Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Russia-Ukraine clashes spark fears Vladimir Putin may greenlight offensive
With the Obama administration's attention focused on crises elsewhere, the 6-month-old fragile cease-fire between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russia separatists has deteriorated steadily in recent weeks, reigniting fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin is poised to greenlight a fresh offensive to seize more territory across the border. Published August 19, 2015
Arab League agrees to use military force against ISIS in Libya, unsure on airstrikes
Arab powers made a collective call to militarily confront the Islamic State in Libya on Tuesday, but stopped short of agreeing to conduct airstrikes against the extremists in the North African nation and offered few specifics on what the strategy will entail. Published August 18, 2015
China, Russia to launch largest-ever joint navy exercise
The Chinese and Russian navies are gearing up for their largest ever joint exercises, slated to begin Thursday in the Pacific with more than 20 ships from the two nations and to feature anti-submarine operations as well as a joint-beach landing. Published August 18, 2015
Islamic State takes hold in Libya; Arab League weighs airstrikes in emergency meeting
While the American-led campaign against the Islamic State has focused on Syria and Iraq, the terror group's burgeoning spread into North Africa is prompting increased unease among European and Arab powers wary of the extremists' growing hold on territory in the political vacuum in Libya. Published August 17, 2015
Obama’s Syria ‘safe zone’ plan lacks moderate rebels needed to carry it out
The Obama administration's move to partner with Turkey to carve out a "safe zone" in northern Syria is drawing increasing criticism from national security insiders on both the left and right who see a gaping hole in the plan: There aren't enough U.S.-friendly rebels on the ground to secure and hold the territory. Published August 10, 2015
Russians suspected in Pentagon email hack
Following warnings from top military officials about the growing threat of cyberattacks on Defense Department networks, it was revealed Thursday that Pentagon was forced to take its Joint Staff unclassified email system offline last month after it was accessed by alleged Russian hackers. Published August 6, 2015
U.S. should embed military advisers to fight Islamic State, think tank says
The U.S. should embed military advisers at the battalion level in Iraq and begin directly arming the nation's Kurdish militias and Sunni tribal fighters, according a policy brief issued Thursday by an influential Washington think tank that asserts the Obama administration's current efforts to counter the Islamic State are "not adequate to the task." Published August 6, 2015
More U.S.-based jihadi terror cases in 2015 than in any year since 9/11: report
There have been more U.S.-based jihadi terror cases in 2015 than in any full year since 9/11, according to a "Terror Threat Snapshot" report released Tuesday by the Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, who asserts that U.S. officials must "do more to take the fight to the enemy overseas at its source." Published August 4, 2015
Islamic State attacks beyond Syria, Iraq prompt U.S. concern
A surge in attacks claimed by Islamic State fighters in nations beyond Syria and Iraq is prompting concern among U.S. intelligence officials, who say the pattern fits into the extremist group's ambition to grow a network of affiliates, or "provinces," from North Africa to Asia. Published August 3, 2015
Hillary Clinton emails: Calls mount for criminal investigation amid data breach fears
With U.S. intelligence officials scrambling to contain damage from potentially hundreds of spy agency secrets in Hillary Rodham Clinton's private emails, questions are mounting over why the Justice Department has not yet opened a criminal investigation against the Democratic presidential front-runner for mishandling a mountain of classified information. Published August 2, 2015
Mullah Omar death, Islamic State growth shake Afghanistan peace hopes
The Taliban confirmed Thursday that longtime leader Mullah Mohammad Omar had died and named his second in command as its leader, amid U.S. fears that its ally in Afghanistan is facing a rising challenge from another source: the Islamic State. Published July 30, 2015
Taliban confirms death of Mullah Omar, names successor
High-ranking Taliban officials have confirmed Afghan government claims that the militant group's long-secretive leader Mullah Mohammad Omar is dead, and say the group's senior council has appointed a successor. Published July 30, 2015
Mullah Omar reported dead may hinder peace process
Uncertainty swirled Wednesday around new reports that long-secretive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has been dead for perhaps as long as two years, as U.S. officials declined to confirm an Afghan government claim and analysts debated how the death might impact Afghan-Taliban peace talks and the group's surging operations in the war-torn nation. Published July 29, 2015
Jacob Lew says U.S. will still curb Iran economy if nuclear deal passes
Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said Wednesday the Obama administration intends to "redouble" its efforts to target Iranian government support for terrorism and regional destabilization activities — even as nuclear sanctions on Tehran are being lifted under the major accord reached with world powers this month. Published July 29, 2015
John Kerry pressed on Capitol Hill over Iran deal verification problems
Iran's long record of evading and concealing its nuclear programs from U.N. inspectors hung like a specter over Capitol Hill on Tuesday, as Secretary of State John F. Kerry and other top administration officials faced their second sharp grilling in as many weeks from lawmakers weighing whether to support the Iranian nuclear deal. Published July 28, 2015
Obama denies gaining Turkey’s help in Islamic State fight means sacrificing Kurds
Turkey has finally entered in force into the U.S.-led fight against the Islamic State group, but the move also has exposed the contradictions and confusion at the heart of U.S. policy, with the Obama administration struggling Monday to balance its promises to warring allies in the region and to prevent a deeper U.S. ground force engagement in the fight. Published July 27, 2015
Pakistan banking on Iran trade bonanza after Obama nuclear deal
NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW: The lifting of economic sanctions on Iran will open "massive trade" opportunities for Pakistan and could effectively transform the energy markets of South Asia by paving the way for a long-awaited gas pipeline across the Iranian-Pakistani border, said a top Pakistani diplomat, expressing his nation's deep hope that the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Tehran goes into effect as soon as possible. Published July 26, 2015
Pakistan banks on bonanza from Iran nuke deal
The lifting of economic sanctions on Iran will open "massive trade" opportunities for Pakistan and could effectively transform the energy markets of South Asia by paving the way for a long-awaited gas pipeline across the Iran-Pakistan border, a top Pakistani diplomat said Friday, expressing his nation's deep hope that the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Tehran goes into effect as soon as possible. Published July 24, 2015
Islamic State works to establish functioning, legitimate government as territory grows
They're known for the grisly, videotaped mass beheadings of Christians and other enemies, but the jihadis running the Islamic State are doing far more than that. Published July 23, 2015
Senators slam John Kerry: Obama’s Iran deal lacks details
Senators from both parties hammered the Obama administration's nuclear deal with Iran on Thursday, prompting Secretary of State John F. Kerry to launch his fiercest public defense of the accord to date -- calling it "fantasy" to think that a better agreement could have been reached and warning that a congressional repudiation of the deal would only increase the chances of a nuclear-armed Tehran. Published July 23, 2015