Today is a special day for me. In 2015, at the height of the ISIL cult’s influence in Iraq and Syria and during a time of extreme bigotry toward Muslims in the United States, I conceived a project on “Islamic Peace Studies.” The point was not to deny the violence of cult-like movements such as […]
Rejecting Biden pressure to distance itself from China, Emirates suspends $23 bn F-35 Deal
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The United Arab Emirates, the fabulously wealthy set of oil states at the head of the Gulf, has frozen its $23 billion deal to buy advanced stealth F-35 fighter-jets and unmanned drones from the United States. The Abu Dhabi local press delicately explained that the freeze was for “technical reasons.” […]
Cheney outs Hypocritical Fox Anchors who Texted Trump Hysterically to Halt Insurrection they later Denied
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The January 6 Committee of the House of Representatives voted last night to hold former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer a subpoena to testify in person. Meadows is claiming that executive privilege exempts him from testifying. Since you have […]
As last Coal Chimney Falls, Will Green Energy Issue in Scotland Break up the United Kingdom?
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon of the Scottish National Party, pushed the button last week that brought down the country’s tallest structure, the chimney of the massive coal plant at Fife. The plant was decommissioned in 2016, as Scotland replaced coal with renewables for electricity generation, but the demolition was […]
Why Biden is Likely right that the Climate Emergency is partly to blame for massive Tornadoes
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The string of horrific tornadoes generated by unrelenting thunderstorms over hundreds of miles in the southeast and midwest of the US has likely left over a hundred dead, and has wiped out portions of small towns. As with any extreme weather event, it is natural to ask whether it is […]
Spike in Violence in 2021 by Israeli Forces, Squatters, toward Palestinian Children: Defense for Children, UN’s Bachelet
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Defense for Children International-Palestine reports that 2021 was the deadliest year for Palestinian children in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories in seven years, with 78 killed by Israeli troops or militant Zionist squatter-settlers. The bulk of these deaths came from last May’s indiscriminate Israeli bombardment of densely-populated Gaza. Israeli forces also […]
As 6x as Many die of COVID in Deep Red Counties as in Deep Blue, Sen. Ron Johnson touts . . . Mouthwash as Cure
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) is now alleging that mouthwashes are the way to avoid getting COVID-19. Johnson, a powerful figure in Washington and former chair of the committee on Homeland Security, has a history of promoting quackery regarding the novel coronavirus. He said, “Standard gargle, mouthwash, has been proven to […]
“Given me a Lever and I will Move the Earth:” Biden orders greening of Federal Gov’t, buying of EVs and Solar Panels
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes of Syracuse (d. 212 BC), speaking of the power of the lever, said, “Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth” (δῶς μοι πᾶ στῶ καὶ τὰν γᾶν κινάσω). In the US economy there are few more powerful levers than […]
Justice: French arrest Man they believe to be Top Saudi Assassin of Journalist Jamal Khashoggi
Update: French authorities have released the individual they apprehended on Tuesday. Read on for the significance of this attempted arrest of al-Otaibi. Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Rick Noack and Sarah Dadouch at The Washington Post report that French authorities arrested a Saudi man they believe to be Khalid Aedh al-Otaibi, a member of the […]