Cutting Through the Lone-Wolf Hype
Lone wolf. The mere mention of the phrase invokes a sense of fear and
dread. It conjures up images of an unknown, malicious plotter working
alone and silently to perpetrate an unpredictable, undetectable and
unstoppable act of terror. This one phrase combines the persistent fear
of terrorism in modern society with the primal fear of the unknown.
The phrase has been used a lot lately. Anyone who has been paying attention to the American press over the past few weeks has been bombarded with a steady stream of statements regarding lone-wolf militants. While many of these statements, such as those from President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden and Department of Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano, were made in the days leading up to the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, they did not stop when the threats surrounding the anniversary proved to be unfounded and the date passed without incident. Indeed, on Sept. 14, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matthew Olsen, told CNN that one of the things that concerned him most was "finding that next lone-wolf terrorist before he strikes." Read more »
The phrase has been used a lot lately. Anyone who has been paying attention to the American press over the past few weeks has been bombarded with a steady stream of statements regarding lone-wolf militants. While many of these statements, such as those from President Barack Obama, Vice President Joseph Biden and Department of Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano, were made in the days leading up to the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, they did not stop when the threats surrounding the anniversary proved to be unfounded and the date passed without incident. Indeed, on Sept. 14, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matthew Olsen, told CNN that one of the things that concerned him most was "finding that next lone-wolf terrorist before he strikes." Read more »
Dispatch: Freed Hikers and Iran's Power Struggle
Analyst Reva Bhalla discusses what the hikers’ release reveals about the
ongoing power struggle in Iran and whether this struggle could impede
Iran’s goals in Iraq and the wider region. Watch the Video »
