Aaron Y. Zelin
@azelin.bsky.social
Senior Fellow @ Washington Institute for Near East Policy | Visiting Research Scholar in Dept of Politics @ Brandeis | Founder of Jihadology | Author of “The Age of Political Jihadism: A Study of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham”
jihadology.net
jihadologyplus.com
jihadology.net
jihadologyplus.com
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
How will the Syrian government handle the fight with IS in the northeast? Several factors could make the northeast mission more complicated than what Sharaa and his supporters have dealt with elsewhere, writes @azelin.bsky.social.
Kurdish Collapse in Northeast Syria? Key Things to Watch
Washington Institute experts assess the immediate fallout of the Syrian government’s advance into SDF-held parts of the northeast, including mutual disinformation campaigns, implications for the Islam...
www.washingtoninstitute.org
January 22, 2026 at 9:31 PM
How will the Syrian government handle the fight with IS in the northeast? Several factors could make the northeast mission more complicated than what Sharaa and his supporters have dealt with elsewhere, writes @azelin.bsky.social.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
ICE kidnapped a 5-year-old and sent him alone to a facility in Texas. Hell isn't hot enough.
January 21, 2026 at 11:14 PM
ICE kidnapped a 5-year-old and sent him alone to a facility in Texas. Hell isn't hot enough.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
I’ve been reading Trump’s "Board of Peace Charter," and despite the name, this isn’t a multilateral institution, it’s a centralised structure built entirely around the authority of one person (Trump).
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
Full text: Charter of Trump’s Board of Peace
No mention of Gaza, which bolsters ToI's reporting that US also envisions panel helping resolve other conflicts worldwide; member countries must pay $1 billion for permanent spot
www.timesofisrael.com
January 20, 2026 at 9:26 AM
I’ve been reading Trump’s "Board of Peace Charter," and despite the name, this isn’t a multilateral institution, it’s a centralised structure built entirely around the authority of one person (Trump).
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
www.timesofisrael.com/full-text-ch...
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
This is insane not just the explicit "go break the 4A" substance but how they knew how bad it was, acting in guilty paranoia to cover it up and suppress the written evidence.
This isn't how running a government agency works. This is what a criminal conspiracy looks like, because that's what it is.
This isn't how running a government agency works. This is what a criminal conspiracy looks like, because that's what it is.
🚨HOLY CRAP. An ICE whistleblower just revealed a secret memo authorizing ICE officers to break into homes without a judicial warrant, which DHS's own legal training materials say is unconstitutional!
ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.
ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.
January 21, 2026 at 11:03 PM
This is insane not just the explicit "go break the 4A" substance but how they knew how bad it was, acting in guilty paranoia to cover it up and suppress the written evidence.
This isn't how running a government agency works. This is what a criminal conspiracy looks like, because that's what it is.
This isn't how running a government agency works. This is what a criminal conspiracy looks like, because that's what it is.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
Wrote about how John Roberts and Donald Trump have turned the Department of Justice into a corrupt mobbed up law firm whose only purpose is to enable Trump’s persecution of his enemies and protection of his allies www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
January 21, 2026 at 11:38 PM
Wrote about how John Roberts and Donald Trump have turned the Department of Justice into a corrupt mobbed up law firm whose only purpose is to enable Trump’s persecution of his enemies and protection of his allies www.theatlantic.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
🚨HOLY CRAP. An ICE whistleblower just revealed a secret memo authorizing ICE officers to break into homes without a judicial warrant, which DHS's own legal training materials say is unconstitutional!
ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.
ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.
January 21, 2026 at 10:00 PM
🚨HOLY CRAP. An ICE whistleblower just revealed a secret memo authorizing ICE officers to break into homes without a judicial warrant, which DHS's own legal training materials say is unconstitutional!
ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.
ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
They are so desperate to instigate a violent confrontation that they will now attempt to break down your front door and enter your home without a warrant. State terrorism at its finest.
BREAKING: Immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to enter homes without a judge’s warrant, a memo obtained by AP says.
