The truth about breaking the enigma code

Machine Enigma, wikimedia commons, 1940

Editor's Note: Hollywood's history sometimes omits salient facts, opting for the broad-brushed version of a story.  But the details are often those that enlighten us the most, as they do in this story of the Polish contribution to code-breaking during World War II and given to us by Joseph Boltrukiewicz. 

Boltrukiewicz' article is important history with contemporary lessons.  His narrative serves as a reminder of how nations enlist the collaborative efforts of the best talent to solve complex problems during war, no matter where those efforts may come. It also allows us all to acknowledge the contributions of others whom we may not know about who may have the expertise in solving those problems others cannot. as well in winning wars or capturing an enemy that may not be easily found.  Boltrukiewicz helps us realize that from someone or some thing outside of one's national borders might come the key to victory when location and tactics of an elusive enemy are needed.

Experts underline Pakistan central to world's extremist worries

Daniel Markey's book offers observations about the underpinnings of Pakistani- US relations

Carol Forsloff--Five years ago the Obama White House said this - “The safe havens for violent extremist groups within Pakistan continue to pose an intolerable threat to the United States, to Afghanistan, and to the Pakistani people.  Have things changed?

What the United States found in 2010 offered allegations in the war logs that Pakistan‘s Inter-Services Intelligence has been covertly supporting the Taliban.  This brought about strong statements from the White House, finding the situation “unacceptable.”

Southern politicians maintain power through Ku Klux Klan voting lists

David Duke, Former Grand Wizard of Ku Klux Klan and Former Congressman of Louisiana

Is the right wing of the Republican party bringing back the style of politics that existed during the decades following the Civil War in the South?  Has racism's wider acceptance, and public demonstrations, increased with the election of an African American President?  Does the David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, mentality still hold prominence with some voters in the South and how might that impact the rightward trend of America?

In the United States there has been a cultural uniqueness in the South that has set it apart since the days of the major settlements that spanned the region, bringing trade and slaves to develop its agricultural lands and wealth in cotton.

Looking through an expert's prism on US. - Germany parallels

Hugh Trevor-Roper

Carol Forsloff - Trevor Roper, the British historian of Adolph Hitler, spoke at the University of Washington of parallels between Germany and the United States and the risks from their histories that mirror news today.

It was a different time, when Roper spoke.  It was early 1965.  The Civil Rights Act of 1964 had been passed.  John F. Kennedy's death, howeverfresh, had been absorbed, the grief had passed, the country had moved on.  It was a time of optimism mostly, with a belief in the power to change and with a relatively new President Johnson promising to eradicate poverty and racism along with it.  Women gained new opportunities. American looked ahead.  The War in Vietnam was debated, but the country believed it would be over in time and folks would carry on.

These days the conflicts in the press reveal great political divisions,
issues so greatly espoused that it is debated by experts whether people
will even read or listen to another view.

It is a time when the President of the United States Barack Obama has been compared to Hitler; some associate Hitler with the last President of the United States,George Bush,  by those whose agendas are different and who may or may not understand the specifics of German and American history as Roper knew so well.

And the fear for the future, if all things happened in the right way, according to Roper, was from the right, with the values that reflect where that place is on today's spectrum of political and social concerrns.

Roper was considered the foremost authority on the life of Adolph
Hitler at the time he spoke at the University of Washington, as he had tracked the rise and fall of the dictator in the context of Germany and the history of the world.  He knew beyond the superficial the risks that had occurred in Germany and what America could face without its people using reason and commitment to rise above the foolish and the vain.  He was an admirer of the works of Locke and Rousseau.

In the context of his work,Roper is considered to be by his  peers to be right of center on his political views,significantly anti-Communist at the time of his flowering as a historian, and someone who brought to bear a broad spectrum from the social sciences to support his views.  He was not without controversy
either, having at one time authenticated the Hitler diaries and then withdrew his support.  But his knowledge of Hitler's last days has been accepted by others as substantial enough for realistic discussion, as he is considered an authoritative source of that period.

At the time of Roper's presentation at the University of Washington,  a
reporter was yet somewhat a girl, naively, blithely believing in the best.  As years have passed the reporter has turned gray, the words, the message fresh as it was heard.

Roper said this, as I paraphrased it in notes at the time, as he made the parallels about the United States and Germany and whether America could experience the trauma of Germany and the dissolution of its democratic ways.

"Germany and the United States were both expanded through violence,
through the submission of minorities to the will of the richer and more
powerful groups, " Roper said, outlining his first comparison.  "Both
worship the gun and uniforms.  Both have had a history of admiration and
glorification of war and the military.  Both are democratic countries,
with highly literate populations and Christian majorities.  Both believe
they are superior to others."

What might happen that could catapult the United States into a cauldron
where untruths could surface, where idle stories would become
pronounced, where liberty would become license and lies transformed to
false realities while people marched along?  Roper was asked by that
young journalist, who stood and trembled with the question from the
floor.

This is what Roper said, in words that journalist remembers, on pieces of paper scratched and soiled and barely readable now.

