Ten days ago the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy in Mali warned every American to avoid any travel to Mali and specifically to avoid any resort, hotel or venue without high security: “Avoid vulnerable locations with poor security measures in place, including hotels, restaurants, and churches.”

The U.S. State Department specifically warned of al-Qaeda (AQIM) attacks and kidnapping: “In the border regions shared by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, extremist groups and linked criminal networks have targeted Westerners for kidnapping.”

Today, a holiday resort in Mali popular with Western tourists has been stormed by gunmen, with hostages taken.

(Via Daily Mail) […] Shots were heard by local residents near Le Campement Kangaba, to the eastern edge of the Malian capital Bamako, with plumes of smoke also seen billowing into the air.

(more…)

No leader in the region holds more anti-terrorism credibility than Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.   President Sisi has challenged all Muslim leaders to denounce the hate within Islamic extremism and rise up to confront evil.

Al-Sisi is a Muslim leader who steadfastly supports the entire Egyptian population regardless of their religious faith.  Sisi has stood firm to support Christians in Egypt.

WHITE HOUSE – President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt. The two presidents agreed on the importance of all countries implementing the agreements reached in Riyadh to fight terrorism, counter extremism, and stop the funding of terrorist groups. President Trump also emphasized the importance of maintaining unity among Arab countries.  (Link)

EGYPT – President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has praised President Donald Trump for his role in “the formation of a united front to combat terrorism” after he called on Qatar to stop its financial support of extremist groups.

(more…)

There’s a history needed for context here.  But first, here’s the latest developments in order of their occurrence.

♦ 6:00am Bahrain’s Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a statement early Monday saying it would withdraw its diplomatic mission from the Qatari capital of Doha within 48 hours and that all Qatari diplomats should leave Bahrain within the same period.

The ministry’s statement said Qatari citizens needed to leave Bahrain within two weeks and that air and sea traffic between the two countries would be halted. It wasn’t immediately clear how that would affect Qatar Airways, one of the region’s major long-haul carriers.

Bahrain blamed Qatar’s “media incitement, support for armed terrorist activities and funding linked to Iranian groups to carry out sabotage and spreading chaos in Bahrain” for its decision.

(more…)

“America stands with President al-Sisi and all the Egyptian people today, and always, as we fight to defeat this common enemy.  America also makes clear to its friends, allies, and partners that the treasured and historic Christian Communities of the Middle East must be defended and protected.”

~ U.S. President Donald J Trump

Following the terrorist attack against Coptic Christians in Egypt, Egyptian military jets attacked Islamic extremist positions in eastern Libya.  The officials said the warplanes on Friday targeted the headquarters of the Shura Council in the city of Darna, where local militias are known to be linked to al-Qaida, not the Islamic State group.

The retaliatory bombings were aimed at terrorist outposts, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stated: “any form of state-sponsored terrorism should be punished. Anyone who attacks Egypt, whether they’re from inside or outside Egypt’s borders, will be punished.”  According to Egyptian TV six “terrorist” camps were struck by the sortie.

(more…)

26 people have been killed and 25 wounded after masked gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians in central Egypt. The terrorist attack happened in Minya province, about 220km (140 miles) south of the capital city of Cairo. The bus was headed to the Monastery of St Samuel.

The bus was ambushed by masked men in three 4 wheel drive vehicles. An immediate response by Egyptian military and security forces is underway, while units of the police special forces closed all exits to Minya.

According to Egyptian media – the terrorists had driven from the Western Desert to a nearby location of the attacked bus then walked to ambush the bus, where they sprayed the bus with gunfire indiscriminately. During the terrorists exit, they found another group in another bus, which they stopped, killed everyone aboard and fled.

(more…)

The Manchester Bomber is one of Hillary Clinton’s Libyan “Rebels”

Islamic State fighters landed in Libya back in November of 2014, and began work establishing training camps in the Libyan city of Derna before launching a terror offensive which included an attack on a Libyan hotel, attacks on oil field workers, and the execution of 21 Copts in a graphic video which made international headlines.

