(CNN) US official: Iran has moved missiles to Persian Gulf. Iran’s government has a hydra head. Foreign policy initiatives are developed separately by different elements of the power structure, secular, and religious, with multiple operators in Qom. In the past, there has been speculation that the IRGC is a third power center, which may be … Continue reading US official: Iran has moved missiles to Persian Gulf
Some guy in Moscow has been trying the “/?author=number” hack, apparently convinced that this blog cannot be the work of one person. According to this nose-to-the-grindstone concept, people can know only about a couple things. So there must be 200 contributors to this blog. Our message to Moscow is this staff photograph. Specialists in Moscow … Continue reading Meet Our Staff
A third point of triangulation is the detention of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The visible reason is Hadi’s alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood. His motive is simple; in a situation where Hadi has to lick the pot and scrape the pan for his own power pyramid, the Brotherhood is irresistibly attractive. It is the Islamic analog to Masonry. The … Continue reading Saudi Arabia Versus Iran; the Saudi Decision Process; Part 2
Let’s refer back to the Polish paper quoted in Havana Sonic Attacks — Addendum for techies only: Roshchin and Dobroserdov indicated that levels of 90–110 dB within the range of lower frequencies (21kHz) and 110–115 dB within the range of higher frequencies (40kHz) constituted the limit of occurrence of functional changes [36]. Since we’re designing … Continue reading Havana Sonic Attack Weapon — Let’s Build It! Part 4
We’re not actually going to. This will be informed speculation, guided by open source physics and electronics. But perhaps it will inspire some young budding Dr. Evil to a lifetime of work. It all depends on your idea of fun. Let’s consider the general shape of the package: Futuristic. Eventually, all surfaces will be active. … Continue reading Havana Sonic Attack Weapon — Let’s Build It! Part 1
More bedtime reading for super techies only. We continue from Sonic Attacks on U.S. and Canadian Diplomats in Cuba; a Kremlin Op?, followed by Havana Sonic Attacks — for Super Techies Only, and Havana Sonic Attacks — Addendum for techies only. Since the ultrasonic microphone has very limited use, and none at all interior to … Continue reading Havana Sonic Attacks for Super Techies Part 2
The 1987 Mecca clash involving Iranian pilgrims has been well documented, particularly by Martin Kramer. An incident in 1986, illustrative of the then-fresh drive to export revolution, has received less attention, but it is mentioned in a Jack Anderson column dated May 24, 1991. The Saudis were tipped off, and the Pasdaran slaughtered as they … Continue reading Saudi breaks relations with Iran
The authors of the pivot might prefer euphemistic phrasing, such as, “For decades, U.S. naval presence has helped to keep the peace in the western Pacific…” The use of hard power to “manage China” has roots in gunboat diplomacy, which was the traditional way for the European powers to deal with the weak China of … Continue reading Pivot To Asia; Force Projection, Part 3
A while back, I met one of my “assets” in a dimly lit Indian restaurant. By this, I mean someone whose conversation I overheard, and who I was brazen enough to engage in unsolicited dialog before the suggestion was made that we continue on another occasion. In our brief discussion, which was encouragingly empty of … Continue reading Pakistan refuses Saudi Request for Yemen Alliance
The battle for the airport of Donetsk is a tragedy in which the actors know their parts too well. Perhaps the Ukrainians should adopt a variant of the Polish national anthem, Poland is Not Yet Lost. Belying the title, the purpose is supposed to have been to buck up Polish soldiers, two years before the … Continue reading Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk, & James Bond