Morning Brief, Thursday, June 22

Al Qaeda No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahiri has a new video out, calling for jihad against Americans in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Afghan President Hamid Karzai is unhappy with the United States’ new offensive against the Taliban in the south.

Must Read

Writing with a dateline from my home state of Nebraska, the WaPo‘s Justin Gillis has today’s must read. “A group of young farmers in Imperial, Neb., is far ahead of the rest of the country” in thinking about how to solve America’s dependence on foreign oil. Go Huskers!

Bush Does Europe

Declining support for the U.S. in Europe? Bush doesn’t see it. Silly European reporters suggest the U.S. is a bigger threat to the world than Iran, Bush rightly calls it “absurd.” Both U.S. and European leaders talk tough to Iran and North Korea.

North Korea

Bill Perry and Ash Carter say it may be necessary to “strike and destroy.” But the possibility of action against North Korea is making global markets jittery. Japan begins a monitoring operation. South Korean officials say a missile test is unlikely:

It is our judgment that a launch is not imminent.” — South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung

How does Kim Jung Chol, the likely heir to the Hermit Kingdom, spend his summer vacation? Touring with Eric Clapton in Germany, of course.

Elsewhere

Turns out America did find some WMDs in Iraq … sort of … maybe. Was there a 20th 9/11 hijacker? Former Liberian dictator Charles Taylor will likely sit in The Hague for a year before his trial begins. Kofi says U.N. troops are needed in Sudan, whether the country likes it or not. In the wake of eight U.S. troops being charged with murder, one American general says Iraq is the “most complex” war America has ever fought.