Juan Cole

Cole in Salon.com: Bush’s Anti-Iran Fatwa My Salon.com column this week is now available:“The danger of Bush’s anti-Iran fatwa”: The president’s decision to use force against Iranian “agents” inside Iraq could snare innocent pilgrims, and raises the risk of open warfare. Excerpt: ‘ George W. Bush last week announced that American troops in Iraq were […]

Mahdist Cult Almost Defeated Iraqi Army at Najaf Wave of Bombings, Mortar attacks in Baghdad Marc Santora of NYT reveals that the Iraqi army was very nearly overwhelmed and defeated by the Army of Heaven militia of the Mahdawiya millenarian movement near Najaf on the weekend. They had to call in not only US airstrikes […]

Cole Interview on CNN Monday Cole on CNN. YOUR WORLD TODAY Aired January 29, 2007 – 12:00 ET JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Now, from the raging battle outside Iraq, to the political posturing by Washington and Tehran, what’s really at stake? Earlier, we spoke with Juan Cole, professor of modern Middle East history at […]

Fighters for Shiite Messiah Clash with Najaf Security, 250 Dead Over 60 Dead in Baghdad, Kirkuk Violence Well, a big battle took place at the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Saturday night into Sunday, but there are several contradictory narratives about its significance. Iraqi authorities, claimed that the Iraqi army killed a lot of […]

Elhanan Guest Editorial: Another Way for Israel Another Way for Israel Elik ElhananCombatants for PeaceVia The Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace This is the message we want to bring to the American Jewish community: Let us try another way. In the eyes of many, the key to this conflict lies in the US. Your […]

7 US Troops Killed Bombing kills 13 in Baghdad, 40 Bodies Found Massive Anti-War Protest on Mall in DC It was announced Saturday that 7 US soldiers have been killed by guerrillas deploying roadside bombs in the past 3 days. I cannot see any sign in this Reuters roundup of violence in Iraq on Saturday […]

Dabbous Guest Editorial: Getting Home in Beirut My View from our Sunni-Beiruti Neighbourhood Eugène Richard Sensenig-Dabbous ‘For those of you who know Beirut, I drove from my office at the Maronite Catholic Notre Dame University Zouk Mosbeh up the hill from Jounieh) Thursday, via Sassine Square to Sodeco/Damascus Street at the north-western edge of predominantly […]

Gul: A Partitioned Iraq Means “Endless War” Bombings, Killings in Baghdad Leave 50 Dead Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is warning the US not to just leave Iraq in chaos, allowing a civil war that leads to partitioning the country– a situation that he says will lead to “endless war.” Gul is right about all […]

Karrada Bombing kills 26, 40 Bodies Found Maliki Threatens Sunni MP Reuters reports on political violence in Iraq’s ongoing civil war. In Baghdad: *Police found 40 bodies on Thursday, most of them showing signs of torture. *Guerrillas set off a car bomb in a shopping district of the Karrada neighborhood of downtown Baghdad, killing 26 […]