Juan Cole

Muqtada Aid Denies Seeking Asylum in Iran; Demands release of Hostages The LA Times reported that on Sunday, a spokesman for Muqtada al-Sadr said, “There is no chance that the armies of occupation will reenter Najaf.” Shaykh Abdul Hadi al-Darraji, an al-Sadr aide, did a live telephone interview with Jamal Rayyan of al-Jazeerah on Sunday, […]

Did Badran Resign because Alawi is Out as PM? Or in? al-Hayat: Sources close to the Interim Governing Council say that the resignation of Interior Minister Nuri al-Badran came after a number of hints he was going to resign, because of his conflicts with the Coalition Provisional Authority. He maintains that the CPA refused to […]

Virulent Racism, Disregard for Civilian Life Mar US Military Approach: British Commander Sean Rayment of the Telegraph reports a story today that should be on the front pages of every American newspaper. He reports extremely deep dissatisifaction in the British officer corps with American military counter-insurgency tactics. The critique begins with attitudes. The officer quoted […]

Revolution in Baqubah 5 US soldiers Killed in Baghdad and al-Anbar According to Reuters and other wire services: Baqubah A violent revolt broke out in the eastern city of Baqubah, in which guerrillas mounted assaults on government buildings and police stations. Fighting spread throughout the city, only slowing down Saturday afternoon. Baqubah looked like a […]

Muqtada’s Fate Reuters is reporting that several members of the Interim Governing Council met Saturday with Muqtada al-Sadr in Najaf, seeking a compromise that might end the violence in the south. Naseer Chaderji, a liberal Sunni nationalist, said, “Moqtada has regard in Iraq, mainly through his father. But he cannot be allowed to achieve his […]

What Went Wrong in Washington and the Green Zone Jeffrey Gettleman of the New York Times has two important articles today. Since he was almost killed getting them, I hope someone is paying attention. One forthrightly acknowledges the instigating role of the Israeli assassination of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin on the blow-up in Iraq. The other […]

Fallujah Bloodbath threatens US-Appointed Iraqi Government with Collapse AP reported that the US-appointed Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) issued a demand early on Saturday that the US cease its military action against Fallujah and stop employing “collective punishment.” Not only has what many Iraqis call “the puppet council” taken a stand against Bush administration tactics in […]

Tension Remains High in Sadrist Areas Abdul Karim al-Muhammadawi, legendary leader of the Iraqi Hizbullah, which organized the Shiite Marsh Arabs to fight Saddam, has suspended his membership in the Interim Governing Council (IGC) in order to protest American actions in attacking the Sadrist movement. Al-Muhammadawi met Friday with Muqtada al-Sadr, whom the Americans say […]

Muqtada to Bush: Back off or Lose the Election The Saudi London daily ash-Sharq al-Awsat reports that Muqtada al-Sadr called Friday upon US President George W. Bush to “withdraw his forces from Iraq or face a true revolution.” At the same time, one of al-Sadr’s aids affirmed that US civil administrator Paul Bremer had rejected […]