Informed Comment Homepage

Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion

Header Right

  • Featured
  • US politics
  • Middle East
  • Environment
  • US Foreign Policy
  • Energy
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • About
  • Archives
  • Submissions

© 2025 Informed Comment

  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Juan Cole

Iraq
Bombers hit Karbala Pilgrims for Third Straight Day

Bombers hit Karbala Pilgrims for Third Straight Day

Juan Cole

Bombers struck at Shiite pilgrims for the third straight day on Sunday, killing as many as six new victims. This despite extensive security measures in the holy city of Karbala. The city was divided into eight districts, with checkpoints and body searches. Teams of female inspectors checked women for bombs. US and Iraqi aircraft did […]

Uncategorized
Aljazeera: War Crimes in Georgia and Ossetia

Aljazeera: War Crimes in Georgia and Ossetia

Juan Cole

Ethnic cleansing of Georgians by Ossetians? Georgian plans to wipe out Ossetians? Aljazeera International reports on claims and counter-claims of war crimes.

Uncategorized
McSame is Getting even More Same

McSame is Getting even More Same

Juan Cole

“Approval Ratings: The Public v. McCain”

Iraq
Kahl: Iran Tamed Mahdi Army; Al-Maliki May attack Sunni Awakening Councils

Kahl: Iran Tamed Mahdi Army; Al-Maliki May attack Sunni Awakening Councils

Juan Cole

Colin Kahl, just back from Iraq, gave a briefing that Gareth Porter attended. He reports that: 1. US officials in Baghdad are genuinely worried that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has become “over-confident” about his military capabilities and has therefore become unreasonably difficult to deal with over the proposed status of forces agreement on the rules […]

Uncategorized
Musharraf said on Verge of Resigning

Musharraf said on Verge of Resigning

Juan Cole

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will likely resign before Monday. Musharraf could only have stayed in power in one of three ways. He would have had to be able to block a 2/3s impeachment vote against him in the senate, where his Muslim League (Q) still holds a plurality of seats. Or he would have had […]

Iraq
Bombing Kills 26 Pilgrims; Iraq Seeks Regional Security Network with Iran, Turkey

Bombing Kills 26 Pilgrims; Iraq Seeks Regional Security Network with Iran, Turkey

Juan Cole

A female suicide bomber targeted Shiite pilgrims south of Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least 26 and wounding 75. Pilgrims are streaming to the holy city of Najaf in honor of the anniversary of the birth of the hidden 12th Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, the Shiite messiah who many Iraqi Shiites believe will soon come to […]

Uncategorized
McCain: Nations don't invade other Nations

McCain: Nations don’t invade other Nations

Juan Cole

McCain says, “In the twenty-first century, nations don’t invade other nations:” And imagine him all sweetness and light now about wanting good relations with Moscow after his rants all the past week. An experienced diplomat pointed out to me that “McCain’s behavior on Georgia is a perfect example of putting personal political advantage over the […]

Uncategorized
Polk: Bases in Iraq, Provocation of Iran

Polk: Bases in Iraq, Provocation of Iran

Juan Cole

William R. Polk writes in a guest editorial for IC: Rushing toward War As the Bush Administration begins its final months in office, it has embarked upon two courses of action that will pre-empt the scope of the incoming Obama or McCain administration and will plague America for years to come. The first of these […]

Uncategorized
US Deters Israel from Attacking Iran; Russian Cooperation seen Key to Dissuading Tehran’s Nuclear Program

US Deters Israel from Attacking Iran; Russian Cooperation seen Key to Dissuading Tehran’s Nuclear Program

Juan Cole

The Haaretz article that made such a stir by reporting that the Pentagon had turned down Israeli requests for high-powered equipment to aid an attack on Iran’s nuclear research facilities has a coda that I looked at again this morning: ‘Russia, however, is considered key to efforts to isolate Iran, and Israeli officials have therefore […]

  • « Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • …
  • Page 1021
  • Page 1022
  • Page 1023
  • Page 1024
  • Page 1025
  • …
  • Page 1599
  • Next Page »

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

  • Siamese Criminals: Trump and Netanyahu
  • Early Farming in Middle East, Sometimes Matriarchal, Spread through Learning, not Conquest
  • Misreading and Misrepresenting Iran
  • 12 Days Of War: Takeaways From The Israel-Iran Conflict
  • Ibn Battuta, a 14th-century Judge and Ambassador, travelled further than Marco Polo. The Rihla records his Adventures

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 © 2025 All Rights Reserved