Free Republic

The nuclear deal hasn’t reduced Tehran’s threat to international security and stability. Highly controversial? Yes. But President Trump’s decision to withdraw from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)—also known as the Iran nuclear deal—was totally justifiable. The deal was a well-intentioned effort by the Obama administration to limit Iran’s nuclear program—including its nuclear weapons program. But from the beginning, there were a number of reasonable concerns about the JCPOA. How About That Sunset? One of the most problematic provisions of the JCPOA is that it ends —or “sunsets”—after a specified period of time. At the fifteen-year mark of...

Mullahs & Missiles July 10, 2008 New York Post Peter Brookes It's not unusual for a state to conduct military exercises, but Iran had a lot more in mind when it literally went ballistic yesterday - launching nine medium- and long-range missiles during its "Great Prophet" war games. Without question, this latest round of saber-rattling wasn't just routine defense drills. It was intended, instead, to posture and provoke - and to advance Iranian interests: Oil markets: The price of oil slipped a tad in the last day or two, which runs counter to the interests of Tehran's needy coffers. (Iran's...

A Vital Alliance, Built by Bush By Peter Brookes CNSNews.com Commentary November 15, 2005 President Bush, now in Japan, deserves a victory lap for a singular foreign policy accomplishment -- growing and deepening the U.S.-Japan alliance. Bush critics bemoan the state of relations with supposed European allies like France and Germany, but overlook the improvements in the Japanese alliance. Yet Japan is becoming a partner to America comparable only to Britain -- a staunch ally in the region, and a global partner in other issues around the globe; two powers that share similar values and vision, willing to pool resources...

"One good spy is worth 10,000 soldiers." - Sun Tzu, ancient Chinese military strategist Islamic terrorism is still the greatest threat to our national security, but Chinese espionage against the United States is gaining ground. The FBI says China will be America's greatest counterintelligence problem during the next 10 to 15 years. China has seven permanent diplomatic missions in the States, staffed with intelligence personnel. But the FBI believes that as many as 3,500 Chinese "front companies" are involved in espionage for the People's Republic of China (PRC) as well. And with the bureau focused on terrorism, the China challenge...

August 13, 2004 -- SUNDAY is a red-letter day for democracy and for the price of oil: Vene zuelans vote on a referendum on whether to recall President Hugo Chavez. Long a friend of the United States and since 1958 one of Latin America's most stable democracies, Venezuela stands at a crossroads, headed for either democracy or Cuban-style socialism. Elected fair and square in 1998, Chavez took office with sky-high popularity on a reform platform. But he has since donned the cloak of political strongman, run the economy into the ground and helped roil world oil markets. Plus, he's a...

Once dubbed the "sick man of Asia" for its anemic showing during the 1980s Asian economic boom, the Philippines has now earned the title "weak man of Asia" — by caving in to terrorist demands in exchange for the release of a Filipino truck driver in Iraq. By being the first country to pull its troops out of Iraq over a terrorist hostage situation, the Philippines has, in one fell swoop: Encouraged terrorists thugs to take more hostages in Iraq — and beyond. Emasculated itself at home in the face of a growing Muslim terrorist insurgency. Stabbed its ardent counterterrorism...

Once dubbed the "sick man of Asia" for its anemic showing during the 1980s Asian economic boom, the Philippines has now earned the title "weak man of Asia" — by caving in to terrorist demands in exchange for the release of a Filipino truck driver in Iraq. By being the first country to pull its troops out of Iraq over a terrorist hostage situation, the Philippines has, in one fell swoop: Encouraged terrorists thugs to take more hostages in Iraq — and beyond. Emasculated itself at home in the face of a growing Muslim terrorist insurgency. Stabbed its ardent counterterrorism...

The ground-shaking announcement that the Pentagon will withdraw one-third of its troops from South Korea by the end of 2005 is just the beginning of a process of realigning U.S. forces around the globe. It means big changes in where our fighting men and women serve — the biggest since the end of the Cold War, at least. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld likes shaking things up, and the post-9/11 world demands it. The Defense Department's Global Posture Review is due out in a few weeks, and its main new idea seems to make lots of sense: Station flexible, agile, high-tech...

<p>April 22, 2004 -- SYRIA is helping foreign fighters and terrorists - and their supplies - slither across the 600-mile border into Iraq. In other words, Damascus is supporting the killing of American and Coalition soldiers and civilians - like the five Marines lost along the border last Saturday.</p>

<p>February 2, 2004 -- POLITICS is the art of shifting blame. And that is exactly what's going on in Washington right now over Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program-or the conspicuous absence thereof. Blame-shifting intensifies in election years. But far more important than fixing the blame: Fixing the problem.</p>

Recruits for JihadBy Peter BrookesNew York Post | December 25, 2003 'PSSSST, jihad this way," hissed the al-Qaeda recruiter, enlisting another rookie into the global terror war against the United States, our interests and supporters. After two years, al-Qaeda and its allies continue to find new foot soldiers to wage a jihad against the West. Italian police, for instance, made multiple arrests in the last few weeks related to jihadist recruiting networks for Iraq (by al-Qaeda franchise Ansar al Islam) and presumably elsewhere. The network had recruited at least 200 Islamic militants, 70 of them from Italy.Italian authorities say an...

JIHAD JUNIORS - By PETER BROOKES December 22, 2003 - "PSSSST, jihad this way," hissed the al Qaeda recruiter, enlisting another rookie into the global terror war against the United States, our interests and supporters. After two years, al Qaeda and its allies continue to find new foot soldiers to wage a jihad against the West. Italian police, for instance, made multiple arrests in the last few weeks related to jihadist recruiting networks for Iraq (by al Qaeda franchise Ansar al Islam) and presumably elsewhere. The network had recruited at least 200 Islamic militants, 70 of them from Italy. Italian...

<p>November 3, 2003 -- IN war, political and moral support at home is as critical as victory on any battlefield overseas. Americans learned that lesson from our painful experience in Vietnam. We are relearning it today in Iraq.</p> <p>The recent rough patch of events in Iraq has raised doubts about our efforts there among some Americans. Last week's Newsweek cover labeled Iraq "Bush's $87 Billion Mess." Nor have leaked Pentagon memos questioning the effectiveness of U.S. post-war operations in Iraq bolstered popular determination to stay the course.</p>

North Korea's leaders spent months demanding the United States sit down for talks. Then, when the United States did so, they acted like a schoolyard bully. They told us they have nuclear weapons and threatened to demonstrate as much. They demanded to know what we're going to do about it. Only later do we hear from Beijing that the North Koreans didn't mean all this and that they want to deal. They'll abandon their nuclear-weapons program and missiles, we're told, for unreasonable amounts of food and energy and a promise we won't attack them.It makes one wonder whether "Dear Leader"...

So is Syria “next”?Not yet, anyway. But with Secretary of State Colin Powell promising a “very vigorous diplomatic exchange” with Damascus, one thing’s clear: Syria has some fateful choices to make in the near future.It can continue to side with terrorists -- and pay the consequences -- or it can come clean and start contributing to Middle East peace and stability.Which won’t be easy. Syria, after all, stands accused of some serious crimes, such as giving safe haven to Saddam Hussein’s acolytes, including the recently captured Faruq Hijazi, Iraq’s ambassador to Tunisia and a key suspect in the 1993...