U.S. cyberattacks CIA Web site

Dick Taffe — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:46:01 +0000

The Washington Post reports the U.S. military cyberattacked and shut down a joint Saudi-CIA Web site which had been set up to uncover terror plots in Saudi Arabia. The military said it was putting Americans at risk. International relations Professor Joseph Wippl, a 30-year CIA operations officer, says the shutdown could have been more tactful by informing the Saudis, but it’s not a surprise.

“The military will always expose any clandestine operation and ignore consequences to the operation if U.S. lives could be in jeopardy. It’s the gorilla in the room.”

Contact Joseph Wippl, 617-353-8992, jwippl@bu.edu

Saudi cleric: death to co-ed

Dick Taffe — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:13:41 +0000

A prominent Saudi cleric has put a death fatwa on those who support mixing of genders in the workplace or schools. International Relations Professor Houchang Chehabi, a native of Iran, calls it a desperate action by an ultraconservative cleric who does not represent official Saudi views.

“At this point over half of all students at Saudi universities are women, and there is no reason to assume that, once empowered by their education, they will all accept sexual segregation for the rest of their lives.”

Contact Houchang Chehabi, 617-358-0193, chehabi@bu.edu

BU Now » Saudi Arabia

U.S. cyberattacks CIA Web site

Saudi cleric: death to co-ed