I have said it before and I will repeat it here: I am not an expert in military affairs. Hell, I am not even a well-informed John Q Public when it comes to things military. When I talk about the military I am bound to sound dumb. So, here it goes: my take on why […]
Author: Phil Gurski
Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. Phil is a 32-year veteran of CSE and CSIS and the author of six books on terrorism.
The reach of Islamic State
I have gone on record several times to state that Islamic State (IS) does not pose an existential threat to anybody. It can certainly cause havoc and mayhem and destruction but there is no way that this motley crew of extremists is ever going to threaten the world. Yes, it has a state – sort […]
I went to a football game yesterday (Canadian – not American – football – not soccer). The local professional team, the Ottawa Red Blacks, was playing against the Hamilton Tiger Cats for the honour of going to the Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League championship, in Winnipeg next Sunday. It was a glorious late fall […]
Refugees and terrorism
The debate on refugees has taken a nasty turn in Canada and the US. Some US Republican Presidential candidates have repugnantly suggested that the country take in only Christians. Several governors have refused to take in any refugees from Syria. In this country, several officials, including Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall, have called on the Trudeau […]
How safe are we?
In the wake of the attacks in Paris in November 2015, which were merely the latest in what must seem to many Canadians as a never-ending series of murders and bombings, many are asking why and when this scourge will end. Several have commented publicly – including at least one provincial premier – that we […]
The frustration is mounting. People angry and saddened about the Paris attacks want the perpetrators brought to justice – well not the actual perpetrators since they are all dead, save for one. But those who planned and financed it need to pay, with their lives if necessary. IS is too dangerous and serious action is […]
Terrorism begins at home sometimes
In the wake of the Paris attacks and continuing developments, we have been inundated with dire warnings that everything has changed. These attacks were the harbinger of a “new wave” of terrorism now that Islamic State has left the confines of Syria-Iraq and decided to spread its carnage elsewhere (Egypt, Lebanon, France…). So much […]
In search of expertise
This blog entry may get snarky at times and for that I apologise in advance. But there are a few things I have noticed of late.
Terrorism and life
As we sift through the carnage and horror of last Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris we are already seeing the ugly underside that humans all too frequently exhibit. Republican candidate Donald Trump calls for American mosques to be closed. Other presidential hopefuls, and several state governors, have stated that will stop Syrian refugees from being […]
We live in an age of instant information. This is largely a good thing. We can learn about what is happening around the world almost instantaneously. What used to take weeks or months to come to our attention now takes minutes. That is a very good thing when it comes to human tragedy. Earthquakes, […]