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:
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Benghazi attack: Urgent call for military help ‘was denied by chain of command’
Fox News and others report that military help was available during the terrorist attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, but denied. CIA and Pentagon officials strongly deny the claim.
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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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How the Obama-Romney foreign-policy debate could determine the election
With turmoil increasing in world hot spots, foreign policy and national security have become major presidential campaign issues. From China to Israel, Iran to Syria, stateless terrorists to struggling alliances, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama will have plenty to debate Monday night.
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US and Iran: Could Romney be tougher than Obama? Unlikely.
Short of conducting a unilateral military strike or declaring war against the Islamic Republic, a Romney administration would be faced with the same legislative options on Iran as President Obama, who has already administered them.
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Anxious Turks suspect US plot is behind Syria's implosion
Locals in eastern Turkey, bearing the brunt of the fallout from Turkey's involvement in Syria, believe Ankara is merely a pawn in US plans to foment conflict in the region.
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9/11 trial: Did US have improper influence? Lawyer asks judge for help.
A defense lawyer in the 9/11 war crimes trial tells a judge that a top prosecutor, asked if there had been improper influence by Defense Department or administration officials, refused to answer at least 25 times.
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9/11 cases: Do broad constitutional rights apply to Guantánamo detainees?
US Supreme Court has identified some rights that apply to terrorism suspects at the US detention camp. At a pretrial hearing at Guantánamo, detainees' lawyers argue that the Constitution should be presumed to be in effect during war-crimes trials.
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Backchannels
What really happened in Benghazi?Well, I still have no idea. But apparently a mastermind has been named.
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FBI arrests man plotting to blow up NY Federal Reserve (+video)
In a sting operation, the FBI apprehended a Bangladeshi man they say was planning to blow up the New York Federal Reserve Bank. The man had been assembling a 1,000 pound bomb in a New York warehouse.
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9/11 cases: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed speaks in court, lectures judge
The accused 9/11 mastermind had skipped pretrial hearings at Guantánamo, but he made a surprise showing Wednesday afternoon and addressed the court. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed had some counsel for the judge.
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Backchannels
Getting in on the Benghazi blame gameHere's a list of where you should really be looking if you enjoy finger-pointing.
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Kenyan Christians fear former brethren are attacking churches
Some Christians converting to Islam in Kenya have been recruited by Al Shabab, a militant Islamist group with ties to Al Qaeda.
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Appeals court throws out bin Laden driver Hamdan conviction
In a 3-0 ruling, the appeals court said that material support for terrorism was not an international-law war crime at the time Hamdan engaged in the activity for which he was convicted.
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By taking Benghazi blame, will Hillary Clinton help or harm Obama?
By taking responsibility for the security failure, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared to be trying to shield her boss, a president locked in a tight reelection battle, from further political fallout.
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9/11 cases: Three of five Guantánamo detainees skip pretrial hearing
A military commission judge said Monday the defendants don't have to attend the proceedings, and on Tuesday Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other Guantánamo detainees opted out. It's a day-by-day decision.
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Opinion: Politics around Benghazi tragedy distract us from bigger issues in Middle East
Deflecting some of the heat the Romney campaign has aimed at President Obama and Joe Biden for the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed responsibility for the security of US diplomats. America’s blind focus on avenging terrorism diverts us from asking hard questions about its historical roots – and our dubious alliances today.
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Guantánamo trial boycott? Judge says defendants don't have to attend (+video)
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his four co-defendants in the 9/11 conspiracy trial at Guantánamo Bay cannot be forced to attend future sessions of the trial or pretrial hearings, a military judge said.
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UN envoy for Syria shops a cease-fire idea. Will there be any takers?
Lakhdar Brahimi is proposing a Syria cease-fire built around an upcoming Muslim holiday. But regional experts say neither side appears tired enough from fighting to be interested.
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Benghazi attack: Will Senate inquiry be a factor in presidential election?
Senator Lieberman says his committee will try to ‘find out what happened and why’ in the Benghazi attack, but panel staff say the information-gathering stage is unlikely to be finished by the election.
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Backchannels
A quiet waiver for Pakistan from the Obama administrationIn September, the Obama administration waived conditions that would have halted $2 billion in aid to Pakistan on the grounds it hasn't made progress in fighting terrorism. Why? 'National security.'
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Salafis' rise in Gaza robs Hamas of resistance banner
Salafi militants have been firing rockets into Israel, prompting Israeli retaliation as Hamas seeks calm so that it can focus on the economy.
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President of Mauritania appeals for calm after being shot
Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz spoke to the nation from a hospital bed in France where he is recovering from what is described as an accidental shooting.
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Is Libya terrorist attack 'debacle' hurting Obama?
The White House and the Obama campaign are under fire for the administration's handling of the terrorist attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the US ambassador and three other embassy personnel. The Romney campaign is attacking Obama on the issue.
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In Benghazi, militias may promote security one day, threaten it the next
Ansar al-Sharia, the Libyan Islamist militia publicly blamed for the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi last month, has disappeared from the city's streets. Not all locals are happy about that.
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Bali bombings: 10 years later, progress and some bumps ahead
After the 2002 Bali bombing, Indonesia cracked down on terror. But analysts warn lack of understanding about smaller cells could hamper efforts.
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