Joe Kent, former head of the National Counterterrorism Center, accuses Israel of instigating the conflict between the United States and Iran, claiming there was no imminent threat from Iran.
In his resignation letter to US President Donald Trump, Kent called the conflict with Iran unjustified, contending that Washington, DC entered the war due primarily to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby rather than clear, direct threats to national security.
Israel has for more than two decades and several US presidencies worked to draw the United States into a full-scale war with Iran. Having finally achieved that, the last thing it wants is Trump declaring victory and going home, as he is prone to do. Ali Larijani was the figure most capable of handing Trump a negotiated exit with something to show for it. Without Larijani, the road to an exit gets considerably narrower. Prem Panicker continues his must read daily blog on the Gulf War.
The United States on Thursday launched a 'deadly' strike against the terror organisation Islamic State in Northwest Nigeria, President Donald Trump said.
Trump's firing comes days after Esper in an interview told The Military Times that he was not a "yes man" for the president.
A Parliamentary panel has asked the Centre to put on hold its move to set up the controversial anti-terror hub National Counterterrorism Center till all state governments and political parties come on board.
The United Progressive Alliance government on Monday had a smooth sailing in Lok Sabha with key ally Trinamool Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party walking out and the Samajwadi Party withdrawing its amendments to the President's address, notwithstanding the hype surrounding their opposition on issues like the National Counterterrorism Center.
Chief ministers of Tripura and Uttarakhand on Sunday joined the anti- National Counterterrorism Center chorus taking to 12 the number of opposing states even as their Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi accused United Progressive Alliance of "attacking" the country's federal structure.
The home ministry will approach the Cabinet Committee on Security after July 19 Presidential poll for approval of the revised plan for National Counterterrorism Center which will be taken out from the ambit of the Intelligence Bureau and conduct operations only when there is an urgency.
A top United States intelligence official on Thursday said the attack on its consulate in Benghazi, in which US Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed, was an act of terror.
Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Monday made it clear that the controversial National Counterterrorism Center would be set up only after thorough discussions with chief ministers who are opposing it.
Breaking his silence over stiff opposition to his pet project National Counterterrorism Center, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday wrote to 10 non-Congress chief ministers, saying countering terrorism is a shared responsibility and Centre will continue to work with states to fight the menace.
Under attack from some states on the National Counterterrorism Center issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said consensus-building was the only way forward and vices like terrorism need to be tackled together by the Centre and states.
Even as the Centre bowed once again to pressure from Trinamool, Congress on Tuesday strongly batted for the "well intentioned proposal" of National Counterterrorism Center and cautioned its critics that "opposition for the sake of opposition" is not good for the progress of the nation.
Conceding the demand of three chief ministers including ally Mamata Banerjee, the Centre has convened a stand-alone meeting on May 5 to discuss National Counterterrorism Center which has been held up due to stiff opposition from several states.
Amendments moved by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Left to the President's address against the National Counterterrorism Center was defeated in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Seeking to end the logjam on National Counterterrorism Center, the home ministry has convened a meeting of top police and civil officers of all states on March 9 to allay apprehensions of the counter-terror body usurping their powers.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said she would take part in the chief minister's meeting on National Counterterrorism Center on May 5.
A top US intelligence official has said that there is a ''substantial potential'' for security threats against the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, but the key concern for an attack centers on locations outside the main event areas.
Intelligence agencies believe attacks by militants during the Sochi Winter Olympics are highly likely, but will probably be aimed at "softer" targets elsewhere in Russia, such as public transportation or other civilian venues, US and European officials said.
The horrific terrorist attack in Paris has been described as the copycat version of the 2008 Mumbai assault by security experts who believe that the incident will be a game changer for how the West looks at the threat terrorism presents to all.
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