In early through mid-2015 several extremist jihadist elements in Libya swore allegiance to Bakar al-Baghdadi.  A man named Abdelhakim Belhadj took the position as head of ISIS in Libya. Abdelhakim Belhadj was critical in forming “Libya Dawn”, essentially a group of Islamic militia forces (LIFG or Libyan Islamic Fighting Groups) who fought under various banners such as Ansar al-Sharia (al-Qaeda in Libya) and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Today the links emerge between the Manchester bomber, Salman Abedi (22), and these extremist forces within Libya.  It appears the bombing attack against the Manchester concert venue was directed and coordinated by the family of Abedi and their close contacts within Libya including his father Ramadan Abedi who was arrested earlier today.

Important top-lines:

(more…)

We are entirely clear-eyed as to the scope of the challenge. No-one amid our association is naive to the seemingly impossible scale against the backdrop of history.  It may be that their task is impossible. Yet, if they do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if they do not try, it most certainly won’t be done…

There is absolutely no doubt of the work that has been going on for months, quietly, mostly under the radar.  National media are completely deficient for not covering the ongoing events and the diplomacy that has been taking place all year.

We have a front row seat to what President Trump has been assembling, and I would never bet against the ability of President Trump and the people now aligned in consequence.

.

The Diplomatic Timeline below:

(more…)

Oh noes, how is the U.S. media going to find a way to spin this?  It was only a matter of time.  President Trump and Secretary Tillerson played out the global strategy perfectly.

By assembling international allies in a coalition of influence, specifically by pulling China into a close relationship with President Trump, Russia has been cast into a brutally diminished role.  Secretary Tillerson’s exceptionally well received visit to the U.N. Security Council yesterday appears to have been the final straw.

The panda fur has been stroked perfectly.  China is literally on the cusp of calling for five-party talks, sans N-Korea, over the entire Asian crisis; and all regional U.S. partners are perfectly positioned to support Trump/Tillerson in that endeavor. Additionally, the delicate sensibilities of the U.N. have been cultured, praised, and Patrone’ Trump has personally laid down reasonable expectations which the participants applauded.

The international diplomacy of President Trump, Vice-President Pence, Secretary T-Rex and even Ambassador Nikki Haley has been incredibly well received.  Starting in the mid-east, through Europe and NATO all the way to the Asia-Pacific, international leadership has been effusive in praise for what President Trump is making possible.

As hard as it is for the media to admit, that’s the backdrop reality for this:

(more…)

During a press conference yesterday with Italian President Gentiloni, President Trump was asked about the future U.S. role Libya.

QUESTION:  President Trump, do you see a role for your administration in helping stabilizing Libya?  And do you agree that stabilizing Libya means combating terrorism and ISIS?

PRESIDENT TRUMP:  “I do not see a role in Libya.  I think the United States has right now enough roles.  We’re in a role everywhere.  So I do not see that.  I do see a role in getting rid of ISIS.  We’re being very effective in that regard.  We are doing a job, with respect to ISIS, that has not been done anywhere near the numbers that we’re producing right now.  It’s a very effective force we have.  We have no choice.  It’s a horrible thing to say, but we have no choice.  And we are effectively ridding the world of ISIS.  I see that as a primary role, and that’s what we’re going to do, whether it’s in Iraq or in Libya or anywhere else.  And that role will come to an end at a certain point, and we’ll be able to go back home and rebuild our country, which is what I want to do.”

[Transcript]

(more…)

Turkish President Recep Erdogan is quick to declare victory today, albeit by a narrow margin, as a national referendum to consolidate power passes during a national vote.

[…]  The 18 constitutional amendments that will come into effect after the next election, scheduled for 2019, will abolish the office of the prime minister and hand sweeping executive powers to the president. –link–

Having watched the Erdogan objectives play out over the past six to eight years the approach he has taken has been highly effective.

Erdogan essentially imported a base of support consisting of mostly Muslim Brotherhood political supporters to aid his desire to transform Turkey from a secular nation into a more Islamic dictatorial endeavor.

He may never fully achieve the goal of recreating the Ottoman Empire, but that doesn’t mean there is going to be anything less than toxic turmoil ahead for Turkey and the EU as his endeavors continue to be successful.

A decade or two from now when our children look back upon the period from 2010 to 2020 there will be a rather obvious similarity between the rise of Erdogan to power and the rise of Libya’s Muamar Qaddafi.

Both power-hungry nuts utilized immigration to construct their objectives, and both were national gatekeepers. Qaddafi held power over Europe via the North African migration gate, and Erdogan gaining power over Europe through the use of the Mid-East gate.

(more…)