US Foreign Policy

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Monday, the Taliban swept into the provincial capital of Kunduz, taking it in half a day from a large and well-equipped Afghan National Army force. Tuesday’s riposte had only mixed success, with the ANA saying it had taken back the (no-empty) prison. An attempt to […]

Saudi Arabia

US-Backed Bombing Campaign Strikes Yemeni Wedding Party, Killing Dozens

contributors

By Lauren McCauley, staff writer | (Commondreams.org) | – – Many women and children among the dead in ‘mistake’ attack Monday’s accidental attack on a Yemeni wedding party drew references to the United States’ December 2013 drone bombing of another wedding party in Yemen, which resulted in the death of the 15 people. (Photo: AFP) […]

Bashar al-Assad

Syria: Is Bashar al-Assad winning the Diplomatic War? Rebels Fret

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, widely regarded as a war criminal with tens of thousands of deaths on his hands, is nevertheless on a roll. Russia and Iran, the backers of al-Assad, are not eager to see him go. Russia is now putting in more troops and […]

al-Qaeda

US-trained Syria rebels gave weapons to al-Qaeda Pentagon confirms

contributors

RT | – – “The U.S. military has revealed that American -trained Syrian rebels surrendered equipment to an Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group in exchange for safe passage. They handed over pick-up trucks and ammunition. A spokesman for the military described the move as “very concerning”. ” RT: “US-trained Syria rebels gave weapons to al-Nusra Islamists, […]

Iraq

Are U.S., Russian Arms Supplies to Iraq, Syria a Blessing to Rebel Groups?

contributors

Thalif Deen | (Inter Press Service) | – – UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – The United States and Russia are escalating arms sales to two of their major allies in the Middle East – Iraq and Syria – despite fears that some of these weapons may ultimately wind up, ironically, in the hands of armed rebel […]

Russia

Could Daesh/ ISIS bring Russia and the west together?

contributors

By Marta Ter | (Open Democracy) | – – For a couple of years after 9/11, there was a solid US-Russia anti-terrorism cooperation that basically gave the Kremlin a freer hand in crushing the Chechens. The first Chechen war: Grozny. Demoted/Alexander Nemenov. All rights reserved.“The Islamic State (IS) is Russia’s main enemy”, the Russian Foreign […]

Featured

Pope Francis Endorses Iran Deal: Another Dilemma for GOP Catholic Candidates

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Republican presidential candidates are virtually unanimous that human-caused climate change is a hoax and burning fossil fuels is good for us; that Obamacare is evil and must be repealed; and that the UN Security Council’s deal with Iran restricting its nuclear enrichment program must be […]

Iran

What Iran sacrificed in Deal: Accepted dependence on Imported Enriched Fuel

contributors

By Farhang Jahanpour | (Inter Press Service) | – – OXFORD (IPS) – Iran’s nuclear programme has been the target of a great deal of misinformation, downright lies and above all myths. As a result, it is often difficult to unpick truth from falsehood. As President John F. Kennedy said in his Yale University Commencement […]

Featured

Top 4 Issues Saudi King Salman will discuss in first visit to Obama’s White House

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Saudi King Salman is meeting Friday with President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, and National Security Adviser Susan Rice. King Salman had declined to attend Obama’s Gulf Summit in May, apparently over anger at the negotiations with Iran over its civilian […]