Informed Comment Homepage

Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion

Header Right

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • RSS
  • Featured
  • US politics
  • Middle East
  • Environment
  • US Foreign Policy
  • Energy
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • About
  • Archives
  • Submissions

© 2026 Informed Comment

  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Member Profile

Total number of comments: 33 (since 2013-11-28 15:36:24)

Pirouz

Showing comments 33 - 1
Page: 1

  • Could Syria-Turkey Conflict Pull NATO In?
    • Pirouz 06/26/2012 at 12:14 pm with 1 replies

      It was an RF-4E (recon variant) taking evasive action, darting in and out of Syrian airspace. Hard to justify this flight as defensive, or the shootdown a threat to a UN member state.

  • Omar Khayyam (145) "my bewilderment"
    • Pirouz 06/20/2012 at 2:02 am

      A fresh translation. But where Khayyam expressed lapses of bewilderment, Rumi was able to attain higher points of revelry. And that revelry, we find the highest calling.

  • Despite Airport Incident, Henry Kissinger is Wrong about Libya
    • Pirouz 06/05/2012 at 12:06 pm with 1 replies

      You were there, Juan? Your opinion carries added weight.

  • Will Houla be al-Assad's My Lai? Artillery Massacre of Children in Syria
    • Pirouz 05/26/2012 at 4:28 pm

      More like Assad's Vicksburg, depending on the eventual outcome of the conflict.

  • New Israeli government likely won't launch Iran attack
    • Pirouz 05/08/2012 at 10:20 pm

      ‘Tel Aviv Institute for Near East Policy'

      lol, how appropriate.

  • Life of Omar Khayyam, Part 2 (Documentary)
    • Pirouz 04/03/2012 at 2:38 am

      Juan, here's the entire documentary presented in a single YouTube video:

      link to youtu.be

  • Omar Khayyam (96): Against Astrology
    • Pirouz 03/29/2012 at 12:13 am

      A favorite!

  • The Difference between Romney and Obama (Picture)
    • Pirouz 02/26/2012 at 7:48 pm

      Now that's funny.

  • Syrian Assault on Homs Heats up as Obama Scolds Chinese
    • Pirouz 02/15/2012 at 3:50 am

      Juan, I think you mean "foreign military intervention in Syria (not Iraq) could easily split up the country".

  • Sternfeld: Will Iran's Elections Provoke a New Green Movement?
    • Pirouz 02/14/2012 at 12:24 pm

      I really don't know why you continue to peddle the "stolen" election line, Juan. You know there is persuasive evidence to the contrary. Still, you persist with this, this time in the form of a guest editorial.

      What's more, you'll censor this comment.

      Nevertheless, I still read your blog. About 2/3 of your blog entries I still find interesting.

  • Mohamed Bouazizi (d. 2011) from Tunisia to San Francisco to SOTU
    • Pirouz 01/25/2012 at 2:09 am

      Juan, from the street sign attached to the building, I'm guessing that's Capp or Cypress Street at Mission.

      I'll check it out in person and get the actual address for you.

      Looking forward to checking it out. Thanks for posting.

  • Dear Republican Candidates, You Have us all Wrong
    • Pirouz 01/08/2012 at 12:47 pm

      Who's "we"? There's a lot of those "we" folks who are simply interested in removing that "colored guy" from the office of POTUS. Sad but true.

  • Iranian Navy Menaces Oil Exports from Hormuz
    • Pirouz 12/28/2011 at 11:26 am with 2 replies

      Juan, it's Velayat-90 (referring to the Iranian calendar year), not 80.

  • Washington Actions on Palestine don't Differ from Gingrich's Words
    • Pirouz 12/11/2011 at 5:21 am

      One of your best posts.

  • Theocratic Dominance of the New Egypt may be Exaggerated
    • Pirouz 12/05/2011 at 4:13 am with 5 replies

      Egypt's ElBaradei: Liberals "decimated" in vote.

