Juan Cole

On Removing pro-Baath Books from the Libraries in Iraq At the news on Wednesday that the Debaathification committee in Iraq will remove from university libraries all books positive toward the Baath party, Middle East expert Keith Watenpaugh writes: “Functionally this decision to “cleanse Iraqi universities and its libraries from the vestiges of the Baath” could […]

Abramoff and al-Arian: Lobbyist’s “Charity” a Front for Terrorism The guilty plea of fabulously wealthy and highly corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff raised the question of whether he would roll over on congressmen involved in illegal fundraising and other crimes with him. Some twenty Republicans on Capitol Hill are said to be in danger. Abramoff’s dense […]

Human Rights Violations in Iraq Or, the Clay Feet of the Model Iraq The Model I: The US military observed guerrillas in Beiji planting a roadside bomb and kept them under surveillance as they went to a house, then called down a bombing raid on the house. Unfortunately there was a civilian family of 14 […]

Cole on Air America I will be on the Al Franken Show at 1 pm Wednesday. If you miss that (or are a glutton for punishment) I’ll also be on The Majority Report on Wednesday at 8:25.

Iraqi Military Delegation to Iran Carries US Message Secular Sunni Arabs cry Political Betrayal The sister of Interior Minister Bayan Jabr was kidnapped on Tuesday. Three months ago, his brother had been kidnapped. Al-Hayat [Ar.] reports that Salih Mutlak of the secular Sunni National Dialogue Council accused the (Sunni) National Accord Front of “political betrayal” […]

Ahmadinejad Clarification on Israel An informed commentator writes: Regarding his views of the Holocaust and other issues that have been discussed on this forum, the IRI President has offered some explanations. Part of it reads: “One must distinguish between Zionism and Judaism. The Jews have always lived in security and prosperity in Islamic lands, and […]

Sunnis Join Talks on National Unity Government; Guerrillas kill 19 AP correspondent Sinan Salaheddin reports that the Sunni fundamentalist National Accord Front [Accordance is not an English adjective] broke ranks on Monday with its partners in the Rejection Bloc. The NAF had earlier joined the National Dialogue Council of Salih Mutlak (Neobaathist) and the National […]

Reconstruction Aid to Afghanistan Halved; Or, “Don’t Forget to Write!” Now that it has been announced that the US won’t seek more reconstruction aid for Iraq. it also turns out that the Bush administration has reduced reconstruction aid in Afghanistan from $1 bn. a year to a little ove $600 mn. The US is pulling […]

Guerrillas Target Police all over Iraq with 13 Car Bombs on New Year’s Day Over 2 Dozen Casualties Al-Sharq al-Awsat [Ar.]: Baghdad rang in the New Year with a sting of 8 coordinated car bombs that left at least 24 persons injured. A further five car bombs were detonated in Kirkuk, Tikrit and Miqdadiyah. Other […]