Topic: Al Qaeda
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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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Jihadist-backed Syrian rebels seize military base (+video)
The base's capture comes just days after the US blacklisted the Jabhat al-Nusra militia, members of whom were involved in the operation, as a terrorist organization.
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Mali's ex-rocket-scientist prime minister forced to quit by army (+video)
Cheikh Modibo Diarra's forced resignation at the hands of the military complicates African efforts to challenge Al-Qaeda-linked Islamists that hold the country's north.
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Focus
Which world hot spots will clamor for Obama's attention?Obama is unequivocal about his intent to refocus on US domestic issues during his second term. But the world is not likely to cooperate. Here are seven foreign-policy challenges already bearing down on him.
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HSBC to pay record $1.9 billion to settle money laundering case (+video)
HSBC avoided a damaging legal battle Tuesday by agreeing to pay $1.9 billion to settle a US money laundering probe. The HSBC settlement will be the biggest penalty ever imposed on a bank.
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Backchannels
US designates Syria's Jabhat al-Nusra front a 'terrorist' group at lightning speedThe US State Department designated Syria's Jabhat al-Nusra, one of the militias fighting Bashar al-Assad, a foreign terrorist organization.
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Opinion: Return on American humanitarian aid: They like us
From Indonesia – the world's largest Muslim nation – to Pakistan, recipients of American humanitarian aid improve their opinions of the United States, especially when that aid is targeted at individuals, and not governments.
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Why US should be wary of attacking cyberradicals, including Al Qaeda
Missives from extremist groups such as Al Qaeda can easily be found online. But launching cyberattacks to shut their websites down is problematic – and even counterproductive, a new report finds.
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Syria calls chemical weapon reports 'pretext for intervention' (+video)
Bashar al-Assad's deputy foreign minister said that even if Syria had chemical weapons, it would not use them on its own people. 'We would not commit suicide,' he said.
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A wary Iraq weighs its options as Syrian civil war deepens
Fears in Iraq of a spillover of Syria's fighting, or a victory for Sunni Islamists hostile to the Shiite-led government in Baghdad, have Iraq weighing its options.
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The Monitor's View: Are Americans ready to deal with Syria's chemical weapons?
On Monday, Obama strongly warned Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad not to use chemical weapons as rebels advance on Damascus. What is the national interest in threatening US action? Obama must sort out the moral purpose.
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Syria: first state with WMDs to topple? (+video)
Never before has a country with Weapons of Mass Destruction been on the verge of collapse, says an arms control expert who argues for regional coordination to prevent a catastrophe.
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New Jersey derailment: How safe are hazmat rail shipments? (+video)
The New Jersey derailment on Friday sent tank cars carrying toxic vinyl chloride off a collapsed bridge and into a creek, reviving safety concerns. But hazmat rail accidents are down.
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3 US citizens accused of trying to join al Qaeda indicted in California
Three young men were indicted with conspiracy to provide support to terrorists in a California court on Wednesday. The FBI says they were planning to join with Taliban militants for training in Afghanistan.
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Susan Rice fails to charm GOP senators (+video)
U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice met with Republican senators Wednesday, in an effort to diffuse criticisms surrounding her possible nomination for secretary of state. But even moderate senators walked away vowing to block the nomination.
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In Egypt and Tunisia, Salafis move from prisons to parliaments
After the Arab Spring uprisings, it's inevitable that Salafis will help steer the evolution of North Africa's new governments. The challenge is to make sure they do so peacefully.
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Race is on to find rebel prime minister for Syria
A transitional government is crucial to win Arab and Western support for the revolt against Assad, and would bolster the opposition as a democratic alternative to decades of autocratic rule in Syria.
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Why Obama is standing with Egypt's President Morsi
The Obama administration – as the US did for years with Hozni Mubarak — wants to separate President Mohammed Morsi's domestic political maneuvers from his role as a Middle East mediator. The US needs Morsi as a peace broker between Hamas and Israel.
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Controversy over Susan Rice's Benghazi comments continues (+video)
On Tuesday, U.S. United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice met with Republican senators who have accused her of misleading the public following the attack on the US Embassy in Benghazi. The White House is searching for a replacement for Hillary Clinton, who plans to leave her job as secretary of state in January.
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Backchannels
Syria's Jabhat al-Nusra militia looks pretty seriousSome eye-catching video shows a disciplined jihadi militia on the move in eastern Syria after ransacking a regime artillery base.
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Backchannels
How lonely must it be to be Mahmoud Abbas?Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is losing support at home as Hamas' star rises. While he's trying to regain relevance with a UN bid this week, the US and Israel are working against him.
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Culture Cafe
'Zero Dark Thirty': What's the story behind the film about bin Laden? (+video)The plot of 'Zero Dark Thirty,' the movie by 'Hurt Locker' director Kathryn Bigelow, has been shrouded in secrecy. Check out the trailer to learn more.
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Pentagon vs. Al Qaeda: Panetta hints at shifting US tactics
In a little-noticed policy speech, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says Al Qaeda has been adapting to the US offensive against its leadership, requiring the Pentagon to adopt new tactics.
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Four California men arrested in Al Qaeda plot to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan
Four men, including one who served in the US Air Force, were charged with planning to bomb US facilities in Afghanistan and Yemen, says the FBI.
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Ethnic Somalis in Kenyan capital blamed for bombing minibus
Police fire tear gas to stop attacks on Somalis after a deadly bombing over the weekend that killed at least nine people.
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Why is Susan Rice on the hot seat over Benghazi attack? (+video)
Republicans vow to get to the bottom of UN Ambassador Susan Rice’s role in reporting the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Democrats say she's being unfairly pilloried.
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