Borealis Threat & Risk ConsultingI see that the American government and its intelligence community are engaged in a debate over which terrorist group poses a greater threat to the US: Al Qaeda (and its affiliates) or the Islamic State (and its sorta affiliates). There are proponents on both sides of the ledger and good points are being made by […]
I’m sure you’ve had times where you remark “do you remember…?”. It could be about someone you went to high school with. Or that ice cream place your parents would always stop at on the way back from the cottage. Or maybe a song that was always on the radio way back when. Yep, these […]
Muslims complain constantly that their faith is always – and unjustifiably – associated with terrorism. Many people believe that Islam is inextricably linked to violence and right wing demagogues like the Netherlands’ Geert Wilders have called the Quran an inspiration for intolerance, murder and terror. Look, we have to acknowledge that the vast majority of terrorist attacks […]
I have a confession to make. I am a Trekkie. Well, not really. I don’t get dressed up and go to Star Trek conventions. I don’t adorn my walls with posters (the walls are reserved for Lord of the Rings!). And I still can’t do that Vulcan hand thingie. But I do love the show […]
In baseball, a batter that achieves a .300 average (i.e. 3 hits in every 10 tries) is considered a success. A goaltender with a save percentage of over .900 (meaning he saves nine out of every ten shots he faced) is considered good. Other professions undoubtedly have their own measures of success. So why is […]
Now that everyone and his uncle has had a chance to comment on the nuclear accord reached with Iran, it’s my turn. (Full disclosure: I was an Iranian analyst in the Canadian intelligence community for twenty years and was even fluent in Farsi at one point – alas no more!) There is no question Iran […]
We all know that politicians are generally not well regarded. Recent surveys in the US have shown trust in Congress at around 14%. Not good. I suppose the reasons for this historic lack of confidence vary from person to person. Most news stories seem focus on illegal spending, or outrageous perks or how little time […]
We can’t seem to get away from the whole mental illness/terrorism nexus. Popular wisdom still maintains that people who engage in acts of terrorism must have some form of mental disturbance. This argument is being put forward yet again in the case of the Chatanooga shooter, as he was allegedly depressed at some point in […]
As US officials and others struggle to understand why Mohammod Youssuf Abdulazeez shot and killed five Marines in Tennessee before he himself was shot to death by police, we are left with the usual potential suspects. He had mental issues (depression). His father was a radical (he was once on a US terrorist watch list). […]
When we talk of terrorism we often tiptoe around terminology. Even the word “terrorism” itself has caused some angst: witness the debate back and forth over what to call the killing of three US Muslims in North Carolina a few months ago by a crazed neighbour and the more recent slaughter of nine African Americans […]