Security

What Happened?

Wikileaks recently released another treasure trove of information concerning the U.S. Governments powerful hacking tools which it calls “Year Zero”. This potentially takes surveillance right into the homes and pockets of billions of individuals worldwide. Not only affecting household electronics, but also penetrating Apple iPhones and Google Android phones. Google and Apple have the two largest market shares of the smart phone industry worldwide. There are over 1.4 Billion Android users worldwide. These documents outline far reaching capabilities. This is a massive set of documents totaling over 8,700 in all. It includes hacking secrets that have the possibility of embarrassing American and foreign intelligence agencies across the world as well as undermining or killing spying efforts in some circumstances.

[Read more…] about Throw out your Samsung TV – And Other Thoughts on CIA Spying

What is happening in South Sudan?

The world hasn’t seen a famine in almost 6 years since Somalia. That’s now changed. The United Nations just officially confirmed famines in two regions of South Sudan. South Sudan also happens to be the world’s youngest nation. The United Nations is also warning of possible famines in parts of Nigeria, Somalia, and Yemen. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that 4.9 million people, or 40% of South Sudan’s population, will be severely affected over the coming months, and possibly another 15 million people more across the region if the famine worsens.

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Nigeria just marked 1,000 days since the Chibok girls’ abduction by Boko Haram fighters on April 14, 2014. Some of them have been released, 21 have managed to escape since their abduction, however, 200 girls still remain in captivity.

For a background on this story, read Boko Haram – Bring Back More of Our Girls.

Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly said that he remains committed to ensuring the schoolgirls will be reunited with their families’ soon.

The tears never dry, the ache is in our hearts – President Buhari

[Read more…] about 1,000 Days since Our Girls Went Missing

In May, the Government of National Accord (GNA), the Western backed Libyan government, launched a military campaign in order to liberate the Libyan city of Sirte from DAESH. This battle has proved more difficult than expected, recently leading to direct military intervention by the United States through air strikes conducted against DAESH positions in the city. The more than 300 American strikes started in August and quickly destroyed the few DAESH tanks and armored vehicles that were there, but did little to push DAESH out of the city. This is a surprise to analysts who predicted a swift victory against DEASH militants who have only controlled the city for a year. These strikes have continued as recently as late November and are being coordinated out of US Africa Command in Germany. In return, Sirte has become a magnet for foreign Islamic fighters from across Africa.

[Read more…] about The Little Known Battle Against DAESH in Libya

When President Obama took office in 2009, he inherited a few things from his predecessor, President Bush. He inherited wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Guantanamo, use of enhanced interrogations (waterboarding), and a drone program. President Obama immediately signed an Executive Order revoking torture, and then the next day ordered CIA drone strikes in Pakistan, which killed an one militant and 10 civilians, including four to five children. Although President Obama was openly anti-hawkish when it comes to military action abroad, including stating over and over that he was one of the few Senators who did not want to invade Iraq, he has ramped up the drone program significantly. While promising to close Guantanamo, withdraw troops from Iraq, stabilize Afghanistan, he has none of the above. However, he does have a legacy to leave. Whether willingly or unwillingly, he has become the Drone President.

While President Bush ordered approximately 50 drone strikes that killed around 300, President Obama has ordered over 500 drone strikes that have killed approximately 3,000, including a handful of Americans.

[Read more…] about Drone Wars