(By Juan Cole) The miserable record of the United States in tackling its deadly carbon dioxide emissions (5 billion metric tons a year) sometimes obscures how very possible it is for industrial economies to go green. Spain, a country of 47 million, was nearly at 50% renewables for electricity generation in 2013. That 50% from […]
The Failure of the Trillion Dollar National Security State
(By Tom Engelhardt> In a 1950s civics textbook of mine, I can remember a Martian landing on Main Street, U.S.A., to be instructed in the glories of our political system. You know, our tripartite government, checks and balances, miraculous set of rights, and vibrant democracy. There was, Americans then thought, much to be proud of, […]
Iran Rock Video: Chrymez, “Fight for Your Rights”
David Nejadi’s Iran Chrymez Rock band plays “Fight for your Rights” for more see Reverbnation
Recognizing Israel as a Jewish State is like saying the US is a White State
(By Juan Cole) Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is adding a fifth demand to his negotiations with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas: That the Palestinians recognize Israel as a “Jewish state.” For Netanyahu’s demand to make any sense, he first has to define “Jewish.” “Jewish” has a number of […]
“Zariya”: A. R. Rahman, Jordan song, Nepal Buddhist Hymn
India’s MTV program “Coke Studio” (sponsored by Coca Cola) presents: Published on Aug 1, 2013 Giving a whole new spin to the term ‘world music’ — A.R.Rahman spins his magic on an absolute scorcher, featuring Jordanian singer –Farah Siraj along with Nepalese Buddhist Nun Ani Choying. With the traditional Nepalese Buddhist hymn forming the base […]
John McCain and Lindsey Graham Want to invade Falluja Yet Again
(By Juan Cole) There were conflicting reports on Sunday morning about whether the Iraqi government and its allied tribal levies had regained control of the western city of Falluja, which had fallen to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL) on Saturday. What was not in doubt was that some in the […]
Gaza: the challenges faced by the young women (Video of the Day)
France24 does what no US news channel will, reporting on the challenges facing young women in occupied Gaza Related article: Gaza power plant back online as fuel supply resumes (via AFP) The Gaza Strip’s only power plant returned to life after Israel resumed fuel deliveries on Sunday, a Palestinian official said, two days after a […]
Bringing medieval Persian verse to the West: Dick Davis Interview
PBS Newshour’s Jeff Brown interviews Dick Davis, among the foremost Persian scholars and translators of our time, on the delights and glories of Persian poetry. Davis is the translator of Faces of Love: Hafez and the Poets of Shiraz For Barnes and Noble fans the book is here. And here it is at the indie […]
Iraq’s Sunni Civil War
(By Juan Cole) The attempt launched earlier this week by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL) to take and hold city quarters in Falluja, Ramadi and Khalidiya in al-Anbar province has provoked an enormous political crisis in Iraq. The insurgents and supporters chased police and soldiers away from their stations, burned […]
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