Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Lawmakers slam Saudi record on fight against terrorism
Members of the Saudi royal family are "up to their eyeballs" in supporting terrorism, a veteran Republican lawmaker charged Tuesday, as members of Congress raised sharp questions of the state of U.S.-Saudi relations and Riyadh's contribution to the fight against al Qaeda and the Islamic State. Published May 24, 2016
ISIS beheadings, crucifixions in Libyan city documented by rights group
The Islamic State terror group's top North Africa affiliate has decapitated, crucified or shot to death at least 49 people over the past year in the Libyan city of Sirte, according to a report released Wednesday by Human Rights Watch. Published May 18, 2016
Assad won’t budge in Syria; Obama lacks leverage: Former diplomat
With international peace talks on Syria seemingly going nowhere Tuesday, the Obama administration's former ambassador to the war-torn nation predicted Syrian President Bashar Assad will remain in power as long as Washington and its allies fail to challenge him militarily. Published May 17, 2016
Nargorno-Karabakh: John Kerry works with French, Russians to settle Armenia, Azerbaijan conflict
Despite multiple tensions in the bilateral relationship elsewhere, Washington and Moscow on Monday worked together to push an elusive settlement to the frozen Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, after the worst outbreak of violence in decades ripped through the disputed South Caucasus territory last month. Published May 16, 2016
Donald Trump inspires outrage, amusement, respect among U.S. rivals Iran, Russia, China
China's state media have called him "bigmouthed" and a "clown," although polls and Internet chat sites show many ordinary Chinese respect his business acumen. Russian President Vladimir Putin has heaped praise on him, and other Russians think he will take a less ideology-driven approach than President Obama -- or Hillary Clinton -- toward Moscow. The Iranians are still trying to figure him out. Published May 15, 2016
GOP lawmakers back effort to screen social media accounts for security clearances
Republican lawmakers voiced support Friday for authorities to look more closely at things like the Facebook and Instagram accounts of applicants for government security clearances -- a day after the Obama administration issued new guidelines for using publicly-available social-media information in federal background checks. Published May 13, 2016
Boko Haram ‘on the defensive’ as U.S., allies prepare to escalate fight
A high-level delegation of U.S. diplomats will huddle with their African counterparts in Nigeria this weekend in hopes of escalating the fight against Boko Haram, just as analysts say signs of real progress are finally emerging in the fight against the brutal jihadi terror group. Published May 12, 2016
Kenneth Bae details North Korea prison ordeal, says ‘God’s will’ put him there
Kenneth Bae says one of most jarring aspects of his long stay in a North Korean prison was a conversation he had with a prison guard watching over him in the labor camp. Published May 11, 2016
Recep Tayyip Erdogan slams EU’s demands in fight on terrorism
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out Tuesday at what he said was pressure from European Union leaders for his nation to ease its anti-terrorism laws, claiming that Europe — unlike Turkey — is provides refuge for groups that support terrorists. Published May 11, 2016
Ri Yong-gil, North Korean general thought to be executed, is actually alive
A top North Korean military general reported to have been executed three months ago is actually very much alive and has now been appointed to two senior-level positions within the nation's ruling Workers' Party. Published May 10, 2016
Workers’ Party congress a choreographed power play for Kim Jong-un
North Korea will open Friday its once-in-a-generation party congress, a five-day spectacle of political theatrics in Pyongyang, where young dictator Kim Jong-un is expected take center stage for a final consolidation his power in the isolated and nuclear-armed nation. Published May 5, 2016
Shinzo Abe, Vladimir Putin to meet as U.S. pursues Japan’s support
Even as the Obama administration seeks to forge a united front with its allies against Russia, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in what many see as the latest twist to Tokyo's balancing act between Moscow and Washington. Published May 4, 2016
U.S. military currently unable to handle major crisis: Study
U.S. military readiness has deteriorated over the past year, according to a new study by a conservative think-tank that said the four service branches are unable to "meet their day-to-day requirements" and lack the "operational depth required to respond to a major crisis." Published May 4, 2016
John Kerry vows not to let Aleppo fall to Syrian President Bashar Assad
Secretary of State John F. Kerry vowed Tuesday not to allow Syria's largest city and onetime moderate opposition stronghold of Aleppo to fall to the regime of Syrian president Bashar Assad -- even if that means abandoning the fragile cease-fire that U.S. officials have been trying to uphold in the war-torn nation. Published May 3, 2016
Religious freedom under threat worldwide: U.S. report
Citing the Islamic State's attacks on Christians and other religious minorities, rising bigotry against Jews and Muslims in Europe and Beijing's campaign against churches in China, a new U.S. government report said Monday that attacks on religious freedom have grown measurably around the world over the past year. Published May 2, 2016
Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia being groomed to jump others, claim throne
Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the ambitious, impatient 30-year-old son of King Salman, last week was the public face for the launch of "Saudi Vision 2030," a long-term blueprint designed to steer the kingdom's economy through a brave new world of falling oil prices and rising competition. Published May 1, 2016
Antony Blinken, Brad Sherman clash over North Korea-Iran nuclear collaboration
A top Obama administration official says U.S. authorities are watching the relationship between Iran and North Korea "very carefully," but have so far had difficulty verifying reports of "military missile nuclear engagement" between two rogue powers. Published April 28, 2016
Donald Trump’s claims on ISIS and Libyan oil draw pushback from U.S. intelligence
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's critics are homing in on apparent gaping contradictions in the foreign policy speech he gave Wednesday, including his assertion that the U.S. needs a more "consistent" foreign policy while also being "more unpredictable." Published April 28, 2016
Donald Trump outlines ‘America first’ foreign policy vision
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump took a swipe at neoconservatism Wednesday, arguing in a major foreign policy address that the U.S. shouldn't be in the "nation-building business" and suggesting Washington should be more willing to work with unsavory regimes as long as doing so advances American interests and creates "stability in the world." Published April 27, 2016
Muqtada al-Sadr, Iraqi cleric, pressures Haider al-Abadi to reshuffle Cabinet
Responding to a wave of popular protests, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi reshuffled his Cabinet on Tuesday, underscoring the growing influence of outspoken Shiite cleric and onetime anti-U.S. militant Sheikh Muqtada al-Sadr. Published April 26, 2016