Egyptians protest military leadership
BY AMRO HASSAN, L.A. Times
Thousands of Egyptians gathered to protest and call for an end to the military leadership role in their country today. The military took on a leadership position once former President Hosni Mubarak was removed from his position.
Targeted Killings: The Death of Anwar al-Awlaki
BY MICAH ZENKO, Council on Foreign Relations
The government of Yemen’s defense ministry announced that U.S.-born Islamist cleric and major al-Qaeda figure, Anwar al-Awlaki, was killed by a drone strike in Yemen. It is believed that the attack was carried out by the United States. Al-Awlaki was a leading recruiter for al-Qaeda and has been linked to terrorist incidents in the United States, including the deadly shootings at Fort Hood, Texas in 2009, a Christmas-day plot in 2009 to blow up a U.S. bound passenger aircraft, and a failed bombing in Times Square in May 2010. Whilst the killing of al-Awlaki eliminates an inspirational and charismatic voice of al-Qaeda, this targeted killing will most likely not make much difference in reducing the ability of al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups in mobilizing, recruiting, and planning terrorist operations.
The Pentagon’s Cyber Strategy, One Year Later
BY WILLIAM J. LYNN III, Foreign Affairs
Cyber warfare has emerged as a real and destructive threat in modern warfare. Cyber attacks not only include traditional methods such as stealing intellectual property from commercial networks and spying on the government, but cyber technology has expanded to include the ability to destroy critical networks, thereby causing physical damage, and the ability to alter the performance of key systems. In addition, more actors are willing and able to use cyber technologies to carry out attacks than ever before. In response, the Pentagon developed a military cyberstrategy to better defend the United States in the event of a cyber attack. One year later, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn III evaluates the U.S. response to this growing threat.
Strike Reflects U.S. Shift to Drones in Terror Fight
BY SCOTT SHANE and THOM SHANKER, New York Times
Changes in defense strategy show movement towards using more drones.