"It would take a time of great strife, an economic devastation not
unlike Germany had before World War II,"  Roper explained.   His words
are paraphrased as these:   "From that problem people could become
chaotic and fix on leaders, empty promises and lose trust.  They would
respond to slogans, paranoia, parades that could grow to mobs."


Roper's warning recalled from those decades when America held such
promise for its young, is brought forward as context for the news today.  ISIS is the terror of the moment, as the Republicans have now gained control of both houses of Congress as well as dominance of the Supreme Court.  

The election of 2016 will determine whether all the elements of Roper's conditions are met and if indeed the United States could face a right-wing thrust that would make it the inheritor of the type of mantle it once fought valiantly against.

Religious martyrdom part of tradition that fuels terrorism

Martyrs memorial in Tahrir

Martyrs are highlighted historically as providing impetus for development of religious community cohesion in the inception of many faiths. They are sometimes lauded by religious leaders, but when martyrdom is fused with politics, as in Islam, the issues become complex and offer serious problems in war and domestic conflicts that includes terrorism.

Christian martyrs were those who died for their beliefs, according to Christian history. These martyrs have been the substance of many tales about those professing belief in Jesus going to their deaths on crosses, in the den of lions and in other terrifying ways. Death by the sword in battle as a form of martyrdom is seen somewhat differently in Christian belief and behavior where conflict is concerned.

 The martyrs fought for Christ in the Crusades but protected their lives, not wantonly giving them up as a tactic in order to seek heaven's rewards. They were, however, told by the Church they would receive God's blessing if they lost their lives in the service of promoting the faith by fighting the infidel. Pope Urban is quoted as saying this, "God himself will lead them, for they will be doing His work. There will be absolution and remission of sins for all who die in the service of Christ. Here they are poor and miserable sinners; there they will be rich and happy. Let none hesitate; they must march next summer. God wills it! "

Martyrdom as part of political life presents complex problems in conflicts. Martyrs who don't fear death are able to take chances beyond those of ordinary folk, as demonstrated, for example, by the Japanese Kamikazes during World War II who purposefully destroyed themselves and their aircraft in fighting the enemy. Martyrs who are willing to sacrifice themselves for political freedom take similar risks, which is the difficulty faced in the Middle East as groups struggle for new freedoms. Some writers parallel Japanese Kamikazes with suicide bombers in the Middle East. On the other hand, Kamikazes were directed by the government of Japan as part of military planning rather than martyrdom being part of special factions within the government, as most occurs in Islam and that can be aimed at their own governments.

According to experts, martyrdom is associated with the whole of Islam. Complete obedience and submission to Allah's will means a fearless sacrifice in pursuit of religious doctrine for dealing with events in a cross section of circumstances. This includes civil conflict and war between nations as well.

The concept in Islam of martyrdom is called shahada. Experts on Islam tell us "the word shahada is derived from the Arabic verbal root shahada, which means to 'see', to 'witness', to 'testify', to 'become a model and paradigm'. Shahada therefore literally means to 'see', to 'witness', and to 'become a model'. A shahid is the person who sees and witnesses, and he is therefore the witness, as if the martyr witnesses and sees the truth physically and thus stands by it firmly, so much so that not only does he testify it verbally, but he is prepared to struggle and fight and give up his life for the truth, and thus to become a martyr. In this way, and by his struggle and sacrifice for the sake of the truth, he become a model, a paradigm, and an example for others, worthy of being copied, and worthy of being followed. "

The events in North Africa and the Middle East, where Muslims are seen setting themselves on fire or placing ticking bombs on their bodies set to explode and kill others in order to testify to their beliefs and what they see as truth, follow Islamic tradition, as martyrs become models for building groups and solidarity in action. It is the very soul of their faith, according to history's context, and for that reason can bring special problems to adversaries, both within individual governments and in international conflicts.

It is that concept of martyrdom infused with a combination of political and religious belief that is part of the ISIS terrorism strength, as they continue to expand their aims with individuals and groups.  But the notion is not only that of Islam, It is part of religious traditions that in the modern world can create problems far beyond the tribe and are therefore what experts tell us need to be understood and defused if international understanding and true peace can be established.

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Carol Forsloff, writer of this article, was the first female student in the Middle Eastern Studies department at Portland State College, now Portland State University, in 1960, studying both the languages of Arabic and Hebrew as part of a program of studies in preparation for work as a journalist in that area of the world.  Although that career did not materialize, Carol has continued her interest and studies of the Middle East through reading and interaction with various groups over five decades since her tenure at Portland State in an effort to understand the events that occur in the region and to report those events in a meaningful way.

FBI announces American media in US and abroad now targeted by terrorists

Logo of the Society of Professional Journalists

The FBI has announced that Muslim-led terrorist groups have singled out journalists as special targets no matter where they live in the world, not just those who cover the news directly on the ground in the Middle East. As terrorism grows, the radical groups recognize that the media is the first line of communication and defense against misinformation.  But in targeting journalists, what individuals or groups are included in the extremist manifesto?

