Having spent the past decade working in law enforcement, I hold a special reflection on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the attacks of September 11. On that day, of the more than 400 rescue workers who perished, 343 firefighters and 60 police officers from New York City and the Port Authority died while responding to the call of duty. Never in American history has our nation’s public safety infrastructure suffered such a tragic day. The nearly 3,000 innocent men, women, and children who died that day at the hands of … More

As a little girl in Sunday school, I loved to hear stories about Bible times.   When it was time to listen to our teacher tell a story, we would scoot out wooden chairs near hers as she pulled the Big Book of Bible Stories off the shelf.  It was a large book with perfect pictures to go along with the stories. All of them were great, but one has recently jogged my memory again.  It was the story about keeping our house clean so good could live in it. It … More

In another major blow to al-Qaeda, a U.S. drone strike last Monday in the North Waziristan tribal area of Pakistan killed the organization’s new number two commander, Atiyah Abd al-Rahman. The successful strike demonstrates the importance of continuing the drone missile campaign along Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan as a cornerstone of the mission to degrade and eventually defeat al-Qaeda. Pakistani officials and media outlets regularly criticize the drone missile strikes as a violation of Pakistani sovereignty. But the U.S. is highly unlikely to relent in its drone campaign since the … More

A string of coordinated cross-border terrorist attacks against Israelis launched from Egypt’s Sinai peninsula and Gaza yesterday underscored one of the ominous side effects of the “Arab Spring”: Egypt’s state security institutions have lost control over the Sinai region and are fighting a losing battle against Islamist terrorist groups and Bedouin smugglers along the border. The attacks claimed the lives of seven Israelis traveling in vehicles in southern Israel, and an eighth Israeli, a soldier, was killed fighting the terrorist infiltrators on Thursday night. Israeli officials said they had indications … More

This summer, Boko Haram, Nigeria’s Islamist insurgency, has gained rapid notoriety following a string of brutal killings. While its attacks are domestic in nature, primarily targeting the Nigerian government, evidence reveals that Boko Haram has received support from international terrorist groups, namely al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Boko Haram’s emerging ties with AQIM imply an ambitious agenda with potential for transnational expansion. Earlier this week, General Carter Ham, commander of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), confirmed Boko Haram’s links to al-Qaeda. This, according to General Ham, would be “the … More

Iraq’s fragile peace was shattered on Monday by a coordinated campaign of terrorist attacks in 17 cities that targeted Iraqi security forces and civilians, killing more than 70 people. The attacks occurred almost simultaneously in Baghdad, Karbala, Kut, Kirkuk, Najaf, and other locations and involved suicide bombers, car bombs, and armed attacks on government facilities, police, and Iraqi army posts. Although no group claimed responsibility, early signs point to al-Qaeda in Iraq, which has mounted many similar attacks in the past. An Iraqi military official cited the attacks as “evidence … More

The U.S. Treasury Department yesterday announced sanctions on six al-Qaeda leaders who have used Iranian territory to funnel money and recruits to al-Qaeda’s core leadership in Pakistan and to its bases in Afghanistan and Iraq. Treasury officials say the al-Qaeda leaders have been operating in and through Iran with the acquiescence of that government since 2005. Iran had detained several senior al-Qaeda operatives who fled there after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, keeping them under house arrest for several years. In 2009, however, Iran released Osama bin Laden’s … More

Catching you up on clips, commentary and news of the day. Sign up for the daily email update from Scribe. Evict Fannie and Freddie – Ed Feulner Debt Debate: Are the Poor in Poverty? – Z. Byron Wolf How Will al Qaeda Mark the 10th Anniversary of 9/11? – Marc Thiessen Justice Department trying to shield officials in guns scandal, ATF chief says – Richard A. Serrano The Obama administration’s disparate impact on taxpayer – Hans von Spakovsky & Alex Ingram Don’t Forget Welfare Reform – Mike Needham An agenda for … More

Turkish authorities arrested 15 suspected al-Qaeda militants this week and foiled a plot to bomb the U.S. embassy in Ankara shortly before Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was scheduled to arrive in Turkey for a diplomatic conference regarding Libya. This should serve as a reminder that al-Qaeda has survived the loss of its founder, Osama bin Laden, in May and still poses a threat to Americans and American national interests. Al-Qaeda long has operated within Turkey. Last month, Turkish police arrested 10 al-Qaeda suspects in the city of Adana, near … More

President Ali Abdullah Saleh, although badly wounded, plans to return to Yemen on July 17 to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of his ascent to power. The United States has contributed to the international pressure for Saleh to agree to a peaceful and speedy transition of power in Yemen, but the political process has stalled due to his refusal to compromise and prolonged absence after being wounded in an assassination attempt. As Sana’a is thrown into political turmoil, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has made use of the regime’s focus … More