I have always believed it important to own up to an error, especially an error in analysis. A good analyst is ALWAYS open to learning, to considering new information, and to changing his or her mind in the face of that new info. A bad analyst sticks to his or her guns irrespective of new […]
We need to take a realistic approach to all this. No, not all returning women and children pose a danger to our societies and not all are inhuman monsters.
Sometimes calling an act of serious violence terrorism is really easy. Like when Afghan Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum narrowly escaped a deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport as he returned home from more than a year in exile in Turkey the other day (Taliban or Islamic State). Or when Somalia’s al Shabaab says “We first attacked […]
Whenever we experience a mass shooting event like the one on Danforth Ave in Toronto’s Greektown on Sunday evening we go through several emotions: fear, shock, anger…and a need to understand why. Why did a man shoot people enjoying a beautiful summer’s night in a part of Hogtown known for its restaurants and ambiance? Was […]
This piece appeared in The Hill Times on July 16, 2018 There are times when you read something that makes your blood boil and demands a response. One such time occurred to me last week within the pages of this very Hill Times in an op-ed by Ihsaan Gardee, executive director of the National Council […]
When I was quite young I came across a very old edition of Rudyard Kipling’s Just-so Stories, written in 1902. For those not familiar with this book – you really should be – it is a collection of fantastic accounts of how certain animals acquired their distinctive traits. Among the tales concocted by Mr. Kipling […]
One thing has always fascinated me, i.e. how stories that have no basis in fact defy all attempts to discredit or defeat them. Some such fantasies, even if they are held only by those on the peripheries of public opinion, include the belief that the moon landings were faked, the conviction that vaccinations cause autism, […]
If you were to ask most Canadians about our intelligence services the first response would very likely be “Wait! We have intelligence services??” I am being only slightly facetious. I imagine everyone knows about CSIS – the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (where I worked for 15 years) – and maybe a few recognise CSE – […]
Tunisia presents an interesting case study when it comes to terrorism. The North African country was, of course, where the ‘Arab Spring’ began on December 18, 2010 (coincidentally my birthday!) when a crowd protested the self immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi who killed himself the day before when police had confiscated his wares and a female […]
One of the reasons why I continue to talk and write about terrorism is that I find the field fascinating, and not just because I have worked in countering it for nigh on twenty years. I never cease to learn more about terrorism and terrorists and what makes the whole thing tick and as someone […]