Featured

Israeli Blocking of Palestinian Exports to Jordan Shows reality of Apartheid that the Kushner Plan would only Cement

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Israeli government blockade on Palestinian agricultural exports through Jordan on Sunday illustrates the Apartheid character of Israeli rule over the Palestinians. Palestinian trucks loaded with produce were stopped by quickly-erected Israeli blast walls and forbidden to head into Jordan. The Palestine-Jordan trade in commodities such as vegetables, fruits, olives, […]

Climate Crisis

It is 65° F. in Antarctica and if the Thwaites Glacier Plops in, Expect 4 ft. of Sea Level Rise

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Argentinean Esperanza research station in Antarctica — the South Pole — recorded a temperature of nearly 65° F. (18° C.) this week, a historic record. A single temperature record like this one is weather, and by itself would not prove much. Unfortunately, it was not a fluke. It is […]

African-Americans

Top 3 Myths about Bernie Sanders and Electability

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – 1. There is a persistent meme that Sanders doesn’t do well with persons of color, which seems left over from 2016 when he was less well known. On the whole, persons of color in the United States are more likely to be part of the working class and to favor […]

Featured

Has Trump lost Iraq to Russia over his Drone Strike on Baghdad Airport?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Iraqi establishment is interested in strengthening its military cooperation with Russia, as Baghdad seeks an alternative to the United States military after Trump bombed Baghdad airport and killed a high ranking Iraqi military commander. Al-Bawwaba reports that that the Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Army, Lieutenant General Othman […]

Featured

Nothing could have been a better gift to Iran in the region than the Kushner Apartheid for Palestinians

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the “august leader” of the country, lambasted the Kushner Plan for the Palestinians, and took the opportunity also to blast the four Arab countries whose representatives attended its announcement. Since Saudi Arabia and the others often play the racist “non-Arab” card against Persian Iran, it must […]

Climate Crisis

Cramer: “We’re in the Death Knell Phase” of Big Oil, as 44% of Norway New Autos are Electric

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – CNBC stock picker Jim Cramer startled his conservative fan base this week by refusing to push ExxonMobil and other petroleum stocks. He solemnly informed his audience that he is “done” with fossil fuel securities. He pointed out that pension funds all over the world are divesting from them because of […]

Democracy

Why the First Democratic Primary should be in Illinois

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (informed Comment) – The custom of Iowa having the first Democratic primary (or as they are pleased to arrange it, caucus) goes back to 1972, because of the complexity of their process. I have often spoken in Iowa and love the state, but it should not be the first Democratic primary state. I […]

Bernie Sanders

On the Big Issues, Bernie Sanders is the Only one who Can Save America

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Generations of orators have told the story that if you put a frog in a pan of steaming water it will immediately jump out, but if you put it in a pan of cold water and gradually heat it, it will be lulled and end up boiled to death. The […]

Donald Trump

In Humiliating Rebuke, Arab League and Palestine Slap Down Kushner Plan, as Palestine severs all Relations with US and Israel

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Al Jazeera reports that Palestine president Mahmud Abbas announced Saturday that he has informed the Israeli government and the Trump administration of “a severing of all relations with the two of them, including security relationships.” The move came in response to the Kushner Plan for the Palestinians announced by Trump […]