Juan Cole

Achcar on Hamas: Guest Editorial ‘First Reflections On The Electoral Victory Of Hamas by Gilbert Achcar; January 27, 2006 1. The sweeping electoral victory of Hamas is but one of the products of the intensive use made by the United States in the Muslim world, since the 1950’s, of Islamic fundamentalism as an ideological weapon […]

Iraq Round-Up Al-Zaman/ AFP report that [Ar.] the fundamentalist Shiite United Iraqi Alliance is awaiting the arrival in Baghdad of Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani at the beginning of the coming week for discussions concerning the formation of a new government. A source within the UIA told al-Zaman [the Baghdad Times] that the party had formed […]

Sistani Calls on Iraqis to Turn in Terrorists Sadrists Call for Sunnis to Fight Zarqawi Al-Zaman/ AFP report that Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, the Shiite spiritual leader, called Friday on his supporters to aid the authorities in combatting the perpetrators of violence, according to the members of a delegation that met with him. According to […]

The Victory of Hamas and the Miseries of Bush’s Policies My article about the victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections is out at Salon.com. Excerpt: ‘ Hamas, or the Islamic Resistance Movement, a branch of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, has come to power in Palestine. In his press conference on Thursday, Bush portrayed the […]

Minister of Industry Almost Killed US Tilting to Sunni Arabs? Assassinations in Kirkuk, a near-death of the minister of industry (and actual deaths of his bodyguards), the death of a GI and wounding of another in a roadside bombing, were among the violent incidents in Iraq on Thursday. Guerrillas also attacked a convoy of oil […]

Split in Sunni Guerrilla Movement Gilbert Achcar kindly shares this translation of an article from al-Hayat on splits in the Sunni Arab guerrilla movement. ‘ The AMS: We Are Now Waging Two Battles: Against ‘the Occupation’ and Against ‘the Terrorists’ Sunni Clans Take the Initiative of Launching a Campaign to Expel Zarqawi’s Followers and ‘Foreigners […]

Pipeline Blasted Again Sunnis want Federalism postponed until 2009 Guerrillas blew up pipelines again on Wednesday, halting Iraqi petroleum exports through Turkey. There were some other bombings and shootings. Interior Ministry police commandos (usually Shiites) killed a Sunni cleric in Samarra. This looks bad. A new report says that the Iraq quagmire is causing the […]

Achcar on Basra & British Gilbert Achcar kindly writes: ‘ Dear Friends, I searched a couple of British newspapers today and could not find any mention of the news item reported in today’s Al-Hayat and involving British troops in Basrah.I decided therefore to translate it for your information. The behavior of British troops in Southern […]

7 Troops killed in 2 Days Sunni Arabs warn of Paralysis Guerrillas used roadside bombs to kill 7 US and coalition troops in the past two days in separate incidents. Sunni Arab politicians in Iraq are complaining that the US has set up the new political system so as to favor sectarian outcomes and to […]