Editor’s note: PULSE is delighted to welcome Grant F. Smith, director of theInstitute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy (IRMEP) and author of many books, including America’s Defense Line, as our new feature contributor. In his first post Grant reveals the emerging details of the secret battles between the Kennedys and the Israel lobby.   The lobby’s accolades for the late Ted Kennedy and his support of Israel mask the generally unknown conflicts fought by the senator’s older brothers.  It is likely that lessons from the fiercest of all battles, fought behind the scenes by President John F. Kennedy alongside his brother and Attorney General Robert—guided…

It’s happening. As expected, dynastic politics is prevailing in campaign 2016. After a tease about as long as Hillary’s, Jeb Bush (aka Jeb!) officially announced his presidential bid last week. Ultimately, the two of them will fight it out for the White House, while the nation’s wealthiest influencers will back their ludicrously expensive gambit. And here’s a hint: Don’t bet on Jeb not to make it through the Republican gauntlet of 12 candidates (so far). After all, the really big money’s behind him. Last December, even though out of public office since 2007, he had captured the support of 73 percent of The Wall…

SELM, GERMANY — The officer, alert but cautious, pounds on the suspect’s door. “Polizei!” he says forcefully, in his native German. A man thrusts open the door and walks out. His hands are at his side, but the policeman notices a gun tucked into the man’s belt. He pulls out his own firearm in response. He then moves briskly backward, coaxing the man to place his weapon on the ground. The cop is commended for his actions. The next officer up bangs on the same door. “Polizei!,” he says. This time the person walks out carrying a baton, not a gun. So…

أحسب أن أعظم ثائر في تاريخ البشرية –بعد الأنبياء– هو رجل لا يتجاوز وزنه 50 كيلو جرام، ونصف عاري لكنه كان يفكر‼ إنه الزعيم غاندي. الفارق بين "الخناقة " والمعركة، أنك يمكن أن تنتصر في الأولي، أذا نجحت أن تفعل ما تريد أن تفعله، لكنك لن تنتصر في معركة أبدا، إلا إذا حرمت خصمك، من أن يفعل ما يريد أن يفعله، أو بالأصح، إذا حرمته من أن يحملك للوقوع في حماقة فعل ما يريدك أن تفعله. إننا ينبغي أن نقرأ جيداَ.. ماذا يريد السيسي من كل هذا التصعيد؟ فتنفيذ قرار الإعدام –هو قرار– سياسي، يتوقف علي إجراءات تتخذها السلطة التنفيذية،…

Like many natural resources the amount of sand around is finite but, despite this, the illegal mining of the unremarkable material has been booming in India. Indian police have recently arrested two men suspected of kidnapping and killing a journalist in the country. Sandeep Kothari was abducted and beaten to death by a group of men, with alleged links to a "sand mafia," who then burned his body and left it beside railway tracks, earlier this month. According to members of the Mr Kothari’s family, the journalist had filed a court case against the owners of mining companies to stop sand mining. Sand…