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Archives for August 2008

Uncategorized
McCain, Palin and New Orleans

McCain, Palin and New Orleans

Juan Cole

McCain on Katrina ‘ Forty Senators and 100 members of Congress visited New Orleans before he [McCain] did; he finally got there in March 2006. He voted against establishing a Congressional commission to examine the Federal, State, and local responses to Katrina in med-September 2005. He repeated that vote in 2006. He voted against allowing […]

Iraq
Does Al-Maliki's New Team Imperil Security Agreement? Al-Maliki asks Peshmerga to stay beyond Blue Line

Does Al-Maliki’s New Team Imperil Security Agreement? Al-Maliki asks Peshmerga to stay beyond Blue Line

Juan Cole

The LAT reports doubts in Baghdad about whether the security agreement between the Bush administration and the Iraqi government will be achieved. Al-Maliki abruptly dismissed his negotiating team and replaced it with three officials close to himself. MP Mithal al-Alusi is convinced that the change was intended to derail the talks. Diyala Province is still […]

Iraq
Sadrists Sign Oath to fight US Troops

Sadrists Sign Oath to fight US Troops

Juan Cole

Shiites from the Sadr Movement in Iraq have been signing oaths in blood to struggle against the foreign military occupation of their country. This ritual affirmation comes despite the command from Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr to lay down their arms. Sadr has also spoken of creating a special forces unit to kill US and other coalition […]

Uncategorized
OSC: Russia- Iran Alliance?

OSC: Russia- Iran Alliance?

Juan Cole

The USG Open Source Center translates an article from the Russian press proposing a strategic alliance between Russia and Iran. Pundit on Possible Russia-Iran Alliance To Counter ‘Unfriendly’ US MovesArticle by Radzhab Safarov, General Director of the Russian Center for Iranian Studies: “Iranian Trump Card. Russia Can Take Control of Persian Gulf”Vremya NovosteyFriday, August 29, […]

Iraq
China Signs $3 Bn Deal with Iraq; Iraq Army Takes over Camp Ashraf; Chalabi Crony Arrested for Terrorism

China Signs $3 Bn Deal with Iraq; Iraq Army Takes over Camp Ashraf; Chalabi Crony Arrested for Terrorism

Juan Cole

The US military on Friday arrested Ali Faisal al-Lami, a Sadrist who served on the Debaathification Committee under Ahmad Chalabi. The Pentagon maintains that Al-Lami is deeply involved with Iran-backed “special group” cells and implicated in a bombing in Sadr City that killed several people including two GIs. Chalabi, a notorious liar and embezzler to […]

Uncategorized
Western Leaders of African Descent

Western Leaders of African Descent

Juan Cole

Chris Matthews on MSNBC made the comment that if he won the presidency, Barack Obama would be the first “Western” leader of African descent. He then wondered if he was right, and whether there had been an African Roman Emperor. The categories Matthews deployed are not very useful. We are all Africans, after all. Homo […]

Iraq
McCain: Iraq is a Peaceful, Stable Country

McCain: Iraq is a Peaceful, Stable Country

Juan Cole

McCain: “Iraq is a peaceful, stable country now”: I’m hurt. I thought everyone who is anyone in Washington read IC. McCain seems to have missed these recent headlines here: Wednesday, August 27, 2008: “45 Dead, 79 Wounded in Wave of Violence; Bombing in Jalawla’ Raises Tensions with Baghdad” Monday, August 25, 2008: “54 Killed in […]

Uncategorized
Obama: 8 is Enough

Obama: 8 is Enough

Juan Cole

Obama DNC Speech: ‘Eight is enough’ Obama up in polls.

Uncategorized
The 1960 Democratic Convention and Kennedy's Speech

The 1960 Democratic Convention and Kennedy’s Speech

Juan Cole

Notable quotes: “I hope that no American, considering the really critical issues facing this country, will waste his franchise by voting either for me or against me solely on account of my religious affiliation. It is not relevant . . .” “There has also been a change–a slippage–in our intellectual and moral strength. Seven lean […]

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