Juan Cole

The Iran factor There has been a great deal of speculation about possible Iranian connections to the Shiite resistance to US occupation in Iraq. The connection is not straightforward. Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani of Najaf is originally from a town near Mashhad in eastern Iran, but has been in Iraq since 1952, much longer than […]

Mahdi Army Fights Coalition in Baghdad, Karbala, Basra: Takes control of Shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf wire services report that there was more violence on Monday in Baghad. A contingent of the Army of the Mahdi clashed with a US patrol in al-Showla. US helicopters strafed the militiamen and the headquarters of Muqtada al-Sadr. […]

Muqtada: Proud to be an Outlaw; Al-Ha’iri: Americans are making War on the Shiites Ash-Sharq al-Awsat: According to Shaikh Qais al-Khazali, the leader of the Army of the Mahdi in Baghdad, Muqtada al-Sadr was delighted to be called an “outlaw” by US civil administrator Paul Bremer. He attributed to Sadr these words: “If Bremer means […]

Bush White House Deadlocked over Iraq I saw Senators Biden and Lugar on the Lehrer Newshour on Monday, and I think Senator Biden intimated an explanation for some of what is happening in Iraq. He said he thought there might be a power stuggle between the office of Vice President Dick Cheney and Colin Powell’s […]

Nearly 3 Million Iraqis, Sunni and Shiite, Approve of attacks on Americans An opinion poll taken in late February showed that 10 % of Iraq’s Shiites say attacks on US troops are “acceptable.” But 30% of Sunni Arabs say such attacks are acceptable, and fully 70% of Anbar province approves of attacking Americans. (Anbar is […]

Transcript of Cole Interview on NPR: Muqtada al-Sadr You can listen to my interview Monday on All Things Considered online now.

Muqtada rejects Calls to Renounce Violence Reuters is now reporting that Muqtada al-Sadr has rejected an appeal by Muhammad Bahr al-Ulum and other Shiite clerics to renounce violence and tactics like taking over government buildings. Muqtada rejected the appeals. Reuters also alleges that Muqtada has now moved from his father’s mosque in Kufa to the […]

Arrest Warrant for Muqtada al-Sadr Dan Senor in a briefing in Baghdad on Monday revealed that an arrest warrant had been issued months ago “by an Iraqi judge” and implied that it would now be served. US television cable news is doing its best to obscure the real issues here. 1. They keep asking where […]

Muqtada Under Siege, US Helicopters Patrol Skies above East Baghdad Sistani calls for calm In the aftermath of one of the most turbulent days yet in American-occupied Iraq, the London daily al-Hayat reports that American helicopters were deployed late Sunday against the Army of the Mahdi militia of Muqtada al-Sadr in East Baghdad. It said […]