Immigration officers assert sweeping power to enter homes without a judge's warrant, memo says
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press reveals that the agency allows immigration officers to forcibly enter homes to make arrests without a judicial warrant.
bit.ly
January 21, 2026 at 10:29 PM
They are so desperate to instigate a violent confrontation that they will now attempt to break down your front door and enter your home without a warrant. State terrorism at its finest.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
This is a photo of someone being tortured, not someone being restrained
An observer arrested in Suth Minneapolis. Photo by Richard Tsong-Taatarii/The Minnesota Star Tribune
January 21, 2026 at 9:32 PM
This is a photo of someone being tortured, not someone being restrained
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
Spraying pepper spray directly into the eyes of a detained person who’s already fully subdued
An observer arrested in Suth Minneapolis. Photo by Richard Tsong-Taatarii/The Minnesota Star Tribune
January 21, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Spraying pepper spray directly into the eyes of a detained person who’s already fully subdued
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
Yesterday, I interviewed a tech guy who told me something too important for me to wait until the podcast comes out for you to hear it:
Many free AI detectors have especially high false positive rates because they make money selling software that "humanizes" writing. 1/2
Many free AI detectors have especially high false positive rates because they make money selling software that "humanizes" writing. 1/2
January 21, 2026 at 9:13 PM
Yesterday, I interviewed a tech guy who told me something too important for me to wait until the podcast comes out for you to hear it:
Many free AI detectors have especially high false positive rates because they make money selling software that "humanizes" writing. 1/2
Many free AI detectors have especially high false positive rates because they make money selling software that "humanizes" writing. 1/2
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
I refuse to accept anything other than the resignation and immediate retirement of all of these fucking corporate candy-ass Democratic cowards.
They’ve lost the right to do anything but get out of the way and live in disgrace for the rest of their days.
They’ve lost the right to do anything but get out of the way and live in disgrace for the rest of their days.
To quote one source:
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, it’s not going away.”
prospect.org/2026/01/21/j...
“They’re terrified of being labeled anti–law enforcement. They want this to go away so they can talk about the cost of living more. Problem is, it’s not going away.”
prospect.org/2026/01/21/j...
Jeffries Won’t Whip Vote Against ICE Funding - The American Prospect
While the House Democratic leader announced personal opposition to a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security, he won’t pressure his colleagues to do the same.
prospect.org
January 21, 2026 at 9:25 PM
I refuse to accept anything other than the resignation and immediate retirement of all of these fucking corporate candy-ass Democratic cowards.
They’ve lost the right to do anything but get out of the way and live in disgrace for the rest of their days.
They’ve lost the right to do anything but get out of the way and live in disgrace for the rest of their days.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
Heartbreaking cruelty visited upon children in our name
January 21, 2026 at 6:25 PM
Heartbreaking cruelty visited upon children in our name
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
As I always say: The greatest predictor of belief in misinformation is not stupidity or ignorance, it's over-confidence.
Sum: Narcissist gonna narcissist.
Study finds education level doesn’t stop narcissists from believing conspiracy theories www.psypost.org/study-finds-...
"...higher scores on measures of narcissism were linked to belief in conspiracy theories and misinformation."
Study finds education level doesn’t stop narcissists from believing conspiracy theories www.psypost.org/study-finds-...
"...higher scores on measures of narcissism were linked to belief in conspiracy theories and misinformation."
Study finds education level doesn’t stop narcissists from believing conspiracy theories
Does a university degree protect you from fake news? Not if you have high narcissistic traits. New findings suggest that a need to feel special can make even highly educated people fall for conspiracy...
www.psypost.org
January 21, 2026 at 8:34 PM
As I always say: The greatest predictor of belief in misinformation is not stupidity or ignorance, it's over-confidence.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
This is a global far right power grab, so the sooner everybody realizes that and puts aside their deeply outdated notions around national identity, which got us here to begin with, the better. The only way out is through, but the only way through is all of us fighting these climate warlords together
January 21, 2026 at 6:29 PM
This is a global far right power grab, so the sooner everybody realizes that and puts aside their deeply outdated notions around national identity, which got us here to begin with, the better. The only way out is through, but the only way through is all of us fighting these climate warlords together
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
“Safety experts and tech critics have long condemned the Ring devices for security risks and privacy violations, not to mention their role in building the largest civilian surveillance network in US history.”
Fury as Amazon Ring Cameras Are Hooked Up to ICE System
Online activists are telling owners of Ring Doorbell cameras that it's time to get rid of their devices, which can be used by ICE.
futurism.com
January 21, 2026 at 7:28 PM
“Safety experts and tech critics have long condemned the Ring devices for security risks and privacy violations, not to mention their role in building the largest civilian surveillance network in US history.”
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
This man is talking about stealing a country at gunpoint from nations the US is allied with. Of course Europeans hate us. You would feel the same way if you were in their place. American voters put this man in power, he didn’t seize it this time.
