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    • nuclear weapons (106)
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Archives for 2010

Uncategorized
14 Killed in Special Election Day Attacks in Baghdad; Expats begin Voting today; US Withdawal Likely on Course

14 Killed in Special Election Day Attacks in Baghdad; Expats begin Voting today; US Withdawal Likely on Course

Juan Cole

Iraq’s campaign season will come to an end Friday evening, in preparation for the voting on Sunday. But a special vote was held Thursday for certain groups, such as the military, which was marred by three bombings that left 14 persons dead. Voting begins today, Friday, among Iraqi expatriates in Jordan, Syria and 14 other […]

Uncategorized
Bzzz. That’s just wrong, on Health Care Reform

Bzzz. That’s just wrong, on Health Care Reform

Juan Cole

The invented Republican/ Foxy News talking point du jour is that the Democrats intend to ‘ram health care reform down our throats’ even though ‘the American people don’t want it.’ Bzzz. That’s just wrong! First of all, when there is a landslide triumph for a party as there was in November, 2008, for the victor […]

Uncategorized
Harper’s A history of the Iraq war, told entirely in lies

Harper’s A history of the Iraq war, told entirely in lies

Juan Cole

The revision thing: A history of the Iraq war, told entirely in lies—By Sam Smith (Harper's Magazine) Or, a preview of the Rove, Bush & Cheney memoirs. End/ (Not Continued)

Uncategorized
Chalabi met Iran Quds Brigade commander; Voting begins in Iraq; Sadr’s warrant an Error

Chalabi met Iran Quds Brigade commander; Voting begins in Iraq; Sadr’s warrant an Error

Juan Cole

Al-Sharq al-Awsat says that it has gotten hold of an American intelligence document detailing undue Iranian influence in Iraq and in the Iraqi elections. The document says that Ahmad Chalabi and Ali al-Lami, influential members of the ‘Jusice and Accountability Committee’ in charge of purging Baathists from public life, met repeatedly with Iranian officials last […]

Uncategorized
3 Bombings in Baquba kill 16; Arrest Warrant for Sadr

3 Bombings in Baquba kill 16; Arrest Warrant for Sadr

Juan Cole

On Wednesday morning, three suicide bombers attacked the HQ of the provincial government, a police station, and a hospital in Baquba, the capital of Diyala Province east of Baghdad, killing at least 16 persons and wounding over 40. (The report of the explosion at the government building comes via Aljazeera Arabic.) The attack was probably […]

Uncategorized
Al-Maliki in BBC Interview: No need for US Combat Troops after Election, Would require renegotiating SOFA

Al-Maliki in BBC Interview: No need for US Combat Troops after Election, Would require renegotiating SOFA

Juan Cole

The public affairs office of the US Embassy in London put out this Spot Report via its Media Outreach Center -London Hub March 2, 2010. The interview with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, now campaigning for his political survival, challenges the assertion of US military commander Ray Odierno that US combat troops could or would […]

Uncategorized
Tensions between Kurds and Arabs in Northern Iraq; US Killing sparks protest in Diyala; Al-Maliki will Seek Coalition Partners in Parliament

Tensions between Kurds and Arabs in Northern Iraq; US Killing sparks protest in Diyala; Al-Maliki will Seek Coalition Partners in Parliament

Juan Cole

Political violence spiked in Iraq during February ahead of the March 7 elections, with an 80% increase in deaths and casualties over January of this year. Some 352 civilians, policemen and troops were killed, along with about 50 anti-government guerrillas. Over 600 persons were wounded. Tensions between the Kurdistan leadership and the governor of nearby […]

Uncategorized
Al-Khalil/ Hebron and Jerusalem Protests Point to the Dangers of Nationalizing Sacred Space

Al-Khalil/ Hebron and Jerusalem Protests Point to the Dangers of Nationalizing Sacred Space

Juan Cole

Abraham has been an important figure for theologians, philosophers, chroniclers and religious poets and lyricists among Jews, Christians and Muslims. All three monotheistic religions honor him and claim him as a patriarch or in Islam’s case as a prophet of the one God. All tell the story of his willingness to sacrifice his son for […]

Uncategorized
Major Iraqi Parties Anxious over Possible Massive Ballot Fraud

Major Iraqi Parties Anxious over Possible Massive Ballot Fraud

Juan Cole

Iraqis go to the voting booth a week from today, on Sunday, March 7, to elect the second full-term parliament (4 years) since the fall of the one-party Baath regime in 2003. Given the turmoil surrounding last summer’s elections in Iran and Afghanistan, with massive vote fraud and stolen elections being alleged in both, many […]

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