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Conflict in Mecca: The Prophet Muhammad and Soft Power
Featured

Conflict in Mecca: The Prophet Muhammad and Soft Power

Juan Cole

I believe that the earliest source we have for the life of the Prophet is the Quran itself. And I believe the Quran is early.

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“Into this Universe:”  Heidegger and FitzGerald’s The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:29

“Into this Universe:” Heidegger and FitzGerald’s The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:29

12/14/2025 By Juan Cole

“Identity is never fixed:” Interview with Iranian-American Artist Soraya Sharghi

“Identity is never fixed:” Interview with Iranian-American Artist Soraya Sharghi

12/14/2025 By Global Voices

More Stories

Drones
Hot Drone on Drone Action (Turse)

Hot Drone on Drone Action (Turse)

Nick Turse writes at Tomdispatch.com: Introduction by Tom Engelhardt [Note for TomDispatch Readers: Today, you are witnessing the birth of a TomDispatch experiment.  Nick Turse […]

Juan Cole

Syria
Satellite Images Show Syrian Army Siege of Houla (BBC)

Satellite Images Show Syrian Army Siege of Houla (BBC)

The UN is debating whether to withdraw its observers from Syria, given that there is no point in deploying observers if they are just going […]

Juan Cole

Uncategorized
The Great Landgrab (Oldroyd)

The Great Landgrab (Oldroyd)

Rachel Oldroyd writes at the Bureau of Investigative Journalism The latest book by science and environment author Fred Pearce is a breezy waltz through a […]

Juan Cole

Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam (134)  “When life has been drunk to the dregs”

Omar Khayyam (134) “When life has been drunk to the dregs”

When life has been drunk to the dregs, whether at home or abroad; and its full measure used up, whether it’s been bitter or sweet; […]

Juan Cole

Drones
How Obama changed definition of ‘civilian’ in secret drone wars (Woods)

How Obama changed definition of ‘civilian’ in secret drone wars (Woods)

Chris Woods writes at the Bureau of investigative Journalism: Two US reports just published provide significant insights into President Obama’s personal and controversial role in […]

Juan Cole

Uncategorized
My Last Phone Call from Charles Taylor, Or how Qaddafi Plagued Africa (Pirio)

My Last Phone Call from Charles Taylor, Or how Qaddafi Plagued Africa (Pirio)

Gregory Alonso Pirio writes in a guest column for Informed Comment: Charles Taylor would call me on regular basis in the early 1990s.   It’s […]

Juan Cole

Uncategorized
The Secret Army inside the Army (Bacevich)

The Secret Army inside the Army (Bacevich)

Andrew J. Bacevich writes at Todispatch.com: Unleashed Globalizing the Global War on Terror By Andrew J. Bacevich As he campaigns for reelection, President Obama periodically […]

Juan Cole

Uncategorized
Syria: Famine and Civil War

Syria: Famine and Civil War

The Syrian government massacre at Houla has probabaly killed the faltering Annan peace plan, which envisioned a ceasefire between the Syrian Baath army and the […]

Juan Cole

Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyam (135) “You … checkmated the king of Babylon”

Omar Khayyam (135) “You … checkmated the king of Babylon”

Your cheek is fairer than  a wild white rose, and your face outshines  those China dolls. You flirted with your eyes and checkmated the king […]

Juan Cole

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