Juan Cole | Library of Congress | John W. Kluge Center | – – The past summer I had an appointment at the John W. Kluge Center that allowed for research in the Library of Congress collections, and have written most of a book about peace in the Qur’an or Koran, the Muslim scriptures. This […]
Near-War: US Planes almost tangle with Syrian MiGs, which bombed area of US troop Embeds
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The fighting that has broken out between Kurdish YPG fighters and the Syrian Arab Army in Hasaka, northeast Syria, is hardly a new thing. There were clashes in April. Syria says that the Kurds brought it on themselves by trying to expand into government-held territory. As […]
Merkel: Migrants did not bring Radical Terrorism to Germany
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a campaign event on Wednesday evening, that there is no relationship between the influx of some one million migrants and refugees into Germany in the past year and the incidents of radical Muslim violence in the country. She pointed out […]
Dragon Rising? China seeks Closer military Cooperation with Syria
By Juan Cole | Informed Comment | – – The Arabic press is reporting that a high Chinese official on a visit to Damascus has announced that Beijing intends to strengthen its military relationship with the current Syrian government. At the same time he affirmed that China would avoid involvement in the civil war. Reuters […]
Trump and Extreme Vetting of Muslims
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In an attempt at a foreign policy speech in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday, Donald Trump attempted to get back to his fearmongering roots by focusing on the threat of ISIL, which he depicted as a hydra-headed menace with tentacles in a range of Western countries including […]
Top 5 Ways Olympian Ibtihaj Muhammad is a Better American than Trump
Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first American woman athlete to compete in the Olympics wearing the hijab or Muslim head-covering, is a fatal complication to Donald Trump’s Islamophobia. Opening Ceremonies! One of the best days of my life! #TeamUSA?? pic.twitter.com/nbV1kEWO9g — Ibtihaj Muhammad (@IbtihajMuhammad) August 6, 2016 Ms. Muhammad shared in a team bronze medal in the […]
People in Syria’s Manbij Rejoice by Shaving, throwing off Veil as ISIL fighters Flee
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – People in Syria’s norther town of Manbij, now entirely liberated from the rule of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), rejoiced on Saturday. Men shaved their beards (which had been imposed on them by the fundamentalists) and women threw off their burqas (full-face veils) and burned them. The burqa […]
ISIL fighter number falls to 15,000 as Manbij capture Cuts off Route to Europe
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | AP is reporting that Lieutenant General Sean MacFarland maintains that the number of ISIL fighters in Syria and Iraq is in steep decline, having fallen to as little as 15,000, down from 25,000 at the organization’s height. In Iraq the organization has lost Tikrit, Beiji, Mt. Sinjar, Sinjar, […]
Monsters to Destroy: Top 7 Reasons the US could not have forestalled Syrian Civil War
by Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The interventionist temptation, muted since the Iraq imbroglio, is now returning. Sec. Clinton’s team are already talking about taking steps to remove Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad from office as soon as they get into the White House. An excellent and principled NYT columnist called the non-intervention […]
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