits to use of drones in Pakistan, Iraq -- Deutsche Welle
Obama defends drone strikes in Pakistan -- The Hill
Obama defends 'judicious' use of drone strikes during online Q&A -- L.A. Times
Obama defends US drone strikes in Pakistan -- BBC
Barack Obama opens up about drones -- The Australian
Civilian Deaths Due to Drones Are Not Many, Obama Says -- New York Times
Obama Says Drone Strikes Important Weapon Against Terrorists -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Obama admits 'worst-kept secret': US flies drones over Pakistan -- Christian Science Monitor
The truth about American drones could be very inconvenient for Pakistan -- Rob Crilly, The Telegraph
With its deadly drones, the US is fighting a coward's war -- George Monbiot, the Guardian

We're the Only Ones Tweeting Enough

"Get those hacking (expletive). I'm a cop in the bay area CA. (sic) I would go at them with both guns!" Richmond police Sgt. Mike Rood wrote via Twitter to UFC President Dana White. [More]

His apologists in comments are quick to come to his defense.  He didn't really mean what he said literally. It was just a dumb Tweet.  His detractors are making a mountain out of a molehill and this is no big deal. 

Internet comments don't matter.

Do they, Detective Rod Tuason? 


[Via Dave Licht]

U.S. Air Strikes In Yemen Kill 15

Air Raids On al-Qaeda Bases In Yemen 'kill 15' -- The Telegraph

Overnight air raids struck an al-Qaeda meeting and control post in southern Yemen, killing around 15 people including a long-hunted regional militant leader, tribal chiefs said on Tuesday.

The four night-time raids were "carried out by US planes," according to a local military official who spoke on condition of anonymity. They hit targets in the Loder and Al-Wadih areas of Abyan province, a tribal chief said.

Al-Qaeda militants control much of the province after taking advantage of months of political turmoil, which has forced President Ali Abdullah Saleh to agree to step down next month, to overrun swathes of the south.

"We think they were carried out by American planes," a tribal chief said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Read more ....

More News On U.S. Air Strikes Against Al Qaeda Targets In Yemen

Air raids on Qaeda bases in Yemen kill 15 -- AFP
Yemen: US airstrikes kill 15 suspected al-Qaida militants -- MSNBC
Yemen Air Strike Hits al Qaeda Targets: Reports -- ABC News
Overnight drone strike in Yemen kills 15, including 'at least four Al Qaeda leaders' -- Daily Mail
US raids kill 15 al Qaeda suspects in Yemen -- Al Bawaba
US drone strike kills 11 AQAP leaders, fighters: report -- Long War Journal
Drone strike on al-Qaeda 'kills 13' in southern Yemen -- BBC
Strike kills 12 Yemen militants, minister escapes attack -- Reuters
US airstrikes kill 4 Al Qaeda militants in Yemen -- FOX News/AP

Prince Harry Getting Ready To Go To Afghanistan

Gurkha soldiers with Prince Harry in Afghanistan

Prince Harry Hooded And 'Beaten' In Hostage Training Exercise Ahead Of Afghanistan Helicopter Deployment -- Daily Mail

Hooded and 'mentally beaten to the ground', Prince Harry has endured a brutal training exercise to prepare him for his return to the front line in Afghanistan.

The 27-year-old Apache helicopter pilot is the first Royal to experience such extreme conditioning.

He was taken through a series of 'nightmare scenarios' at RAF St Mawgan near Newquay in Cornwall.

Read more ....

Update: Prince Harry held hostage by his own air force in a training drill -- The Telegraph

My Comment: My prediction .... like the last time when he was deployed to Afghanistan, Prince Harry is going to be protected by a special group of Gurkha soldiers (see above pic).

Does ‘fatally flawed’ minority report on gunwalking ‘absolve’ administration?

Unsurprisingly, the minority report would convince us senior administration officials are cleared of any knowledge and wrongdoing, and that the solution is to enact some administrative changes, treat “flaws” as internal personnel, rather than criminal matters, and enact more “gun control.” That makes it easy to point the finger at lower-level Phoenix operatives—if they face no criminal charges, there’s no incentive for them to squeal, and the ones who might can simply plead the Fifth (although why one would have to if there have been no crimes committed remains conspicuously unexplained) or simply not “recall.” [More]

Today's Gun Rights Examiner column looks at a fatally flawed report.

