New York Times
Michael R. Gordon is a national security correspondent for the New York Times. He is co-author of Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq and The Endgame: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Iraq, from George W. Bush to Barack Obama.
The US and Russia: Frenemies in the Middle East The US and Russia both claim to be fighting ISIS militants in Syria, but their ultimate goals are not the same. Russia supports the Assad regime, while the US is backing rebels in Syria's civil war. The US views Iran as a hostile power, while Russia calls it a partner. As they try to avoid major conflict, tensions grow hot and cold — heating up recently with airstrikes against controversial targets. Meantime, the Trump White House is divided over what the Pentagon should do. We update politics, diplomacy and the military options.
Defeating ISIS might be just the beginning With the votes still coming in, we’ll look ahead at one of the major challenges facing the next President of the United States: the fight against ISIS. It’s a legacy of George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq, one that Barack Obama has struggled unsuccessfully to leave behind. The battle to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State has been raging for the past month. The US is backing an unlikely coalition of forces who’ve come together despite ancient grievances between one another.
Iraqi Prime Minister says Mosul operation going faster than planned The campaign to retake the city of Mosul from the Islamic State is shaping up as the biggest battle in Iraq since the US invasion of 2003. Michael Gordon is reporting from north of Mosul for the New York Times.
Syria pushes US-Russia relations to new low Another airstrike today killed at least 15 people on the rebel-held side of Aleppo, a besieged city that hasn’t seen humanitarian assistance since last July. Talks between the US and Russia have failed to produce a ceasefire, despite pleas from Pope Francis, as accusations of war crimes are circulating at the United Nations.
American Soldier Killed in Iraq Commando Raid In Iraq -- for the first time since the US withdrawal of 2011 -- an American soldier has been killed during a combat operation. He was one of several US commandos who raided an Islamic State outpost in the northern part of the country. Michael Gordon is in Iraq for the New York Times . He's author of, The Endgame: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Iraq from George W. Bush to Barack Obama .
Secretary of State Kerry in Pakistan for Anti-terrorism Talks Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Pakistan today for two days of security and economic talks with the nation's top civilian and military leaders. This comes only a month after a devastating attack that killed 140 at a military school in Peshawar. Kerry is calling for Pakistan to crack down on militants targeting not only the Pakistani people, but the US as well. Michael Gordon, national security correspondent for the New York Times , joins us from Islamabad.
Foreign Ministers Meet in Paris to Strategize on ISIS Secretary of State John Kerry was in Paris today as part of his days-long effort to round up international support, and create a plan for action against the terrorist group ISIL. The meeting comes three days after the militant organization released a third video of the execution of a Westerner—this time, a British aid worker. Diplomats are vowing to destroy the threat “by any means necessary,” but those means are still subject to debate. With more from the meeting, we’re joined by Michael Gordon of the New York Times, who is in Paris.
Iran Nuclear Negotiations Resume in Geneva As negotiations resumed today in Geneva, there were signs that Washington is prepared to offer Iran a deal to reduce economic sanctions. Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, talked of a possible "breakthrough." Michael Gordon is reporting the story for the New York Times .
Israel-Palestinian Peace Talks Resume Just hours before Israelis and Palestinians planned to sit down together tonight, Secretary of State John Kerry appointed a veteran diplomat to shepherd the first peace talks in three years.
US Will Aid Syrian Opposition, but It's Less than Expected Today, for the first time, the US promised direct aid to the Free Syrian Army in the struggle against President Bashar al-Assad. Speaking in Rome, Secretary of State John Kerry announced an immediate additional $60 million "in non-lethal assistance to support the coalition in its operational needs." Some in the opposition were disappointed, hoping for weapons and equipment that rebels have been requesting. Michael Gordon, national security correspondent for the New York Times , is travelling with the Secretary.
Colonel's Memo Says It's Time to Leave Iraq Ten thousand American troops are scheduled to leave Iraq by the end of this year and, yesterday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said another 5000 might depart before the end of December. Today, the New York Times reports that a senior military advisor in Baghdad says it's time "for the US to declare victory and go home." Michael Gordon wrote the story .
Rethinking the Art of War After America's defeat in Vietnam, the US Army abandoned counterinsurgency doctrine and prepared for a big war with the Soviet Union. That never happened, and the Army was left ill-prepared for the kind of operations required in Iraq and Afghanistan. At the end of this month, the Association of the United States Army will debate proposed changes in the operations manual that defines what the Army is all about. Currently, doctrine focuses on defeating adversaries on the battlefield. The new manual would give equal importance to stabilizing war-torn nations. We hear how efforts to turn the Army around are being hotly resisted within the Army itself. Is war fighting more than guns, tanks and boots on the ground? Are proposed changes needed or are they a recipe for a new kind of colonialism?
US Forces Announce Capture of Link between Two al Qaedas US authorities announced today the arrest of Khalid al-Mashadani, who they claim is the senior Iraqi leader of al Qaeda in Iraq. The arrest occurred two weeks ago but was not announced until today. Brigadier General Kevin Bergner called al-Mashadani the "media emir for all of Iraq." Michael Gordon is in Baghdad for the New York Times .
Al Qaeda on the Rise? President Bush has linked the attacks of September 11 to the war in Iraq--even though Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda did not exist in Iraq before the American occupation. Today, the Bush Administration declassified part of a National Intelligence Estimate saying al Qaeda has increased its ability not just in Iraq, but as a training ground for operatives to be sent to the US. From his safe haven on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, Osama bin Laden is marshalling new resources. Although Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf made a controversial agreement with local leaders in the western part of his country, where al Qaeda is now said to be stronger than ever, but is he doing all that he can? How close is al Qaeda in Pakistan to al Qaeda in Iraq? Is the war in Iraq protecting America or making it more vulnerable than it was before?
Who's to blame for the opioid crisis? Some of the lawyers who took on Big Tobacco are now going after Big Pharma. It’s all about the deadly epidemic of opioid use. Are the drug companies to blame? What about the users? Later, on today’s Talking Point: making sense of Britain’s upset election.
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
