Epstein Secrets

ercent of them against American and coalition forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. EFTA00832445 Many of those attacks were orchestrated by al-Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate, which in 2006 established the Islamic State of Iraq. After weakening in 2007 and 2008 (when the U.S. paid Sunni tribal leaders to f

bal leaders to fight jihadists), the Islamic State strengthened again as the Obama administration's inattention allowed Iraq's Shia prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, to intensify his persecution of Sunnis. Then, after Syrians rebelled against Bashar al- Assad, the Islamic State expanded across Iraq's western bord

aves through the resorts in the Sinai peninsula (one of the few relatively active tourist spots in Egypt during the last three years of unrest). The al-Qaida—inspired Ansar Beit al- Maqdis took responsibility for the attack in a statement that described it as part of their "economic war against [the] regi

ly holds six cabinet posts and over 10% of the 325-member parliament. The move has been interpreted as a "gift" to his rivals—namely, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and his Shiite Fadhila party—just before the elections. Indeed, if the Sadr bloc loses any votes in April, they are likely to go to Fadhila. Meanwhi

ully ousted the Ansar Sharia fighters (an Al Qaeda affiliated group) from the cities of Zinjibar and Ja'ar in the Abyan province that had been under Al Qaeda control since May 2011. The army is now pursuing al-Qaeda terrorists in other parts of the province. The Security Council is considering sanctions a

a, Tunisia, and Yemen: • On June 10, opposition groups in Iraq lacked the necessary 163 votes to pass a no confidence motion to oust Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki after 11 Members of Parliament (MPs) retracted their signatures. Press reports indicated that the Iranian government had influenced the process, ex