Topic: Al Qaeda
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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Focus
The Monitor's top 11 US stories of 2012
From storms to politics, the year was a wild ride. What are the most meaningful US stories of 2012? Here's the Monitor's list, in roughly chronological order.
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5 national security issues next president must tackle
President Obama and Mitt Romney battle over foreign policy issues in the third and final presidential debate. No matter who wins the presidential election November 6, Mr. Romney or Mr. Obama will have to confront five urgent national security issues in the first weeks of his term.
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Drone warfare: top 3 reasons it could be dangerous for US
Is the Central Intelligence Agency’s drone warfare campaign – secretly ordered targeted killings in countries like Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia – making America safer? Here are the top three dangers of drone warfare to America, according to new studies.
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Six reasons this UN General Assembly is must-see TV
World leaders descend on New York for the annual United Nations gathering, starting Sept. 25. If the recent past is any guide, it can be a memorable, even explosive, occasion. Here are six moments to watch for, to brace for, this time.
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Blasphemy riots: 6 examples around the world
Many Muslims consider any depiction of the prophet to be forbidden, and Islamic teachings call for handling the Quran with respect. Incidents of both intentional and unintentional disrespect have occasionally prompted protests and violence around the world. Here are six examples:
All Content
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Global News Blog
Good Reads: A lesson for democracy, lost and found on Google Earth, and the next Arab uprisingThis week's good reads include words of wisdom from Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, using the Internet and applied mathematics to find the long road home, and a profile of Egyptian courage.
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Yemen shooting: Are US embassy officials in the Mideast secure? (+video)
The drive-by shooting that killed a Yemeni security officer assigned to the US Embassy in Sana bore the fingerprints of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which has targeted the US in the past.
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The Monitor's View: What Pakistan can do after Taliban shooting of schoolgirl Malala
The Taliban shooting of Malala Yousafzai, a famous 14-year-old girl activist, should spark Pakistanis to not only end the Taliban but to emulate Muslim societies that elevate the status of women in Islam.
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Did Al Qaeda assassinate a US Embassy security official in Yemen? (+video)
A masked gunman killed a Yemeni security official who was investigating last month's attack on the US Embassy in Sanaa, Yemen.
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Global News Blog
My conversations with Malala Yousafzai, the girl who stood up to the Taliban (+video)Pakistani journalist Owais Tohid recalls his conversations with Malala Yousafzai, the outspoken 14-year-old girl whose shooting by the Taliban has outraged the world.
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Sit tight, drive safe, and watch for flat adverbs
An article on women in the CIA offers, in passing, a grammar lesson.
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House hearing: ‘weak’ security drawn down further before Benghazi attack
The State Department had refused to extend a 16-member ‘site security team’ in Libya, a security officer told the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday.
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Mitt Romney wants to arm Syrian rebels: What are the risks?
Extremist elements, some affiliated with Al Qaeda, appear to be playing a growing role in the fight against the Assad regime, posing a challenge to proposals, such as Romney's, to arm the Syrian rebels.
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Pakistani Taliban shoot teenaged champion of girls' schools
Malala Yousufzai, 14, is renowned for her work promoting education for girls in a region once overrun by the Pakistani Taliban.
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Pakistan Army blocks anti-drone protest in tribal region
The Pakistani military blocked a convoy of Pakistanis and a small contingent of US anti-war activists from entering South Waziristan on Sunday to protest American drone strikes.
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France's Hollande vows more security after raids on Islamic network
French police special forces carried out a series of early-morning raids across France to dismantle what authorities called a radical Islamist network, resulting in 11 arrests and one death.
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Peace seems close for Philippines and rebel Muslims
A peace agreement, to be signed later this month, will give the Muslim minority in the Philippines an autonomous region in the south. The agreement is significant after 40 years of conflict, and 15 years of periodic negotiations with Muslim rebels.
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5 terrorism suspects extradited from UK to US
An ailing extremist Egyptian-born preacher and four other terrorism suspects arrived in the United States early Saturday under tight security to face trial after losing their lengthy extradition fight in England.
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How Abu Hamza's extradition could create a mess for Obama
The extradition of Abu Hamza al-Masri and four other Islamic militants from Britain to the United States comes with a number of conditions, which could create political problems for President Barack Obama as the presidential election nears.
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Backchannels
Libya attack: Congressmen casting blame voted to cut diplomatic security budgetReps. Jason Chaffetz and Darrell Issa claim the Benghazi consulate sought more security before the deadly attack. They also both voted to cut the State Department's embassy security budget.
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Decoder Wire
Post debate, some ask: What happened to the charismatic Obama of 2008?In the wake of Wednesday's listless debate performance, Democrats and Republicans alike have been speculating about why Barack Obama may seem different from four years ago.
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Where's Ahmad? FBI offers $50,000 for info on US terrorist suspect
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking for Ahmad Abousamra, an associate of a Massachusetts resident who's already in prison on terrorism charges.
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Suicide bombings rock Aleppo, Syria. Who is behind them? (+video)
Three powerful explosions rocked the main square in a government-controlled central district of Aleppo, Syria, Wednesday. Nobody has yet claimed responsibility, but previous bombings in the city have raised concerns that Al Qaeda is operating in the area.
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Backchannels
The politics around the Benghazi consulate attack? Plenty of spin to go aroundNo one looks great two weeks after the murder of US Ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other Americans in Benghazi. Not the Obama Administration. And not its critics.
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Libya attack: Not a problem of intelligence (+video)
Questions linger about the way the Obama Administration presented intelligence information following a violent attack in Benghazi, Libya last month. It appears now that from very early in their investigation U.S. officials had information implicating organized militants.
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Drone warfare: top 3 reasons it could be dangerous for US
Is the Central Intelligence Agency’s drone warfare campaign – secretly ordered targeted killings in countries like Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia – making America safer? Here are the top three dangers of drone warfare to America, according to new studies.
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Can Mitt Romney damage Obama over Benghazi attack?
Attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, provided an opening to question Obama's handling of an international crisis – and Mitt Romney and the GOP are making the most of it. But they'll need to avoid bellicose statements that may alienate independent voters, one expert cautions.
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The Monitor's View: A global model for peacebuilding – in Somalia?
One of the world's most famous failed states, Somalia, finally shows surprising signs of progress. One reason may be Somali fatigue over violence, anarchy, and foreign meddling.
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Military death toll in Afghanistan reaches 2,000
While the US prepares to withdraw most of its troops from Afghanistan by 2014, the number of military deaths in the country continues to rise. The toll is now at 2,000.
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Al Qaeda-style strikes on Shiites in Iraq kill at least 26
The attacks across Iraq appeared coordinated and included car bombings, a favored tactic of Al Qaeda in Iraq.
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