The Society of Professional Journalists sent information that was disseminated to media organization in the United States that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) members and supporters have called for retaliation against US interests abroad, and to those conveying information regarding those interests by way of media accounts,

The extremist groups are using social media sites as the mechanism for communicating with their members throughout the world, asking those members to join in actions of retaliation against the United States and its interests abroad.

According to the FBI, a posting on an ISIL-dominated forum is entitled "A Message to 2.6 million Muslims in the United States: This is How to Respond to Obama's War on Islam."  It goes on to suggest that media personnel, that include anchors at various radio and television stations, field reporters, and talk show hosts to be the priority targets for execution, in response to the US-led airstrikes on Syria and Iraq.  This post, along with a video of the execution of an American journalist, are the tools used to announce that members of the media are to be hunted down and killed.  The FBI has detailed the information that the ISIL-affiliated group is the one charged with kidnapping journalists and is considered a threat, to the extent that American journalists are being notified of it.

The Society of Professional Journalists is a principal journalist organization, with extensive contact information that serves as a major mouthpiece for interaction with journalists across the United States.  It provides information on resources, meetings, forums, education and other topics.  In some cases, warnings like those regarding terrorist threats specifically regarding journalists are sent through email contacts.

This follows a significant uptick in the killing and brutalization of journalists everywhere.  In Nigeria journalists are caught in the middle of the two sides struggling for power in the West African country.  Boko Haram has particularly cited the need to kill journalists unfavorable to their cause.  Members of the government forces have also threatened, harrassed and detained journalists.

In Afghanistan the press is again the target of terrorism, as it has been reported there that 2014 has been the bloodiest year for journalists. Some of the top journalists who have been covering the news in Afghanistan have been killed.  One of them was Sardar Ahmad, a journalist who had been working with the French news agency at the time he was killed in March 2014.  But it is not just the reporter or media representative included in the terrorist threat.  Members of their families have also suffered at the hands of extremists.

Now, however, as ISIS and other groups sympathetic to their cause of deliberate and graphic torture and killings of random citizens, or media representatives, have indicated they will take their operations to American soil, or areas of known American interests, the threat to the media has widened,   This offers a new dimension of fear to journalists who seek to bring education and information to the public that might save lives.

What is being done to prevent terrorists from obtaining nuclear weapons?

Nuclear explosion

Carol Forsloff - Washington - Every year there are world summits that bring leaders together to discuss various problems.  With the rise of terrorism, and of ISIS demonstrations and beheadings, there are more discussions worldwide.  But over the years meetings have emphasized the importance of not allowing nuclear weapons to fall into the hands of terrorists.

A major conference in 2010 underlined specifically how risky it is for terrorists to gain control over nuclear weapons.  A two-day conference of world leaders met to find ways to prevent extremists from obtaining nuclear weapons.

At the White House, that year, Joe Biden spoke with reporters and advised how important it is for the United States and other countries to work together to prevent terrorists from getting weapons and using them to create additionally dangerous concerns for the rest of the world.
This came also at a time when world leaders were attending a summit in Washington DC designed to develop plans for building cooperative relationships to reduce proliferation of nuclear weapons.

In his opening remarks prior to a luncheon meeting with these leaders, Biden stressed the aims of the summit, but also underlined the fact that the United States supports the peaceful uses of nuclear power and technology. He reminded the assembled attendees who are looking to use nuclear technology peacefully, "As countries seeking to develop your nuclear sectors, we stand ready to support you, to share our experience with you."

But Biden also observed that risks were involved in the proliferation of nuclear materials without proper controls and cooperative efforts, including with industry. He reminded them, "More than half the world's dangerous nuclear materials are owned not by governments but by industry. And we will work with them, as we will work with you, to address our common concerns.

These concerns were also expressed by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, who declared, "Nuclear terrorism is one of the greatest threats we face today. That is why, in Washington, I will call on all world leaders to come together, perhaps at the United Nations in September, to further advance this essential cause for humankind."

Ban went on to praise the recent START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty} signed by President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev last week and ended his remarks with his intention, "to realize a world free of nuclear is a top priority of the United Nations and the most ardent aspiration of human beings."

The two-day summit was attended by nearly 50 world leaders at the time. President Obama met individually with many of them as his administration plays host to the gathering.

But beyond meetings, what do experts believe the leaders must do to prevent terrorists from obtaining nuclear weapons?

In 2012 the New York Times looked at this issue, reporting on how experts tell us security needs to be tightened and that terrorists look for loopholes in order to find weaknesses, gaps in security, where they can find information.

With the lapses in security, demonstrated by hacking incidents and the ability for folks like Edward Snowden to take secret materials, then take them first to China, then to Russia, US security experts are particularly alarmed.

At the same time, many of those in social media advocate for complete freedom on the Internet and that the revelation of government spying is critical for citizen information, even as security experts counter it.

And while the conversation escalates over freedom vs international security, government experts and others remind us it is just a matter of time before information falls into the wrong hands, an alarming possibility in a tinder box of issues.