Lt. Col. Ghassan Altassan, Saudi Senior Representative to U.S. Central Command Terrorist movements such as al-Qaida and Daesh managed to recruit tens of thousands of followers using emotionally laden narratives that speak to the fears, beliefs and prejudices of psychologically vulnerable people. Through such storytelling — which included more than 800 videos broadcast online — terrorists sought not just to shape attitudes of recruits, but to alter their behavior in the direction of violence. Very little of this online content was specifically religious. According to the International Observatory for Terrorism Studies, religion accounted for only 2% of Daesh propaganda on the…
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DILNOZA MANSUROVA, TAJIKISTAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Radicalization, extremism and terrorism remain global problems: Their prevention has become a matter of national importance for many countries, including the Republic of Tajikistan. Over the past year, with nations prioritizing the COVID-19 pandemic, they paid less attention to the activities of terrorists, and members of terrorist organizations took advantage. Because of border closures and restricted movements from one country to another, terrorist organizations have changed their tactics, favoring virtual networks on the internet to recruit and train supporters. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed acute problems, including the danger of new forms of…
UNIPATH STAFF | Photos by The Associated Press With ambitions to expand its fleet to combat common threats on the seas, Pakistan hosted the AMAN-21 naval exercise along with dozens of maritime partners in the Arabian Sea. In its seventh iteration since 2007, AMAN included displays of naval gunnery, maritime search and rescue missions, beach raids, aerial reconnaissance, and an international fleet review in the waters off Karachi in February 2021. “The AMAN-21 drills, under the slogan of Together for Peace, demonstrate Pakistan’s commitment to peace, reinforce regional maritime security, and enhance interoperability between regional and extraregional navies,” Chief of…
IRAQI MAJ. GEN. (RET.) LUTFI ABDULWAHAB HUSSEIN Achieving air sovereignty requires the state to mobilize materiel and morale to achieve a proper balance among all branches of the armed forces. The history of the Air Force in Iraq provides lessons — both helpful and harmful — that can inform the conduct of future generations of military and political leaders. The Iraqi Air Force emerged triumphant from its long war with Iran in the 1980s, but much of that local military superiority was squandered during the occupation of Kuwait in 1991, which led to the destruction of half Iraq’s air strength.…
UNIPATH STAFF Militaries and security forces have an obvious stake in depriving terrorists of the financial means to conduct operations. Terrorists rely on money, both hard cash and virtual currencies, to carry out their destructive activities. Money permits terrorist leaders to buy and smuggle weapons, conduct global media operations, travel to conflict zones, and ensnare recruits with promises of financial reward. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global watchdog dedicated to preventing illegal money transfers, dedicates much of its work to countering terrorist financing. FATF promotes internationally recognized standards by which nations can suppress the financiers who sponsor terror. FATF…
UNIPATH STAFF Oman has launched Al Sumood Radio, making it the second country in the Middle East to air broadcasts tailored to the needs of military service members. “In the name of Allah and with His blessing, we open radio station Al Sumood for the Sultan’s Armed Forces, and Allah is the grantor of success,” His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, deputy prime minister for defense affairs, said in inaugurating Al Sumood in January 2021. Oman followed the lead of the Jordan Armed Forces, which opened the military radio station Hala FM in 2010. Radio Hala has built…
SALTANAT BERDIKEEVA In December 2020, Uzbekistan repatriated 98 of its citizens from Syria, including 73 children. This was the third round of repatriations of Uzbek citizens from foreign war zones in recent years. Local authorities provided medical and psychological assistance to integrate what they considered to be severely traumatized citizens back into the society. The Uzbek government also planned to provide them with housing, jobs, social benefits and schooling for the children. The Uzbek government’s generosity in providing comprehensive assistance to returnees is a deradicalization tool meant to impede the growth of extremism in the country. Since 2017, Uzbekistan has…
Saudi, U.S. and British warships steamed into the Arabian Gulf for more than a week of maritime security drills called Nautical Defender 21. The January 20-29, 2021, exercise allowed naval forces to practice harbor defense, countering unmanned aerial systems, shipboard gunnery, escort of civilian vessels, diving and mine sweeping. Royal Saudi Naval Forces joined participants from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and the United Kingdom Maritime Component Command. Nautical Defender was the culmination of a series of multinational naval exercises designed to increase maritime cooperation, protect critical shipping lanes and enhance military-to-military interoperability among ships of different nationalities. “This…
COL. RASHID MOHAMMAD AL HAMOUDI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SENIOR NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TO U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND Photos by UAE Armed Forces Rear Adm. Pilot Sheikh Saeed bin Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan is among the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) military heroes. Since taking over the helm of the Navy, he has developed the service with the support of the political leadership to ensure combat readiness, professional standards of training and technologically advanced armaments. Rear Adm. Saeed joined the UAE Armed Forces in 1989 and underwent basic training as a midshipman at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, United Kingdom. After…
UNIPATH STAFF To boost security in the Arabian Gulf, the Bahrain Defense Force conducted three days of military drills with U.S Naval Forces Central Command in January 2021. The Fire Fist exercise included joint combat training encompassing land, sea and air. The tactical displays were designed to deter malign actors in the region, whether they were state or nonstate supported. “The Fire Fist exercise came within the framework of exchanging experiences and raising the competence of the participants,” a Bahrain Defense Force spokesperson said. A week after the conclusion of Fire Fist, the U.S. reaffirmed its security relationship with…