TEARLINE
Police in Benghazi are defying the Government in Tripoli by refusing to serve under Colonel Salah Doghman, the man appointed to take over security in the city following last week’s fatal attack on the U.S. Consulate. Doghman is due to replace Wanis Al-Sharif, the deputy minister with responsibility for eastern Libya, and Hussein Ahmedia, Benghazi’s chief of police, both of whom were sacked last week over their handling of the crisis. “These are very dangerous circumstances,” Doghman told the Reuters news agency. “When you go to police headquarters, you will find there are no police. The people in charge are not at their desks. They have refused to let me take up my job.” Doghman said he had been directly instructed by Interior Minister Fawzi Abdelal to take over responsibility for the two posts, and that the de facto mutiny by the Benghazi police threatened to undermine the authority of the government. This political instability comes at an inoppurtunte time for Benghazi, mere weeks after the terrorist attacks that killed Ambassador Stevens and 3 Americans in a vicious assault on the Consular grounds and safehouse.
A Western intelligence report alleges Iranian aircraft had flown weapons and military personnel over Iraqi airspace to Syria to help President Bashar al-Assad battle an 18-month-old uprising. Although charges that Iraq has allowed Iran to send arms to Syria are not new, the report said the extent of such shipments is far greater and more systematic than has been publicly acknowledged, thanks to a deal between senior Iraqi and Iranian officials. The report also said Iran was dispatching trucks overland via Iraq westwards to Syria.
An Iraqi minister denied the report, saying "nothing like this is happening", even as the Treasury Department sanctioned Iran further and listed over 100 aircraft Iran is allegedly using to funnel weapons and supplies to Syria. The United Nations says it is investigating reports that Syrian government forces have targeted children in the conflict. Syria’s ambassador to the UN, Bashar Ja’afari dismissed the reports as propaganda.
Foreign Policy sits down with Jim Miller, the Pentagon’s top policy chief on crises in Asia, Africa, and more.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee cleared the following-named Career Members of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Career Minister, for the personal rank of Career Ambassador in recognition of especially distinguished service over a sustained period:
- William R. Brownfield (Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs)
- Kristie Anne Kenney (US Ambassador to Thailand)
- Thomas Alfred Shannon, Jr. (US Ambassador to Brazil)
AROUND THE WORLD
The Islamist Ennahda party which heads Tunisia’s government says Muslims have the right to protest "in a peaceful and civilised manner" against cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published by the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Ennahda also urged people not to fall in a "trap" that aims to create conflict between the west and Arab Spring countries: "Muslims, be aware not to be driven by enemies of Islam to a war among yourselves or to link your religion with terrorism."
A helicopter has come down near Damascus after reports of heavy aerial bombardment of the city. State media claimed the helicopter crashed in Douma, a north-eastern suburb. Activists said it was shot down by rebels.
President Bashar al-Assad told the Iranian foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, that the war engulfing his country threatens not just Syria, but also Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Radio Free Europe reports. Salehi called for countries in the region "that can play a role" to get involved and act as "one big regional family of nations" over the Syria crisis.
The Friends of Syria group is meeting in the Netherlands to discuss new sanctions against the Assad regime. Dutch foreign minister Uri Rosenthal said sanctions against the regime would help drive Assad from office.
ON TECH
Now that iOS 6 is available, Apple has revealed what security vulnerabilities exist and have been patched in its latest mobile OS. The company released its security bulletin for the new version of iOS today, revealing what security flaws have existed in previous versions. Vulnerabilities include three different ways of completely bypassing iOS’ passcode lock, and at least 10 different ways of running arbitrary code. The latter types of vulnerabilities are what enable users to jailbreak their devices. Some of the vulnerabilities are quirks in iOS’ design, such as what happens when an iPhone connects to a Wi-Fi network. iOS in this case broadcasts the last networks it has accessed, even if the device is on an unencrypted Wi-Fi network that anyone can listen in on. Another example is that text messages received in iOS trust that the return address of the message was the sender, even though this information can be spoofed. As a result, text messages can be made to appear from anyone who an attacker chooses.
ON SECRECY – OR LACK THEREOF
The Army is investigating one of its most storied units after allegations surfaced they may have attempted to purchase Palantir licenses, even if they couldn’t afford it. Palantir is the subject of a vicious turf war between U.S. Special Operations Command and general purpose forces versus entrenched Department of the Army civilians.
Robert Caruso is a veteran of the United States Navy, and has worked for the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, Business Transformation Agency and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
