By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) — A Japanese team has confirmed that 2014 was the hottest year on record. Moreover, ten of the warmest years have occurred since 1998. What the scientists are measuring is that average temperature of the earth’s surface, including the oceans, throughout the world. Thus, the cold winter in North […]
Whatever Happened to besieged Kurdish City of Kobane, Syria?
By Juan Cole | — Kurdish forces (including both the local YPG and Peshmerga units from Iraqi Kurdistan), and supported by Free Syrian Army troops and coalition air strikes, have largely recovered Kobane from rule by Daesh (called in the West ISIL or ISIS). Kurdish forces have recovered control of the downtown where the government […]
Iran’s Rouhani & Direct Democracy: Wants Referendum to Sidestep Hardliners
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) — Iran’s system of government is a hybrid. One wing of it consists of a dictatorial theocracy, centered on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The other wing is elected and comprises the parliament and the presidency. President Hassan Rouhani, a reformer, is worried about being stymied in his economic and […]
Wind supplied 98% of Scotland’s household Power in 2014 and other Amazing Green Energy Stories
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) — Some 41% of the electricity consumed in Scotland annually is for households, while industrial and other facilities use the other 59%. With regard to the households, i.e. domestic energy consumption, Scotland’s wind turbines generated enough to cover 98% of it in 2014. In addition, in some months of […]
Why Egypt’s Threat to Arrest Amal Clooney will hurt its Economy
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) — Patrick Kingsley of The Guardian reported on Friday that Amal Clooney was threatened with jail by Egyptian authorities last February if she released a report in Cairo on flaws in the Egyptian judiciary that had been commissioned by the International Bar Association. The report is available on the […]
What would Happen if the Int’l Criminal Court Indicted Israel’s Netanyahu?
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) — If the International Criminal Court takes up Israeli government actions in the occupied Palestinian territories, it could well find specific officials guilty of breaches of the Rome Statute of 2002. Article 7 forbids “Crimes against Humanity,” which are systematically repeated war crimes. Among these offenses is murder, forcible […]
President Obama’s Biggest Mideast Policy Challenges, 2015
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) — Barack Obama wanted to be the president who got the US out of Afghanistan and Iraq, and turned America’s diplomatic energies to the more promising Pacific Rim. 2014 was the year in which he failed decisively at these objectives. He has had to keep 10,000 US military personnel […]
2015 New Year Fireworks: Burj Khalifa, Dubai
2015 Fireworks: Burj Khalifa, Dubai (New Year Fireworks)
Palestinians ready next Move as UNSC rejects end of Occupation
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) — The UN Security Council yesterday voted down an Arab League resolution on Palestine that would have called for an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories within 3 years and a return to 1967 borders. Similar resolutions were passed by the UN Security Council in past, but this […]
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