Juan Cole

Foreign Ministers of Neighboring Countries Meet in Damascus The six neighbors of Iraq (with the addition of Egypt) met in Damascus over the weekend, and issued a joint statement condemning terror attacks against civilians and NGOs. They also asked that a timeline be announced for the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people. Turkey had […]

Guerrillas Bomb Northern Pipeline The pipeline from Kirkuk to the Dora refineries of north Baghdad was cut by an explosion near Mashruh al-Therthar, southwest of Samarra. Guerrillas tossed hand grenades at the pipeline, according to AFP. Eyewitness Hassan Messarhad remarked, “I heard a powerful explosion in the evening, and I saw huge flames coming out […]

51% of Americans Disapprove of Bush’s Iraq Policy An ABC News-Washington Post poll released Sunday: Percentage of Americans who disapprove of Bush administation policy in Iraq: 51 Percentage who approve: 47 Percentage who think Bush has made the US more prosperous: less than 10 Percentage who say Bush cannot understand their problems: 58 Percentage who […]

Mudarrisi: Avoid Conflict Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi Mudarrisi modified his recent demand that US troops leave the country immediately, according to al-Sharq al-Awsat. The cleric said that the Coalition troops would not stay long in Iraq, since that was neither something the Iraqi people want nor something in the interests of the Coalition. In the meantime, […]

Talabani Pledges Militias will Join Iraqi Army Jalal Talabani, head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and current president of the Interim Governing Council, pledged that his paramilitary forces would be melded into the national Iraqi army eventually, In an interview with al-Zaman, he again urged a Federal system on Iraq, such that both provincial […]

Bremer Imposes Flat Tax on Iraq Paul Bremer continues to use Iraq as an economic guinea pig, and has now implemented the “flat tax” idea beloved of the US wealthy by fiat. Flat taxes are regressive, since they tax the rich at the same rate as they tax the poor. Someone making a million dollars […]

Breaking News: 15 US Soldiers Killed, 21 Injured in Helicopter Attack Guerrillas used SAM-7 shoulder-fired missiles to down a CH-47 Chinook transport helicopter south of Fallujah. The troops, so many of whom were tragically killed or wounded, were being taken out of the deadly Sunni Arab triangle for much needed rest and recreation. There are […]

2 US Soldiers Killed in Mosul, 2 Wounded; Baghdad Partially Closed Guerrillas in Mosul set off bombs as US soldiers drove by in two sport utility vehicles, killing two of the soldiers and wounding two others. Guerrilla threats of violence paralyzed Baghdad on Saturday. Many shops did not open, many children were not sent to […]

Bremer Promises shortened Timetable for turning over Sovereignty First Jay Garner said he wanted to turn control of Iraq over to the Iraqis (mainly to Ahmad Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress) within six months. (That would have been around now). Then Bremer came in to replace Garner, and said he would rule Iraq himself […]