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Is Jordan the next Middle East conflagration of political and social instability? Chryssy The recent protests that swept through Jordan in response to the governments decision to cut fuel subsidies has now turned into calls for overthrowing the Monarchy of King Abdullah II. Some of the extreme slogans included chants from the “Arab Spring” favoring “democracy, justice, and freedom.” However, the Middle East has been known for not particularly being engaged in democratic reforms, especially intervention from the West, such as the United States, has caused further American hostility. Jordan has been politically unstable in the last few years, and many argue that the hopes and chants for “democracy, justice, and freedom” are another set of extreme slogans used among a generally reformist opposition. In today’s world, many Muslims and non-Muslims believe that democracy is at constant odds with the Islamic faith. The issue is not about transition, but whether Islam can suppor
The Role of Intelligence in Counterterrorism – Iraq, 2003 to 2008 Ilias Papadopoulos International Relations Analyst Geostrategic Forecasting Corporation (GSFC) Kallithéa, Greece In this article, we will study the role of intelligence in combating terrorism, having Iraq as a case study. We will argue that the pursuit of the counter-terrorism agenda, solely based in the use of military force, doesn’t produce positive results. On the other hand, results can be achieved by relying upon the counter-terrorism model in the use of intelligence and the application of military force, only when other avenues of action have been spent. Defining Intelligence Before we proceed any further, we need to define the term ‘intelligence’. For that, we will use a definition first published by M. Werner. “Intelligence is secret, state activity, to understand or influence foreign entities”(1) Intelligence work is divided in five levels,(2) all of which institute the “intelligence cycle”. The
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NEED FOR GOOD ANALYSIS AND WARNING SYSTEM IN INDIA TO COMBAT TERRORISM SATURDAY, 31 MARCH 2012 16:41 Keshav mazumdar (Certified Master Antiterrorism Specialist & RIEAS Member of International Advisory Board) Copyright:  www.rieas.gr   Our country’s decision makers- should receive unbiased, non-parochial, all-source intelligence threat estimates based upon need to know basis. But that is lacking. Today we have the IB, Directorate General of Security, the RAW, Directorate General Of MI, Air Intelligence, Naval Intelligence, the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Technical Research Agency. Little coordination exists between them leading to poor information sharing, continuity loss, and inadequate threat analysis/estimate. Compartmentalization by the agencies further fortify these difficulties. Policy makers tend to focus more on foreign armed forces with the result that the intelligence agencies efforts are directed more towards them rather than terrorist and organ