Juan Cole

McClatchy reports that tens of thousands of protesters came out against the US-Iraqi security agreement on Friday, mainly Shiites of the Sadr Movement. Parliamentarians who favor the pact, such as Hadi al-Amiri of the pro-Iranian Badr Corps paramilitary, vowed that the demonstrations would make no difference to the vote. AP emphasizes that the crowds burned […]

The US is helping put wind turbines into the Panjshir Valley to help Afghanistan with alternative energy. Aljazeera English asks if it is really working, and who would benefit:

Check out the video: Iran, Seven Faces of a Civilization. ‘Beyond the gate of time lies a civilization with seven thousand years of celebrated heritage. A cradle of civilization a tolerant world empire a crossroad of civilizations a world of artistic forms and shapes a kaleidoscope of architectural marvels recreated for the first time’ Also […]

Check out the video: Iran, Seven Faces of a Civilization. ‘Beyond the gate of time lies a civilization with seven thousand years of celebrated heritage. A cradle of civilization a tolerant world empire a crossroad of civilizations a world of artistic forms and shapes a kaleidoscope of architectural marvels recreated for the first time’ Also […]

Even though Dubai’s boom has turned to bust, the emirate known for its gaudy exuberance, which comedian Jon Stewart once called ‘what happens when Saudi Arabia and Las Vegas have a baby,’ couldn’t restrain itself from yet one more big bash. South African casino owner Solomon Kerzner spent $20 million on fireworks and other party […]

The Iraq War is still hot in the northern city of Mosul (pop. 1.7 mn.) , where 10-12 car bombs still are detonated every day. On Thursday, McClatchy reports, “A suicide car bomber detonated in Mosul city around 8:30 pm. Police opened fire on the car before targeting a police station in the area that […]

Below is a statement on Iran that I and others are hoping will be adopted in Washington as a way forward. Any of my readers who has a way of getting this statement to decision-makers in Washington should please do so. Just Foreign Policy is doing it as a petition. Also, my blogger colleagues should […]

Ayman al-Zawahiri attacked Barack Obama in a video released on the internet on Tuesday. Fox News reprinted the whole transcript here. I’m a little bit confused by this step, since I thought the US networks had agreed under pressure from Bush only to carry excerpts from al-Qaeda, and the US elite has been deeply critical, […]

Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that the Iraq parliament’s Committee on Security and Defense voted in favor of the Iraqi-US security agreement. That committee is headed by Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organization (the paramilitary wing of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq). Badr’s willingness to vote for the agreement is a clear sign […]