Informed Comment Homepage

Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion

Header Right

  • Featured
  • US politics
  • Middle East
  • Environment
  • US Foreign Policy
  • Energy
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • About
  • Archives
  • Submissions

© 2025 Informed Comment

  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Juan Cole

Uncategorized
Saturday Reading

Saturday Reading

Juan Cole

As Clinton and Romney win the Nevada primaries, Justin Elliot asks at Mother Jones why the leading candidates don’t have more to say about crucial Middle East policy, including Israel-Palestine issues. The new issue of Arab Media and Society is available online. It is an exciting journal, and this crop of articles is especially germane […]

Iraq
80 Dead in Clashes with Millenarian Cult; Sadrists threaten to end Freeze on JAM; Al-Hakim Criticizes al-Maliki

80 Dead in Clashes with Millenarian Cult; Sadrists threaten to end Freeze on JAM; Al-Hakim Criticizes al-Maliki

Juan Cole

The instability of the Iraqi south was on display Friday, as a doomsday cult attacked police and religious mourners on the eve of Ashura’, the holiest day of the Shiite Islamic calendar. The clashes in Basra and Nasiriya left at least 80 dead and 90 wounded according to the LAT. The cities were under curfew […]

Iraq
Wave of Killing of Women;

Wave of Killing of Women;

Juan Cole

Al-Zaman reports in Arabic that women activists on Thursday organized a conference in Baghdad to protest the increasing problem of women being targeted for killing, especially by religious militias. They said that more than 100 women have been killed in Basra, 250 in Kirkuk province, and 50 in Diyala. McClatchy reports on Shiite hopes that […]

Iraq
Basra Police Chief Denies Iran Mischief in Iraq

Basra Police Chief Denies Iran Mischief in Iraq

Juan Cole

The USG Open Source Center translates an interview with the police chief of Basra, Staff Maj-Gen. Abdul Jalil Khalaf. Therein, Khalaf denies that Iran is playing a negative role and stirring turmoil in the southern port city of 1.5 million. Khalaf was appointed by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki about six months ago. He is therefore […]

Iraq
3 US Troops Killed; Bomber Kills 9; US Bombing Raids Up 5 Times

3 US Troops Killed; Bomber Kills 9; US Bombing Raids Up 5 Times

Juan Cole

In the small town of Khan Bani Saad in Diyala Province east of Baghdad, a woman suicide bomber killed 9 Shiites and wounded 15 at a market just before a major religious holiday. Meanwhile, in nearby Salahuddin Province, guerrillas deployed small arms fire to kill 3 US troops: ‘ SALAHUDDIN PROVINCE – Three U.S. soldiers […]

Uncategorized
Lebanese Press on Bush’s Middle East Tour

Lebanese Press on Bush’s Middle East Tour

Juan Cole

See Charles Smith’s important comments on Bush’s Arab-Israeli diplomacy at our Global Affairs group blog. The USG Open Source Center translates excerpts from opinion pieces in the Lebanese press concerning Bush’s visit to the Middle East (he did not visit Beirut, where politics is so polarized that parliament has been unable to elect a new […]

Uncategorized
Ayatollah Huckabee Condemns US Constitution with new Fatwa

Ayatollah Huckabee Condemns US Constitution with new Fatwa

Juan Cole

Mike Huckabee says he wants to amend the US constitution to bring it into line with the divinely revealed law of the living God: ‘ “I have opponents in this race who do not want to change the Constitution. But I believe it’s a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to […]

Iraq
Al-Anbar Leader Condemns Iraqi Gov. as Sectarian Wants US Out

Al-Anbar Leader Condemns Iraqi Gov. as Sectarian Wants US Out

Juan Cole

So whatever happened to Fallujah? Hard to get news from the city. Can they drive personal cars again, yet? Apparently the US military has built blast walls around each of 10 districts in the city. As the US prepares to withdraw from al-Anbar, there are worries about there not being enough local police to provide […]

Uncategorized
McCain runs on Iraq in Michigan

McCain runs on Iraq in Michigan

Juan Cole

My new Salon.com column is out, entitled McCain runs on Iraq in Michigan. The Intro is here: On the stump in Michigan, John McCain campaigns on victory in Iraq. It’s a risky strategy, as the recent surge in violence shows.’ Read the whole thing.

  • « Previous Page
  • Page 1
  • …
  • Page 1067
  • Page 1068
  • Page 1069
  • Page 1070
  • Page 1071
  • …
  • Page 1600
  • Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Support Independent Journalism

Click here to donate via PayPal.

Personal checks should be made out to Juan Cole and sent to me at:

Juan Cole
P. O. Box 4218,
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548
USA
(Remember, make the checks out to “Juan Cole” or they can’t be cashed)

STAY INFORMED

Join our newsletter to have sharp analysis delivered to your inbox every day.
Warning! Social media will not reliably deliver Informed Comment to you. They are shadowbanning news sites, especially if "controversial."
To see new IC posts, please sign up for our email Newsletter.

Social Media

Bluesky | Instagram

Popular

  • Gaza: It's not "Complicated"
  • Trump Brings back Torture, Big Time
  • The Most American King: Interview on Jordan with Aaron Magid
  • Israeli Minister: 'Gaza must be in Ruins for Decades,' as Airstrike Kills Children seeking Water
  • Zohran Mamdani’s last Name reflects Centuries of intercontinental Trade, Migration and cultural Exchange

Gaza Yet Stands


Juan Cole's New Ebook at Amazon. Click Here to Buy
__________________________

Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires



Click here to Buy Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam


Click here to Buy The Rubaiyat.
Sign up for our newsletter

Informed Comment © 2025 All Rights Reserved