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Archives for April 2012

India
A Full Spectrum Confrontation World? (Escobar)

A Full Spectrum Confrontation World? (Escobar)

Juan Cole

Pepe Escobar writes at Tomdispatch.com: A History of the World, BRIC by BRIC Neoliberal Dragons, Eurasian Wet Dreams, and Robocop Fantasies By Pepe Escobar Goldman Sachs — via economist Jim O’Neill — invented the concept of a rising new bloc on the planet: BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). Some cynics couldn’t help calling […]

Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam (107) “Not every withered Tulip is going to bloom Again”

Omar Khayyam (107) “Not every withered Tulip is going to bloom Again”

Juan Cole

Have some wine, since you’ll be sleeping for a long time underground, lacking a best buddy, or a fast friend or lover. Be careful to tell no one this hidden secret: not every withered tulip is going to bloom again. Translated by Juan Cole from [pdf] Whinfield 107

Israel/ Palestine
Rubio Calls for War on Iran, Syria– as Israeli Army Rejects Strike

Rubio Calls for War on Iran, Syria– as Israeli Army Rejects Strike

Juan Cole

GOP Vice-Presidential hopeful Marco Rubio on Wednesday called for unilateral US military action against Syria and Iran and blamed President Barack Obama for declining to send troops to Syria in the absence of a UN Security Council resolution authorizing the use of force. He also said that in addition to sanctioning Iran, “We should also […]

Uncategorized
Obama and Fallon Slow-Jam the Student Debt Crisis

Obama and Fallon Slow-Jam the Student Debt Crisis

Juan Cole

President Barack Obama slow-jams the news with NBC Late Night’s Jimmy Fallon, slamming Republicans for doubling the interest on government Stafford student loans.

Pakistan

CIA Drone Killing of Non-Combatants Detailed in British Court (Woods)

Juan Cole

Chris Woods writes at The Bureau of Investigative Journalism: A major case in the British High Court has revealed fresh evidence of civilian deaths during a notorious CIA drone strike in Pakistan last year. Sworn witness testimonies reveal in graphic detail how the village of Datta Khel burned for hours after the attack. Many of […]

Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam (105) “Wine is melted Rubies”

Omar Khayyam (105) “Wine is melted Rubies”

Juan Cole

Wine is melted rubies, and the glass is like a mine. The carafe is  the body, and the alcohol its soul. This crystal goblet that laughs with wine was formed from tears that concealed within themselves the heart’s own blood. Translated by Juan Cole from [pdf] Whinfield 105

Israel/ Palestine
Top Ten Reasons Israel tried to Censor Bob Simon’s Report on Palestinian Christians

Top Ten Reasons Israel tried to Censor Bob Simon’s Report on Palestinian Christians

Juan Cole

Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren not only called the head of CBS news in an attempt to quash a report on the displacement of Palestinian Christians by the Israeli Occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, but he briefed Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of the far right wing Likud Party on his attempt. Here are […]

Uncategorized
Top 5 Stories from the Arab Revolutions Today

Top 5 Stories from the Arab Revolutions Today

Juan Cole

1. Syrian military forces subjected the Arba’in district of Hama to intensive machine gun fire on Monday, and some 28 civilians were killed by government forces even while UN military observers were touring parts of the capital, Damascus. More UN observers will arrive next week, but they appear mainly to be coordinating with the regime, […]

Uncategorized
The Planet has a Fever: Al Gore and Jeffrey Sachs at Granholm

The Planet has a Fever: Al Gore and Jeffrey Sachs at Granholm

Juan Cole

Jennifer Granholm interviews Al Gore and Jeffrey Sachs on carbon dioxide emissions and global climate change. At the liberal Current TV channel. Gore: There are 5 Big Oil lobbyists on Capitol Hill for every member of Congress and the Senate.

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