Tara Hofbauer previously was an intern with Lawfare. She is majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, with a minor in Legal Studies and History.
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Yesterday, during a visit to Qatar from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders formally announced their support for the nuclear accord reached with Iran by the P5+1 group. “This was the best option among other options,” declared Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid bin Mohammed al-Attiyah.
NATO ambassadors met in Brussels today to discuss Turkey’s security situation: In response to a series of terror attacks within its borders, Turkey “has begun firing against... Islamic State positions in Syria, as well as... Kurdish militants in Iraq.” Following the meeting, NATO condemned the terror attacks against Turkey. The alliance’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg affirmed that NATO stands with Ankara.
Today was intended to be the deadline for an international accord on Iran’s atomic energy program, but the BBC reports that diplomats will again extend discussion on a final deal.
This afternoon, Greece requested its third European bailout in five years. According to the Wall Street Journal, the proposal calls for €29.15 billion from the European Stability Mechanism to cover Greek debt repayments from 2015 to 2017. European leaders are considering the request, but “many officials don’t trust...
The Defense Department announced today that a U.S. airstrike in Mosul, Iraq has killed Ali Awni al Harzi, a “person of interest” in the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. Harzi worked “closely” with Islamic State militants and had previously been questioned by the FBI regarding his role in the Benghazi assault.
Last week, a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) drone strike killed al Qaeda’s second in command, Nasir al-Wuhayshi. The militant organization released a video yesterday, confirming al-Wuhayshi’s death. According to the Wall Street Journal, this loss represents “the biggest blow to the terrorist organization since Osama bin Laden was gunned down in a 2011 U.S. commando raid in Pakistan.”
According to the Pentagon, Iraqi security forces have demonstrated progress in their efforts to maintain control of the oil refinery outside the northern Iraqi city of Baiji. The Wall Street Journal reports that Iraqi troops and Shia militias have fought through an Islamic State defensive line and successfully established a supply route to the besieged refinery, which is the country’s largest.