Juan Cole

In the midst of the state visit to Washington of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President Barack Obama at a brief news conference announced that he was going to “finish the job” in Afghanistan. He cautioned, however, that down the road, Afghanistan would have to provide for its own security. As for the strong divide […]

Four US troops were killed Sunday and Monday in Afghanistan in bombings or attacks. On Sunday, about 9 Afghan civilians were killed by bombings or shootings. During his state visit to Washington, D.C., Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pressured President Barack Obama not to execute a hasty withdrawal from Afghanistan. Singh said, “I have no […]

US should focus on energy efficiency and renewables not nuclear, says report | Energy Efficiency News Money para.: ‘Starting from scratch, it could take ten years or more to construct a new reactor, claims the group. Even if the US did make an unprecedented investment of the estimated $600 billion needed to construct 100 new […]

US pours millions into anti-Taliban militias in Afghanistan | World news | The Guardian Didn’t Reagan already try this in the 1980s? End/ (Not Continued)

The government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Sunday aired the confessions of three men, members of the Baath Party, that it captured after the October 25 bombings that killed 125 persons and destroyed several government buildings. Baghdad said that the men had come from Syria, but stopped short of accusing the Baathist government of […]

Reuters reports that the UN Security Council is considering sanctions against the Horn of Africa nation, Eritrea, for its financial, arms and logistic support of the Al Qaeda-allied Al Shabab movement in Somalia. Our guest columnist, Dr. Gregory Alonso Pirio, explains how the “international community” is mounting a major initiative to curb piracy and terrorism […]

William R. Polk writes in a guest editorial for IC, which he wishes someone would pass on to President Obama, quickly: In its war in Afghanistan, the United States has come to a crossroads. President Obama will be forced to choose one of four ways ahead. The choices are cruel, expensive and dangerous for our […]

Reuters reports that Iraq’s parliament failed on Saturday to resolve the crisis produced by the veto of the election bill it had passed by vice president Tariq al-Hashemi, a Sunni Arab who wanted better representation for Iraqi refugees abroad, many of whom are Sunni Arabs. Parliament could amend the bill, but legislators fear that they […]

Afghan insurgents greeted the inauguration of Hamid Karzai as president for another 5 years with a string of attacks and bombings that left 23 dead and dozens wounded on Friday. A motorcycle-driving suicide bomber in the southwestern province of Farah struck near a truck depot, killing 15 and wounding 38, according to AFP. In Kabul, […]