Juan Cole

Arguing with Bush and Blair The news conference of Bush and Blair on Thursday evening was unexpectedly dominated by Iraq. I’m going to just pull out some passages worthy of comment, not in order. In fact, the first is from the end: ‘Q: Mr. President, you spoke about missteps and mistakes in Iraq. Could I […]

Iraq’s My Lai Friday morning, guerrillas used a car bomb to kill at least 9 persons [later reports say 9] at an East Baghdad market, wounding 31. AP had reported 13 killings on Thursday, including two US troops. Al-Sharq al-Awsat said 20 were wounded. The neo-Baath Party (well that is most likely who it is) […]

Iran Offered Recognition of Israel, Nuclear Cooperation Bush: “How dare you!” In 2003, Iran offered to come in from the cold in a proposal to George W. Bush. Recognition of Israel within 1967 borders, pressure on Hizbullah and the Palestinians to moderate, signing the additional protocols of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, full cooperation with the […]

Maliki: Iraqis in Control of Own Security within 18 Months 50 dead in fresh violence Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said Wednesday that Iraq will be able completely to handle security throughout the country within 18 months. He had earlier suggested that Coalition troops could leave by the end of this year. UpdateNewsday covers the […]

Demonstrations on Thursday Face Repression Egypt’s Mubarak Criticizes Washington HOw will the Mubarak regime deal with the protests planned for today against the lack of judicial independence and the rigging of elections? My article on the increasing annoyance Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is showing toward Bush administration policies in the Middle East is out in […]

National Post Retracts Minorities Badge Story on Iran Antonia Zerbisias follows up on the the bogus National Post story about Iran having passed a law requiring Christians and Jews to wear badges identifying them as such. She notes that The National Post has retracted the story, saying: ‘ Our mistake: Note to readers Last Friday, […]

Iran: Revived Persecution of Baha’is 54 Arrested in Shiraz One unfortunate consequence of the bogus stories about Iran making minorities wear badges is that it could obscure the real human rights violations toward minorities in Ahmadinejad’s Iran. There is disturbing evidence that Iranian government institutions are beginning to track and monitor the Baha’i religious minority […]

Iraqi Currency My comment that I thought Amir Taheri was wrong to praise the stability of the Iraqi dinar, because the dinar is a managed currency and does not float freely, brought a rebuke from someone more knowledgeable about currency issues than I. Collier Lounsbury maintained that the stability was genuine and owing in some […]

Shiite Mosque Bombed Weapons from Bosnia flood Iraq Zarqawi’s Emirate of Baghdad Tribal clashes south of Baghdad at Suwayrah killed 16 on Tuesday. I presume that these casualties were announced late in the day, and are in addition to the 41 killed in sectarian violence on Tuesday, according to AP. If I am right, that […]