religion

(By Mustafa Habib, Baghdad) He ended his ten year-long political campaign in a televised speech lasting around 11 minutes. In that speech Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said a number of disturbing things: that current Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is a dictator, that Iraq’s Parliament is paralyzed and that the country’s judiciary is too politicized. […]

Arab Spring

Racializing Politics: We don’t say “Slav” Democracy troubled in Ukraine, why Talk about “Arab” Failures?

Juan Cole

The troubles that Ukraine is having (and that Russia and the former Yugoslavia also had) in its post-Soviet politics, with a struggle between authoritarianism and democracy and between a Moscow orientation versus a Brussels one, are very similar to the difficulties that have beset many countries of the Arab world in the past few years. […]

censorship

Tens of Thousands on Twitter Drop Turkey’s President over Internet Censorship Law

Juan Cole

(Via AFP) Turkey president loses Twitter followers over web law (via AFP) Turkish President Abdullah Gul has lost tens of thousands of Twitter followers after signing into force a controversial law voted in by parliament that would tighten controls over web use. Gul, a frequent user of social media, lost almost 80,000 followers… —— […]

Featured

Dear GOP: Top 5 Biblical Marriage Moments far worse than Gay Marriage

Juan Cole

David Edwards at Raw Story quotes Mitt Romney from Meet the Press as saying “But I think marriage should be defined in the way that it has been defined for several thousand years . . .” implying, by the Bible. (Mitt says it is all right with him if gay people just shack up with […]

Energy

How Iraq Vets against War & Peace Groups stopped Senate bid to derail Iran Talks

contributors

(By Robert Clack) In 2013, an unprecedented diplomatic breakthrough happened when the United States and Iran, along with other world powers, reached an interim agreement to lift sanctions over a long-standing dispute regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Not content with allowing for peace, on December 19th New Jersey Senator Menendez (D) and Senator Kirk (R), supported […]

Dissent

Fisticuffs in Parliament as Turkish Gov’t undermines Independence of Judges

Juan Cole

(Via AFP) Lawmakers brawl as Turkey tightens grip on judiciary (via AFP) Turkey’s parliament passed a contested bill Saturday tightening the government’s grip on the judiciary, sparking a fist-fight that left one lawmaker with a broken nose. Fighting erupted between ruling party and opposition lawmakers as the bill — tabled… ——— Related video: Euronews […]

Human Rights

Beyond the disappointment of Marines: What’s Really going on in Fallujah?

contributors

(By Mustafa Habib) NIQASH visits Fallujah and finds a city in flux. While armed militias control the city and the Iraqi army stands guard outside, markets and shops are still open and everyday life is relatively calm. However it won’t stay this way: more Sunni militants are entering the city, relishing a chance to fight […]

Human Rights

Descent into Bigotry: 21st Century Americans increasingly negative toward Muslims, Minorities

contributors

(By Charles Kurzman via IslamiCommentary) Islamic terrorism has proved to be a relatively small threat to public safety in America since 9/11. Isolated individuals have engaged in sporadic violence such as the Boston Marathon bombings, but radicalization has remained far more limited than security officials feared. A report issued this month by the Triangle Center […]

Africa

CAR Muslims Risk Ethnic Cleansing: What if Thousands of Christians were forced out of a Muslim Country?

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) The Central African Republic has a population of 4.5 million, about 15 percent of them Muslim, or about 670,000 people. Those Muslims are now, according to Amnesty International, in serious danger of being ethnically cleansed. “The group [Amnesty Interntional] said attacks against Muslims had been committed “with the stated intent to forcibly […]