Uncategorized

Plutarch, writing almost 2,000 years ago, told us that “an imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.” Below is a chart that shows the course of income imbalance over the last 93 years in the U.S. If it showed the course of net worth imbalance, it would […]

Islamophobia

‘Burn the Qur’an Day’ Endangers US Troops: Petraeus

Juan Cole

Every day for the past few days there have been demonstrations in Afghanistan against the scheme of the Christian fundamentalist Dove World Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, to burn copies of the Qur’an on September 11. This sort of grandstanding by a tiny congregation with global ramifications reminds us that in the contemporary world, technology […]

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Dems Reluctant to Allow Taxes on Rich to Rise

Juan Cole

AP says more Democrats are reluctant to allow taxes to rise on the rich. It is a matter of despair to me that the constituents of these Democrats don’t put their feet down on this issue. Allowing tax rates on the rich to go back to Reagan-era levels will not derail the economic recovery. What, […]

Iraq

Obama hands Iraq to Iraqis, Sort of;
al-Maliki Declares Independence

Juan Cole

Some wag observed of the camel that it is “an animal designed by a committee.” Likewise, the speech that President Obama gave on the end of the US direct combat mission in Iraq last night appeared to have been designed by a committee. Intended to please everyone, it likely altogether pleased no one. With regard […]

Pakistan

Salt Water, Slow Aid threaten Sindhis Displaced in Pakistan

Juan Cole

A new danger to Sindh: the flood waters are meeting and mixing with the salt waters of the Arabian Sea, threatening large tracts of fertile land with being ruined for agriculture for many years. Although the floods swallowed up Sujawal, army attempts to divert waters and protect cities, especially Thatta, appear to have meet with […]

Islamophobia

Wertheim: Modern-day Racism: A Mixture That Calls for Some Clarification

Juan Cole

Anne-Ruth Wertheim writes in a guest editorial for Informed Comment: Modern-day Racism: A Mixture That Calls for Some Clarification Propagators of modern-day racism, which is often called Islamophobia in an effort to take off the edge, claim that all they are doing is warning people about what they see as the danger of Islam, and […]

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Glenn Beck’s ‘I have a Dream Speech’

Juan Cole

This is the ‘I have a Dream Speech’ that Glenn Beck would give at the Lincoln Memorial if he were being completely honest. I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from tax increases or increased regulation of your speculative […]

Pakistan

Another 500,000 Flee Indus Breaches
Taliban threaten Aid Workers;
Global Warming Implicated

Juan Cole

The raging, swollen Indus River abruptly breached an embankment in the Thatta district in Sindh, Pakistan, on Wednesday evening, unexpectedly sending flood waters toward the town of Thatta and several others in the district. Panicked residents tried to flee in the thousands. The News writes, “Villagers fled trailing north in vans laden with furniture or […]

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Islamophobe Slasher taunted Cabbie with Rightwing Talking Points before Stabbing Him

Juan Cole

Amy Goodman interviews a close friend of stabbing victim Ahmad Sharif on Michael Enright’s attack on him. Enright asked a lot of questions, including whether Sharif was Muslim and if he was fasting. He was derogatory about the Muslim fast. Then he said, as-Salaamu `Alaykum (peace be upon you, the Muslim greeting), and proclaimed “this […]