Juan Cole

Jaafari Wins on Basis of Dawa, Sadrist Vote Some Question Stability of United Iraqi Alliance in Aftermath Al-Zaman/AFP reports that the internal vote of the fundamentalist United Iraqi Alliance that elected Ibrahim Jaafari their candidate for prime minister in the next government was conducted by secret ballot. It appears that the two MPs who ran […]

Jaafari Prime Minister 2006-2010 But is not Allowed on US Television Breaking news: The United Iraqi Alliance, a coalition of Shiite fundamentalist parties, has chosen Ibrahim Jaafari to be prime minister of Iraq for the next four years. The UIA had hoped to avoid going to an up and down vote, but was forced into […]

Bombings, Assassinations Continue As Political Process Stalls A bomb rigged to a motorcycle exploded outside a restaurant in Baghdad on Sunday morning, wounding at least 9 persons. Political assassinations and bombings were carried out by guerrillas on Saturday in Basra, Baghdad, Baquba, Balad and Fallujah, among other places. Army and police figures were the main […]

18 Dead, 60 Wounded in bombings Sunni Mosque Targeted Al-Zaman/ AFP reports that on Friday guerrilla violence left 18 Iraqis dead and 60 wounded. The first car bomb in the Dora section of southern Baghdad killed at least 11 and wounded 38, according to Iraqi medical sources. Guerrillas then detonated a car bomb in Dora […]

Cheney Authorized Libby to Disclose Classified Documents Once upon a time, a former agent of Italian military intelligence named Rocco Martino, who had had some experience in the African country of Niger, came into possession of some forged, fraudulent documents. These alleged Iraqi purchases of yellowcake uranium in 1999. In fact, the signatures were of […]

Cole on Danish Caricatures in Salon.com My article on cartoongate is out over at Salon.com. Excerpt: ‘ After the cartoons were published on Sept. 30, right-wing Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen reacted to the angry response by refusing to meet with ambassadors from Muslim countries and sternly lecturing Muslims on their need to put […]

Everything the West and the Middle East Need Could have been Learned in Kindergarten 1. Don’t make fun of people for things they were born with, like big noses, skin color or their religion. Danish newspaper carries caricatures offensive to Muslims. 2. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Iranian newspaper plans to run caricatures about […]

Condaleeza Rice is a Liar Blames Syria, Iran for Inciting Violence over Caricatures of Prophet Secretary of State Condi Rice on Wednesday blamed Iran and Syria for inciting violence over the Danish caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. The problem is that she is lying, and this irresponsible charge is another in a long series of […]

The Politics of Race and Religion in Denmark A reader living in Denmark writes: ‘ I was most surprised to hear that there had been a demonstration of “as many as” 5000 Muslims here in Denmark. I do recall a demonstration, but 5000? That’s a darn big demonstration here! We didn’t a much bigger turnout […]