CULF 3331: "Middle Eastern Revolutions"

Iran claims the United States did not follow through on the nuclear deal and has created more difficulties for Iran in regards to their relations with other countries. Iran also worries that the administration following Obama will not uphold previous commitments. Iran does acknowledge that the deal has benefitted their relationship with the U.S. because they now have ample opportunity to talk about these issues which has not been done in previous decades.

Islamic State has vowed 'harder and more bitter' attacks against the UK and its allies following another day of terror in Europe. The warning comes just hours after 34 people were killed in a series of blasts in the Belgian capital Brussels. This came by way of an airport attack where more than 30 civilians were killed and over 100 injured. UK is on high alert after this attack.

Russian convoys en route to Damascus and Hama in Syria was attacked by militants before reaching their destination. No one was injured, and replacement convoys are being assembled. 

On May 22, 1990, the Marxist South Yemen and conservative North Yemen were unified. A civil war broke out in 1994 between the two sides due to southern secessionists.

"I think it's absolutely horrible," Trump said. "Look at Brussels, Brussels was a beautiful city, a beautiful place with zero crime, and now it's a disaster." He said the Belgian capital "is an armed camp" and added that "Paris is no longer the beautiful City of Lights." The United States GOP party is weighing in on the ISIS attacks, and what they think Obama should be doing. This puts the United States under high alert because several people flock in from the border every day to get to the US.

Iran Nuclear Deal is filled with loop-hole phrases that allows Iran to technically make nuclear missiles. Ambassador John Bolton states that the plan was a complete failure and one of the better options would to essentially start over when the next president is sworn in.

Despite constant criticism of Iran Nuclear Deal, Joe Biden still defends the plan. Claims that the U.S. is ready and able to take action if Iran breaks the deal and says America has full control over Iran.

According to the article, a Houthi official rebuffed Iran after one of its generals offered to send military advisers to help Houthi forces. The Iran have long been supporting the Houthis as they fight against Saudi-led forces.

Libya's neighbors along with members of the newly established unity government met in Tunis to discuss how Libya's neighbors can help Libya finally achieve piece and stability. It is apparent that in order for Libya to succeed in not only achieving stability and kicking out ISIS, they must rely on the help of regional partners.

Oil is an important aspect of the Libyan economy. Wishing to bring their oil production back to pre-war levels, The Libyan government has opted out of attending an April meeting of OPEC.

There's been some backlash in the last few days against the idea that either Tunisia or Egypt were brought on by Twitter or a "Facebook Revolution." And certainly, it takes a lot more than the 21st century version of a communication system to persuade people to take to the streets and risk harm, imprisonment, or death.

There's no doubt that the citizenry relied greatly on social media to network and organize during the Arab Spring, when areas in the Middle East and North Africa erupted in popular revolt during the early part of 2011. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter were used to call and coordinate protests, and also for sharing information on issues around the pro-democracy movement.

Cadelle and Chafer, the name of these groups, engage in cyber espionage using backdoors to target political activists and dissidents. These cyber groups have infiltrated over 100 systems of airlines, telecommunications and other organisations, mainly in the Middle East.

Egypt's Foreign minister is urging the Libyan parliament, the only body Egypt recognizes as a legitimate authority in Libya, to authenticate Libya's newly formed unity government. Egypt believes that Libyan authentication and control of it's own affairs, is the only way forward for Libya to achieve stability.

After the the new nuclear deal Iran's focus has been channeled into cyber activity. Iran state sponsored cyber espionage aimed at state department employees has been noted, usually through social media.

The head of the UN Mission in Libya, Martin Kobler, announced that the newly established unity government, that Kobler helped broker, would be installed in Tripoli in days. This comes after 5 years of a formal governmental void that has helped Libya become a haven for militant and terror groups. This has also led many Libyans to attempt to flee to Europe, increasing security fears among those who believe these refugees might be infiltrated by ISIS.

A cyber-espionage hacker group believed to be backed by Iran and located in Tehran have been identified. Tracking has led to identification of, Yaser Balaghi, the leader of a group known as "Rocket Kitten".

Iran's cyber aggression is more of a political ploy than military against the US. The cyber espionage targets institutions that may not have strategic value, but are well-known by the public for stronger media coverage to boost propaganda.

For the first time in history, a social movement could be observed in real-time as it spread, coalesced around ideas, and grew exponentially in size and scale across the Internet. That is what News Group International - a Dubai based news management company - discovered in its recent comprehensive analysis of social media surrounding the uprising in Egypt.

Could social media help build another uprising soon? Supporters of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi often claim that Egyptian internet activists are powerless and disconnected from reality. They say that activists are living in their own virtual bubble; however, recent incidents suggest otherwise. When the 'Arab Spring' began in 2011, the role social media played was undeniable.