Heavy Fighting Reported Between Pakistani Troops And The Taliban

Pakistan: More Than 60 Killed In Fighting Between Military And Taliban -- The Guardian

• 16 troops and 50 insurgents killed in Kurram since last week
• At least 10 gunned down in separate attacks in Karachi

Fighting between soldiers and Taliban militants over a strategic mountaintop in north-western Pakistan has killed more than 60 people, according to a government official.

The battle started a week ago, when government troops seized the top of Jogi mountain in the Kurram tribal area from militants, sparking clashes that killed six soldiers and 20 insurgents, Wajid Khan, a local government administrator, said on Tuesday.

Read more ....

More News On Heavy Fighting Reported Between Pakistani Troops And The Taliban

Fighting over strategic mountaintop in NW Pakistan kills more than 60 soldiers, militants -- Washington Post/AP
Dozens killed as Pakistani army, militants clash -- Reuters
Pakistani forces clash with Taliban -- Al Jazeera
Clashes in Northwest Pakistan Kill 50 -- Voice of America
Dozens Reported Killed As Pakistan Army, Taliban Fight For Mountaintop -- Radio Free Europe
Eight Pakistani soldiers killed in Taliban clashes -- AFP
10 Soldiers, Dozens Of Militants Killed In Pak Tribal Area -- RTT News
Deadly militant attack on Pakistan military checkpoint -- BBC

Afghanistan War News Updates -- January 31, 2011

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

On The Ground In Afghanistan, A Taliban Whose Momentum Seems Anything But Broken -- Time

The hundreds of bullets, mortar shells and rockets that slammed into the boulders behind which they were taking cover peppered the men of 1st Platoon with high-velocity rock shards and jagged bits of shrapnel. Just below Outpost (OP) Shal, a newly constructed mountaintop aerie in Afghanistan's violent Kunar province on the Pakistani border, insurgent fighters were moaning and screaming from wounds suffered over eight days of heavy fighting. That scene, just three months ago, of the outnumbered American platoon fighting to maintain its foothold offered a sobering contrast to President Barack Obama's statement, in last week's State of the Union address: "The Taliban's momentum has been broken."

Read more ....

More News On Afghanistan

ISAF Joint Command morning operational update - January 31, 2012 -- ISAF
War in Afghanistan News, 31 January, 2012 -- War On Terror News
Insurgents kill NATO soldier in southern Afghanistan -- Wire Update
NATO soldier killed in southern Afghanistan -- Khaama Press

France upends NATO's exit strategy in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News/AFP
NATO sticks to 2014 Afghan pullout despite early French exit -- AFP
Final shift to Afghan force to start in 2013, NATO official says -- FOX News/AP
NATO: No change to Afghan withdrawal date -- The Hill

Eight in 10 Afghans think police weak, U.N. report shows -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters
UN Poll: Afghan Police Weak, but Ready by 2014 -- ABC News/AP
Afghans Feel Police Not Ready for Security Control -- Voice of America

French judge to investigate killings of 10 soldiers in Afghanistan in 2008 -- Washington Post/AP
Canada is committed to Afghanistan -- Montreal Gazette
Bullies Versus Elitist Killers -- Strategy Page

Afghan officials, Taliban may hold talks in Saudi Arabia -- CNN
Saudi Arabia cautious on possible Afghan talks -- Reuters
Afghan Hazara leader skeptical of Taliban peace -- Reuters
No truce, says Afghan Taliban -- UPI
U.S.-Taliban peace talks face difficult hurdles -- Montreal Gazette/AFP

Afghan police: Man kills wife for giving birth to daughter instead of son -- CNN
Afghan Kin Are Accused of Killing Woman for Not Bearing a Son -- New York Times
The Afghan mother-in-law from hell who helped son 'tie up and choke wife to death for burdening family by having third daughter instead of a son' -- Daily Mail
In Afghanistan, horrific violence against women is nothing new -- L.A. Times