Juan Cole

You will be Democratic, Or Else! Nearly 3/4s of Americans are now skeptical about the use of force to spread democracy. The idea that the US should simply invade countries, overthrow their governments and impose “democracy” on them was championed by a coalition of American nationalists and rightwing Zionists in Washington in 2001-2003, was promoted […]

The American Street Speaks My article is out in Salon.com, The “American street” speaks: Will the Democratic Party listen? The lede is: “As more and more Americans turn against Bush’s Iraq war, Democratic politicians remain silent. Their play-it-safe strategy isn’t just cowardly, it also won’t work.” Excerpt: ‘ In a mid-September CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll, about […]

Bombings in Tal Afar, Baghdad, Najaf Iraq is not World War II Someone detonated a bomb outside the house of Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf around 7 pm Wednesday Iraq time. The blast killed six, including a security guard. Among the bombings and shootings on Wednesday was a bombing in Dora, a district of Baghdad, that […]

Iran and Iraq Muhsin al-Hakim “Horrified” at British Assault in Basra Muhsin al-Hakim, the son of Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, spoke out in Tehran about the British attack on a Basra jail. Abdul Aziz al-Hakim is widely underestimated, but he is the leader of the majority party coalition in parliament as well as of one of […]

Guest Editorial: Achcar on “Iraq Developments” “Iraq developments” by Gilbert Achcar ‘ 1) The Saudi Kingdom and Iraq The last weeks and days have seen intensive campaigning by the Saudi Kingdom on the issue of Iraq, preceding US decisions on cooperation with the Kingdom. The campaign’s highlight has been the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud […]

Car Bomber Penetrates Green Zone 33 Deaths in Guerrilla Violence The Washington Post reports that “A car bomber penetrated the heavily fortified Green Zone in the center of the capital on Tuesday but was stopped by U.S. Marines at a checkpoint before he was able to detonate the vehicle, the military said.” He got all […]

Conyers on Arrest of Antiwar Protesters Congressman John Conyers writes: ‘ September 27, 2005 Office of the Chief United States Park Police Dwight E. Pettiford 1100 Ohio Drive S.W. Washington, D. C. 20242 Dear Chief Pettiford: I am writing to request information regarding the treatment of individuals arrested on September 26, 2005 in front of […]

Sunnis Seek Last-Minute changes in Constitution Shiite teachers in Baghdad and Iraqi police and 10 passengers on a government bus were killed in violence on Monday The Sunni National Dialogue Council and other Iraqi politicians meeting in Amman have complained that Iraqi Sunni Arabis are facing genocide and said they are mulling a campaign of […]

Kos Diaries Daily Kos Diaries on US troop withdrawals from Iraq: “Quit Your Bellyachin’”. and “Juan Cole says now is the time to leave Iraq” Stirling Newberry at BOP also has a good discussion. I should clarify that as several diarists noted, I do believe that the US has a duty to manage the withdrawal […]