January 21, 2026 at 2:10 PM
This man is talking about stealing a country at gunpoint from nations the US is allied with. Of course Europeans hate us. You would feel the same way if you were in their place. American voters put this man in power, he didn’t seize it this time.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
I don’t think people understand how hard it is to find an issue that polls in the single digits. It’s close to impossible.
January 20, 2026 at 8:02 PM
I don’t think people understand how hard it is to find an issue that polls in the single digits. It’s close to impossible.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
‼️ Today @americansunlight.org launches TrumpCensorship.com, a public dataset visualizing 200+ censorship actions by the Trump Admin against journalists, researchers & citizens since his 2nd term began.
From our weekly "Last Week in Censorship" monitoring → one interactive archive you can't ignore.
From our weekly "Last Week in Censorship" monitoring → one interactive archive you can't ignore.
January 21, 2026 at 5:14 PM
‼️ Today @americansunlight.org launches TrumpCensorship.com, a public dataset visualizing 200+ censorship actions by the Trump Admin against journalists, researchers & citizens since his 2nd term began.
From our weekly "Last Week in Censorship" monitoring → one interactive archive you can't ignore.
From our weekly "Last Week in Censorship" monitoring → one interactive archive you can't ignore.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
Taking away USAID and then forcing OpenAI on people wow
Gates: “We aim to accelerate the adoption of AI tools across primary care clinics, within communities and in people’s homes…”
Bill Gates and OpenAI back $50mn AI rollout in African health clinics
Gates Foundation partners with tech group to ease impact of chronic staff shortages in Rwanda and other countries
www.ft.com
January 21, 2026 at 5:06 PM
Taking away USAID and then forcing OpenAI on people wow
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
This is what happened in our neighborhood yesterday. ICE snatched a human being off of our streets, roughed them up badly, and then pepper sprayed legal observers as they documented it all. This is a daily occurrence happening all throughout Minnesota right now.
January 19, 2026 at 3:46 PM
This is what happened in our neighborhood yesterday. ICE snatched a human being off of our streets, roughed them up badly, and then pepper sprayed legal observers as they documented it all. This is a daily occurrence happening all throughout Minnesota right now.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
Why Documenting ICE’s Violent Raids is Only Half the Accountability Battle
www.techpolicy.press/why-document...
www.techpolicy.press/why-document...
Why Documenting ICE’s Violent Raids is Only Half the Accountability Battle
Trump's forceful immigration raids have sparked nationwide unrest, but efforts to catalogue these activities face major hurdles, Chris Mills Rodrigo reports.
www.techpolicy.press
January 21, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Why Documenting ICE’s Violent Raids is Only Half the Accountability Battle
www.techpolicy.press/why-document...
www.techpolicy.press/why-document...
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
The double cognitive load of a) the President is deranged, and nobody in power acting he's deranged is stressful, and b) there are millions of Americans who get their news from media sanewashing the President, so they don't *know* he's deranged, so they think *we're* deranged, is ... fun.
January 21, 2026 at 3:31 PM
The double cognitive load of a) the President is deranged, and nobody in power acting he's deranged is stressful, and b) there are millions of Americans who get their news from media sanewashing the President, so they don't *know* he's deranged, so they think *we're* deranged, is ... fun.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
Adding to the dialogue on 3D-printing technologies and jihadist actors, Sergey Elkind analyses the potential security threats linked to the production of firearms and UAV components, highlighting risks for Western countries.
3D-Printed Warfare: A New Phase in Jihadist “Do-It-Yourself” Innovation Targeting the West? - GNET
gnet-research.org
January 21, 2026 at 11:04 AM
Adding to the dialogue on 3D-printing technologies and jihadist actors, Sergey Elkind analyses the potential security threats linked to the production of firearms and UAV components, highlighting risks for Western countries.
Reposted by Aaron Y. Zelin
“our tech doesn’t do any of the things we claimed the past few years, but we still need you to use it or the line will go down”
I was present for the birth of the web, the explosion of personal sites, and the blogging revolution, and you know what we never had to do? Beg people to use our shit.
AI boom could falter without wider adoption, Microsoft chief Satya Nadella warns
Big tech boss tells delegates at Davos that broader global use is essential if technology is to deliver lasting growth
www.irishtimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 12:33 AM
“our tech doesn’t do any of the things we claimed the past few years, but we still need you to use it or the line will go down”