Middle East

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Over the past three days, Saudi Arabia has abruptly put together a 35-nation Muslim coalition to fight terrorism. Saudi interest in this fight is not new, and the kingdom itself has suffered from armed non-governmental groups targeting innocent non-combatants. In 2003-2006, al-Qaeda and other extremist cells […]

Israel/ Palestine

Int’l Criminal Court group will fact-find in Israeli-Occupied Palestine

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – RAMALLAH (Ma’an) — A delegation from the International Criminal Court is expected to visit the occupied Palestinian territory in February, a Palestinian Authority offical said. A member of a national committee in charge of follow-up with the ICC, Wasel Abu Yusif, told Ma’an that the visit will include ongoing […]

Iraq

Is the US Suddenly entering a Major new War in Iraq & Syria?

contributors

Paul Rogers | ( OpenDemocracy) | – – The spreading influence of ISIS is forcing Washington into a strategic decision: escalate. Suddenly, and without almost anyone noticing, the war against ISIS in Syria and Iraq is developing and growing rapidly. Some elements are already clear enough: they include the expansion of ISIS-controlled territory in Libya, […]

Featured

Should an al-Qaeda Ally have a seat at the Syrian Table? Al-Assad rejects talks w/ any armed Group

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Riyadh conference of the Syrian opposition this week included political groups but also nine armed bands. One of the nine, the Free Men of Syria or Ahrar al-Sham, has a formal alliance with al-Qaeda in Syria, the Nusra Front. I don’t think the US and […]

Featured

Russo-Turkish Conflict over Syria & Iraq Boils: “Manifestations of impotent Rage”

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Turkish and Russian government have continued their war of words that followed on the shooting down of an Su-25 bomber on Nov. 24. Issues include a new Turkish accusation that Russian bombing in the north of Latakia province aims at ethnically cleansing the Turkmen populations […]

Israel

Trump Cancels trip to Israel after Parliamentarians slam him as Neo-Nazi

contributors

By IMEMC | – – After criticism from both the left and the right, Donald Trump tweeted Thursday that he will delay his visit to Israel and Jerusalem. The wealthy business tycoon and apparent presidential candidate had previously stated that he planned to visit the Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and then force his way […]

Iraq

Iraqis wrangle over who should free Mosul: Kurds, Russia, US or Shiite Militias?

contributors

Iman Asaad | Sulaymaniyah | (Niqash.org) | – – Who would be the best to liberate Mosul from the Islamic State group? A survey of Iraqi opinions on NIQASH’s Facebook page received 900 comments and show just how deeply divided the country is. An unofficial survey on Facebook that garnered over 930 replies from Iraqis […]

Featured

If Defeating ISIL/ Daesh is so imp’t, why isn’t Ramadi Campaign all we’re talking about?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Given the large number of vehement pronouncements by US presidential candidates about the dire threat from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), and attacks on President Obama for not doing more, you would think that the American public would be hanging on every word about any progress against the […]

Syria

10 facts the government doesn’t want you to know about Syria

contributors

By Ian Sinclair | (Open Democracy) | – – Following the Paris terrorist attacks on 13 November 2015, the British government has got its wish to join the air campaign against Islamic State (IS or ISIS) in Syria, winning the parliamentary vote on 2 December 2015. With many of the government’s dubious assertions often either […]