Midtown Blogger/Manhattan Valley Follies: Der Spiegel

Rational Monster: How Terror Fits into Islamic State's Plan

AFP/ WELAYAT TARABLOS

Analysts falsely believed Islamic State was too weak to carry out terror attacks abroad. But IS views terror as a means to an end -- and will launch attacks as long as they continue to serve its broader strategy. By Christoph Reuter more... [ Comment ]

11/22/2015 from Wobeewib: Better to send NEGOTIATORS to Islamic State rather than bombers. Hitting IS with bombs is like... more...

Under the Scope

Quiet CapitulationMerkel Slowly Changes Tune on Refugee Issue

After announcing that Germany would not place limits on the number of asylum-seekers it accepts, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is now considering a quota system. The turnaround wasn't her choice. By Melanie Amann, Horand Knaup, Ralf Neukirch and René Pfister more...[ Comment ]

11/23/2015 from dinerouk61: 'She made the right decision by accepting the desperate refugees who set out from Budapest for... more...

'Punching in the Dark'Why Islamic State Is Winning the Online War

In the wake of the Paris attacks, authorities are becoming increasingly concerned about Islamic State's skillful use of the Internet. So far, however, European countermeasures have been frustratingly ineffective. By SPIEGEL Staff more... [ Comment ]

11/23/2015 from dinerouk61: What is and was ineffective was the laxity of allowing migrants into Belgium and France over the... more...

Obama Security Advisor'Ground Forces in Syria Are Not Sustainable'

Ben Rhodes, US President Barack Obama's deputy national security advisor, discusses the similarities between the Paris attacks and 9/11, the security risk posed by the refugee crisis and why the US won't send ground troops to Syria. Interview Conducted by Holger Stark more...[ Comment ]

11/22/2015 from suebenbarr: I think the usa learned form JACK Kennedy srew up in Vietnam you cannot win on their home turf....more...

The Paris AttacksMurderous Hatred in the City of Love

The attacks hit Paris where it is most vulnerable, in those places where young people go to have fun. But they were aimed at all of us. What can we do to defend ourselves? By SPIEGEL Staff more... [ Comment ]

11/22/2015 from mia_teal: To me, this article depict well why youngsters get radicalized. They grew up in covertly alienated... more...

Abdelhamid Abaaoud's DeathParis Terror Mastermind Also Visited Germany

SPIEGEL ONLINE has learned that Abdelhamid Abaaoud, the suspected mastermind behind Friday's Paris terrorist attacks who was killed in a Wednesday police raid, also entered Germany multiple times. By Jörg Diehl more... [ Comment ]

The Paris Attacks: Murderous Hatred in the City of Love

11/19/2015 from nsmith: There is an apparent disconnect here. It's time to connect the dots. This is an organization with... more...

Taking Terror AbroadThe Islamic State's New Strategy

The attacks in Paris mark a shift in the Islamic State's strategy. For the first time, the Syrian jihadists have organized attacks abroad, making the terrorist organization look more like al-Qaida. By Jörg Diehl and Christoph Sydow more... [ Comment ]

11/22/2015 from lafayette_escadrill: Vernony is right. It always takes infantry, armor and artillery to do the dirty work. more...

Menace in BrusselsBelgium Has Become Center of European Terror

With 19 municipal mayors and six different police authorities, Brussels is a tangle of bureaucracy. It's also home to the suspected perpetrators behind Friday's Paris attacks. The failure of Belgian authorities has become a security problem for all of Europe. By Markus Becker and Jörg Diehl in Brussels more... [ Comment ]

11/20/2015 from RKA: There Is No Denying The Fact That Islam Is Hijacked By Rather Extremist Thoughts &... more...

New Clues in Paris AttacksAuthorities Identify Known French Islamist in Audio Message

Investigators have identified the speaker of an Islamic State audio message claiming responsibility for Friday's attacks. Information obtained by SPIEGEL indicates the man in question is a French. The lead reinforces theories the attack was likely been planned in Syria. By Matthias Gebauer, Jörg Schindler and Holger Stark more... [ Comment ]

11/17/2015 from nsmith: Sorry. This should surprise no one. Both France and Belgium have large, and largely... more...

Paris AttacksHow Great Are the Terror Dangers Posed by Refugees?

It has now been confirmed that one of the Paris suicide bombers reached Europe disguised as a refugee. Security officials had long felt that such a scenario was unlikely. How big is the risk? By Jörg Diehl and Anna Reimann more... [ Comment ]

11/19/2015 from johann84: Meanwhile another article in the DW reveals that on the Arabic social media 90% of the posters are... more...

Terror in EuropeThe Need to Protect Our Freedom

What lessons can be drawn from the attacks in Paris? Simple answers will do little to help at the moment. What is needed is a new, Europe-wide security debate. A Commentary by Florian Harms more...[ Comment ]

11/20/2015 from redroseandy: At the end of the Cold War the Soviet Union disbanded the Warsaw Pact, the West kept NATO, and even...more...

The Brussels ConnectionWhy Belgium Keeps Popping Up in Terror Attacks

The Molenbeek district in Brussels is a well-known hotbed of Islamist activity. It has been linked to four major terrorist attacks in recent years. It is also illustrative of the problems facing Europe as it tries to deal with its radicals. By Markus Becker and Peter Müller in Brussels more...[ Comment ]

Photo Gallery: Anger and Sadness in Paris

11/17/2015 from vernony: Belgium is a small country and cannot employ the massive counter espionage that larger countries... more...

The Last of His KindWhat Helmut Schmidt Meant to Germany and the World

He was respected as chancellor, and adored as elder statesman. Helmut Schmidt's long and full life made him a historical figure -- one who transformed Germany with his deeds and words. By Hartmut Palmer and Gerhard Spörl more... [ Comment ]