This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

* U.S. warns American citizens in Kenya of imminent terrorist threat

* Analysis: India being ‘contained’ by growing Chinese footprint in Pakistan

* Turkey’s incursion into northern Iraq kills 49 Kurdish rebels

* Turkey’s image is confusing to Tunisia and the Arab world

* Death of Saudi prince signals more conservative Islamist shift

* Russia’s defense industry beset by corrupt, predatory practices

U.S. warns American citizens in Kenya of imminent terrorist threat


August 7, 1998, terrorist bombing attack on U.S. embassy in Nairobi, Kenya (AFP)

The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, warned American citizens Saturday of an “imminent threat of terrorist attacks” after Kenya sent troops across the border into Somalia to pursue suspected Islamic militants from Al-Shabaab:

“This is to inform U.S. citizens residing in or visiting Kenya that the U.S. Embassy in Kenya has received credible information of an imminent threat of terrorist attacks directed at prominent Kenyan facilities and areas where foreigners are known to congregate, such as malls and night clubs.”

As we reported when Kenya announced the invasion last week, Al-Shabaab said that it would “strike at the heart of [Kenya’s] interests.” However, the U.S. announcement didn’t specify who was threatening the attack. [A terrorist attack in Nairobi on August 7, 1998 killed about 200 people and left more than 1,000 injured after a bomb explosion near the then US embassy.] CNN and The Nation (Kenya)

Analysis: India being ‘contained’ by growing Chinese footprint in Pakistan


Indian subcontinent, highlighting Kashmir and Jammu

According to an Indian analysis, China’s rapidly increasing footprint in Pakistan-governed Kashmir and in Afghanistan represents an increasing military danger to India. There are some 3000-4000 Chinese, including troops, in Pakistan-governed Kashmir, stationed near the Line of Control (LOC) that separates the Pakistani and Indian regions, building major infrastructure projects. Kashmir and Jammu (K&J) were the site of an extremely bloody genocidal war between Hindus and Muslims following Partition, the 1947 war that following the partitioning of the Indian subcontinent, creating the states of India and Pakistan. The region is still disputed, and in recent years, China has become firmly and unequivocally on the side of Pakistan, making it clear that any war in the region will be on two fronts for India. In addition, China has been aggressively bidding for large energy and infrastructure projects in northern Afghanistan, meaning that China will have a strong presence in Afghanistan as the Americans withdraw. At that time, the Islamist Mujahadeen terrorists will be diverted away from Afghanistan towards K&J. The analysis concludes that India must increase its own footprint in Afghanistan. Generational Dynamics predicts that India and Pakistan will be re-fighting the genocidal 1947 war. Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses (IDSA)

Turkey’s incursion into northern Iraq kills 49 Kurdish rebels

Turkey’s air and ground offensives are continuing on both sides of the border with Iraq. At least 49 Kurdish rebels have been killed in the past two days, according to Turkish military sources. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is calling for national unity in the fight against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorists, but he’s facing increasing political opposition for the military conflict, with political opponents charging him with using the military for political purposes, rather than negotiating. VOA and Hurriyet (Ankara)

Turkey’s image is confusing to Tunisia and the Arab world

According to Ibrahim Kaboglu, a Turkish professor of constitutional law and human rights activist, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is sending confusing signals to the Arab world, and generating opposition in Tunisia in particular. Erdogan is presenting Turkey to the Arab world as a model of coexistence between an Islamist government and a secular nation. As a result, he’s distrusted by both Islamists and secularists in Arab countries. Hurriyet

Death of Saudi prince signals more conservative Islamist shift


Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz al Saud (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud died Saturday in a New York hospital, having been ill with cancer for some time. He was heir to the throne, meaning that he was next in line to replace his half-brother, King Abdullah. 87-year-old Abdullah himself had just returned to the palace from his third back surgery this year. Sultan’s death leaves his brother Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz the likely successor to the king. In the past, Nayef has criticized some of King Abdullah’s social reforms, and is thought to be more religiously conservative than Abdullah. However, he’s also a pragmatist, and as king would be unlikely to risk social unrest by reversing too many reforms. CNN and BBC

Russia’s defense industry beset by corrupt, predatory practices

In what might be called his presidential campaign speeches, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has promised that within a decade a three trillion ruble ($95.18 billion) modernization program will completely rearm the entire military as well as make Russia a paragon of global growth, science and innovation. However, when one looks at the real state of affairs in the defense industrial sector as well as overall state procurement it becomes clear that such promises are but another farcical echo of earlier Soviet invocations of the radiant future. As Putin himself observed, only the stage of placing of state orders is currently regulated at present, and even this is insufficiently regulated. Meanwhile, the number and volume of non-competitive (and both corrupt and predatory) practices are increasing while more and more contracts are concluded with a sole contractor. Jamestown