The Inevitable Middle East Flashpoint

A while back, I posted an article about Jerusalem and how world events would center around that city in the coming months and years.  If you haven't paid attention, the march to the gates of that ancient city is well underway.

ISIS is only part of the equation, as the entire Arab world--in particular Iran and its proxies--would love to burn Israel and dance on the dead bodies of Jews.  Maybe it's just an act, right?  All the world is a stage, after all.

Here are three points to consider in the coming days:

Why Israel Agreed to a Truce and Why It's Not Over

Israel agreed to terms with Hamas, brokered by Egypt, for a cease-fire, ending the latest round of fighting between the two entities.  PM Netanyahu declared victory, as did Hamas, but the fighting is far from over and Israel knows it.

What's behind the hasty agreement and what's looming in the near future?

How Your U.S. Tax Dollars are Funding the Islamic State!

A few stories have surfaced recently about how the Islamic State (IS) funds its rather sophisticated and technologically-savvy operation.  This tactic was used by Al-Qaeda (and many other terrorist organizations not even related to a jihad) and it involves a simple, effective principle: hostages.

European governments are likely to pay seven-figure ransom sums to terrorists.

If the Islamic State Conquers Baghdad...

There's a lot going on in the world right now, especially in the Mid-East, but the once headline-grabbing ISIS advance (and subsequent declaration of an Islamic Caliphate) seems to have taken second place to events around Israel, Ukraine, and Family Dollar (trending higher than Gaza on Google News, as of this writing).

What happens when the I.S. overruns Baghdad?  What are strategic and political complications?