National Security Brief: February 27, 2012: - Under U.S. threats to withdraw more than billion dollars in aid should it go on, the trail of 43 NGO workers — including 16 Americans — in Egyptian courts for violating a previously unenforced ban on foreign support funds was abruptly halted two hours after it started. The postponement to April, though, may not come in time for a U.S. State Department certification of progress due that month to release the aid.
- As Syrian forces continue their assault on the city
of Homs and the EU signs off on a fresh round of sanctions today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned over the weekend that she is “deeply distressed” by the attacks on civilians in Syria but resisted a campaign by U.S. lawmakers to begin providing armaments to Syrian dissidents. “What are we going to arm them with and against what? We’re not going to bring tanks over the borders of Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan,” Clinton said.
- The U.S. is teaming with the new Yemen government to capture or kill Al Qaeda operatives but critics have pointed to the U.S. role in Yemen as a source of profit for the previous government and taking a toll on civilian populations through drone strikes and counter-terrorism operations.
- The fallout from NATO forces’ improper disposal of Muslim holy books in Afghanistan continued to roil the country, including with a suicide bombing that killed 9 and an attack inside the Interior Ministry that killed two American military advisers.
- “This is not the time to decide that we’re done here,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker, though media outlets report that, despite the resolute pronouncements, the unrest prompted tough questions raising doubts about the U.S.-led NATO war there and possibly speeding the withdrawal process.
- Russian State Television, along with the Ukrainian and Russian authorities, are reporting a foiled assassination plot against Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin but Putin critics are expresing suspicion about the alleged plot which was reported one week before presidential elections which, despite unprecedented protests in Moscow, are expected elect Putin to the presidency again.
- Annual global spending on drone aircraft is projected to almost double from the current $5.9 billion to $11.3 billion over the next decade as Asian defense budgets rise and drones become one of the most sought-after weapons in the air defense industry.
- “At this time, many Iranian all over the world are watching us and I imagine them to be very happy,” said Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi as he accepted the Oscar for Best Foreign Film for “A Separation.” “They are happy not just because of an important award or a film or filmmaker, but because at the time when talk of war, intimidation and aggression is exchanged between politicians, the name of their country Iran is spoken here through her glorious culture.”
HERO