      How many folks, Juan included, ridiculed Khamenei for his public statement that Iran's Islamic revolution was now being echoed in places like Egypt? At least ElBaradei has the courage to state the truth.

  • The Little Iran Nuclear Report that Couldn't
    • Pirouz 11/11/2011 at 8:19 pm

      Is he Russian or Ukrainian? I thought he was Ukrainian.

  • If American Land were Distributed the way American Wealth Is
    • Pirouz 10/27/2011 at 2:00 am with 1 replies

      I wouldn't call it a civil war yet. So far, I've yet to see photo/video evidence of an opposition force of greater than platoon strength. When I see evidence of the opposition employing greater than company level strength in any given area, I'll begin to consider whether this has attained the scope of civil war.

  • Ambassador Ford's Departure a Defeat for al-Assad
    • Pirouz 10/25/2011 at 12:15 pm

      But Juan, while it may have been packaged as "jaw-jaw," the intent remained regime change.

      And let's be serious about the nuclear fuel exchange, shall we? How could you possibly defend Obama's rejection of the 2010 Tehran Declaration?

  • Wagging the Dog with Iran's Maxwell Smart
    • Mark Pyruz 10/13/2011 at 4:59 am

      Really makes you wonder what the foreign intelligence agencies of our allies are thinking of us, Juan. They're all scrutinizing this, as well, and are quite possibly coming up with a similar if not same conclusion.

      At first I considered this matter for having a Zimmermman Telegram like effect.

      Now I think the nature of this is more in line with the Gleiwitz incident.

  • Lindsey "Dr. Strangelove" Graham & War with Pakistan
    • Pirouz 09/27/2011 at 6:09 am

      Thucydides must be chuckling at us,wherever he is. Ah, the folly, the sheer hubris....

  • Qaddafi's Complex Falls to Revolutionaries
    • Pirouz 08/23/2011 at 3:23 pm

      There are already signs that a fourth phase to this conflict is a real possibility.

  • Top Ten Myths about the Libya War
    • Pirouz 08/22/2011 at 5:51 am with 12 replies

      I caution that the third phase of this Libyan civil war may be concluding. However, it remains to be seen if a fourth phase to the conflict emerges and/or an Islamic republic (or Emirate) develops.

  • The Great Tripoli Uprising
    • Pirouz 08/21/2011 at 4:34 am

      "(Intrestingly, this tactic is similar to that used by the Green movement for democracy in Iran in 2009)"

      Which was an unsuccessful hijacking of the Iranian Revolution's tactic from 1979.

  • Historical Question for Governor Perry
    • Pirouz 08/17/2011 at 5:14 am

      LOL.

      By the way, Juan, have you read "The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy" by Adam Tooze?

      It's a must read.

      link to books.google.com

  • Iraq declines to Cut Syria Off
    • Pirouz 08/13/2011 at 3:01 am

      Not surprising. Iraq is a very low key member of the resistance camp.

  • Syria Cracks down on Hama Again
    • Pirouz 08/07/2011 at 1:08 am

      Juan, even The Telegraph is now admitting:

      "While it is almost impossible to prove the extent of the death toll, there is growing evidence that violent elements pledging allegiance to the opposition have carried out well armed and carefully co-ordinated attacks against government troops since as long ago as April."

      link to telegraph.co.uk

      Really, you should be posting casualty numbers as claims, and not be so dismissive about claims of armed opposition elements. I mean, I've pointed you in the direction of video evidence. I've given you the Crooke report. And now I've given you the latest from The Telegraph.

      I suggest you just be upfront and admit you're biased against supporters of the Syrian regime, in favor of opposition members which include armed elements committing lethal attacks.

  • Libya not a War for Oil
    • Pirouz 06/14/2011 at 5:22 am with 1 replies

      But Juan, it's often a game of opportunism based upon popular perception. Look at the gargantuan profits the Western oil industry has sustained since the onset of upheaval and intervention in Libya.

