Juan Cole

No American-Imposed Constitution – al-Mudarrisi Prominent cleric Taqi al-Mudarrisi in Karbala warned the US Sunday not to attempt to impose on Iraq a constitution that was inappropriate to it. He also warned against a sort of loose Federalism that would divide the country along ethnic lines. He went on to suggest that even some form […]

Secret Deal between US and Iran on Iraq The United States entered into secret negotiations with the Iranian regime with regard to Iraq, according to al-Zaman. It said that Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asafi gave an interview in which he detailed the negotiations. The paper alleges that Iran agreed to cease interfering in […]

One US Soldier Killed, three Wounded. Guerrillas in Sadiyah, 60 miles north of Baghdad, killed one US soldier from the 4th Infantry Division and wounded another late Friday. Two US soldiers were also wounded in the unemployment riots in Baghdad on Saturday(see below).

Iraqis Forbidden to work for Some US Contractors The New York Times finally broke the story on Saturday of the US rebuilding efforts in Iraq being overly expensive because there is a failure to use experienced, reasonably priced Iraqi contractors. The situation is even worse than the Times suggested, however. It isn’t just that some […]

Novak Leak Outs CIA Front Company The CIA uses fictional or semi-real companies as fronts sometimes, and Ambassador Joe Wilson’s wife used one as a cover. Columnist Robert Novak’s irresponsible outing of her as a CIA operative has now led to her company also being outed. Since other agents have presumably used that company as […]

Cook Says Blair Knew Iraqi WMD no Threat British PM Tony Blair at one point alleged that Iraq could launch a WMD strike on Europe within “45 minutes.” He appears, however, to have known that this charge was simply untrue. Former Foreign Minister Robin Cook alleges that Blair assured him before the Iraq war that […]

Unemployment Riots in Baghdad, al-Hilla and Basra Former Iraqi soldiers reporting to collect a payment $40 became outraged at the long waits they faced at offices in Baghdad, al-Hilla and Basra, and rioted in dissatisfaction. Some had come from 100 miles away and some were allegedly told that soldiers whose names began with particular letters […]

Sadrists Have Some Tribal Support in Southern Cities I often get asked by journalists and others whether Muqtada al-Sadr should be taken seriously, or whether he is just a young punk with some ruffians around him, as the Najaf religious elite maintains. His competitors include Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. One informed observer in Iraq says, […]

10,000 Shiites Mourn in Najaf Some 10,000 mourners (other reports say more) showed up in Najaf for the 40-day commemoration of the assassination of Ayatollah Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim on Friday. The brother and successor of the deceased, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, used the occasion to insist that the drafters of the new Iraqi constitution be elected […]