Juan Cole

The Bombing I don’t always agree with Dahr Jamail, an independent journalist in Iraq. I don’t think the US used chemical weapons at Fallujah, and I don’t think people were coerced to vote via their food ration cards. But Dahr’s report on the US bombing campaign on civilian neighborhoods in Iraqi cities, which the US […]

Religious Shiites claim Victory Abdul Aziz al-Hakim claimed victory in the Sunday elections for the United Iraqi Alliance, the coalition of religious Shiite parties he leads. And this is what the winners, if they are winners, think of the US: ‘ “No one welcomes the foreign troops in Iraq. We believe in the ability of […]

3 Marines Killed, 2 Wounded Violent clashes broke out Tuesday into early Wednesday between guerrillas and US Marines in the vicinity of Fallujah, according to LBC (Lebanese satellite television news). Al-Jazeerah is reporting US airstrikes on Ramadi, with deaths of civilians. Ash-Sharq al-Awsat reports that two explosions in Samarra killed 5 persons and wounded 6. […]

Election Fallout Ash-Sharq al-Awsat: The Association of Muslims Scholars, a hardline Sunni clerical group, announced that it rejects the legitimacy of the elections, insofar as they were conducted under the shadow of occupation. AMS spokesman Umar Raghib disputed the reports of a high election turnout, especially in Sunni Arab areas. He said that turnout was […]

Guest Editorial: Fisher on Perle and Iran THE PRINCE OF WONDERLAND By William Fisher Good news! The Prince of Darkness has morphed into The Prince of Peace. Having fixed Iraq, Richard Perle is now ready to advise us on Iran. The former Assistant Defense Secretary in the Reagan Administration, and Neocon darling, appeared on a […]

Sistani, the UIA and the Elections Anthony Shadid on Sunday in WaPo captured the edgy reality of life on the ground in Iraq in the build-up to the elections, and the anxieties of the Sunni Arabs before the advance of the Shiite political tsunami. The death toll in Sunday’s guerrilla attacks rose to 44, with […]

Guest Editorial: Sunni Anxieties and the Rise of Shiite Power by Shahin M. Cole Sunni Anxieties and the Rise of Shiite Power Shahin M. Cole Iraq after its elections is not out of the woods, and some severe dangers loom ahead. Iraq has had the form of elections, but will it have the substance of […]

A Mixed Story I’m just appalled by the cheerleading tone of US news coverage of the so-called elections in Iraq on Sunday. I said on television last week that this event is a “political earthquake” and “a historical first step” for Iraq. It is an event of the utmost importance, for Iraq, the Middle East, […]

Election Update At a little after noon EST, Jane Arraf on CNN is reporting about 30 percent turnout in Baqubah, a mixed Sunni-Shiite city to the northeast of Baghdad. It seems clear that the turnout was largely Shiite. Although the violence and attacks have been extensive and took place all over the country, the security […]