  • US Should Move Navy Base from Bahrain
    • Pirouz 06/01/2011 at 10:42 pm with 2 replies

      I know you'll likely censor this comment, Juan (as you have in the past) but Shia experts such as Vali Nasr in his book "The Shia Revival" have detailed the Iranian extractions of many of Bahrain's Shiites. Although they do so behind closed doors, many Bahraini Shiite families actually speak Persian. That they are forced to so in underground fashion is due to the repression of the Al Khalifa dictatorship.

  • The Revolution was not Televised: Gil Scott-Heron RIP
    • Pirouz 05/28/2011 at 2:11 pm

      I bought the Arista label album with this song on it back when I was a teen in the mid 70s. I often think of the song "the revolution will not be televised."

      Really sad about his later years. A few of my African-American friends have succumbed the same way.

  • Kusha: Iran vs. Egypt: Qualitative Differences in Capabilities
    • Pirouz 03/01/2011 at 1:33 pm

      I could not agree more wholeheartedly with the author's ultimate recommendation.

  • Alimagham: What Egypt & Tunisia Tell us About Iran
    • Pirouz 02/21/2011 at 9:53 am with 1 replies

      Pouya: no mention of the public opinion polls showing Iranian support for the Islamic political establishment by a 4:1 margin? Or that four polls consistently show that Ahmadinejad actually won the 2009 election? And what about Brill's comprehensive analysis that had withstood all serious challenge in showing that the 2009 election was legitimate and Mousavi basically lied when he said it was not?

      Glaring omissions.

      How can you have a revolution when those that are revolutionary are but a slender minority? It didn't work in America during the years 1968-72, why should it work in Iran today? Because you want it to?

  • Egypt: I ask Myself Why
    • Pirouz 02/06/2011 at 3:20 am

      Western liberalism can be a beautiful thing, Juan. I myself am a believer. But there's always been an ugly side.

  • Mubarak's Basij
    • Pirouz 02/02/2011 at 7:52 pm

      The Basij is formed around an ideology and is composed of volunteers. Nearly every city and town has this volunteer program installed.

      What ideology and program do these pro-Mubarak fellows adhere to? My guess is that most of them were actually policemen wearing their civvies.

      Iran's cadre of policemen (NAJA) were never withdrawn as was done in Egypt and they never appeared later in their civvies.

      If you want to put forward an analogy for Iran's crowd control efforts in 2009, perhaps a better comparison would be Chicago in 1968 or Seattle in 1999.

Showing comments 33 - 1
Page: 1

Primary Sidebar

Support Independent Journalism

Click here to donate via PayPal.

Personal checks should be made out to Juan Cole and sent to me at:

Juan Cole
P. O. Box 4218,
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548
USA
(Remember, make the checks out to “Juan Cole” or they can’t be cashed)

STAY INFORMED

Join our newsletter to have sharp analysis delivered to your inbox every day.
Warning! Social media will not reliably deliver Informed Comment to you. They are shadowbanning news sites, especially if "controversial."
To see new IC posts, please sign up for our email Newsletter.

Social Media

Bluesky | Instagram

Popular

  • Trump Compares his Gaza Peace Plan to the Melania Movie, and he is Right
  • Iran Crisis Exposes the Impotence of America's Neoliberal War Machine
  • Is Trump getting US Troops out of Syria, another nail in the Coffin of Bush's "War on Terror?"
  • Algorithms and AI have turned Gaza into a Laboratory of Death
  • Now They're Telling Professors what Posters they Can have on their Office Doors, and, no Palestine

Gaza Yet Stands


Juan Cole's New Ebook at Amazon. Click Here to Buy
__________________________

Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires



Click here to Buy Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam


Click here to Buy The Rubaiyat.
Sign up for our newsletter

Informed Comment © 2026 All Rights Reserved