Juan Cole

Pessimistic Rumsfeld Memo Leaked Donald Rumsfeld sent a memo to four of his associates in the Department of Defense on October 16 that worried about how the US is doing in the war on terror. He admitted that there was little in the way of a measurement for progress, but worried that the US had […]

Guerrillas Kill 2 US troops, wound 10 Guerrillas killed two US troops at Kirkuk on Wednesday, according to al-Sharq al-Awsat; this report was not confirmed at press time by the US military. The paper also reported three US troops wounded at a Kurdish village, Laylan, near Kirkuk.. Guerrillas wounded 2 US soldiers in Baghdad with […]

Firefight in Najaf A group of armed men attacked the Najaf headquarters of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq at midnight Tues.-Weds. Four of six assailants were apprehened, and a spokseman for SCIRI said that they admitted to being Saddam loyalists. It was alleged in September that Baathists attempted to assassinate Ayatollah Hussein […]

Demonstration in Khalidiya Hundreds of protesters rallied on Wednesday in the Western Sunni city of Khalidiya, demanding that three women arrested by the Americans be released. AFP alleges that US soldiers went to their homes searching for their husbands, who are suspected in guerrilla attacks against US forces. The men had disappeared, so the soldiers […]

Arrest Warrant for Muqtada al-Sadr? The Guardian reports today that sources close to the Interim Governing Council say an arrest warrant is being prepared for fiery young Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr. They say his organizing activities have come to be seen as a growing threat, and he will be charged in the murder of Majid […]

Demonstration in Fallujah The arrest of a senior prayer leader in Fallujah sparked a protest Wednesday by 100 religious and tribal leaders. AFP says they shouted “Death to Americans, their spies and collaborators” as they made their way to the government offices. It was a small demonstration, but if it is true that they were […]

Demonstration Tuesday in Karbala AP reports that a demonstration was held by followers of Muqtada al-Sadr in Karbala on Tuesday to protest the closing of the al-Mukhayyam Mosque and the arrest of numerous followers of Muqtada there. On Wednesday the Shiite party, al-Da`wa, issued a statement condemning the recent violence in Karbala and urging that […]

Zogby Criticizes Cheney Use of Zogby Poll The Zogby polling group did a sounding in Iraq last month, some results of which were trumpeted by US Vice President Dick Cheney in an interview, in which he alleged that most Iraqis supported a US style government. The true percentage who took that position? 23%. Zogby complains […]

Dozens Demonstrate in Baghdad against Desecration of Koran It started with a minor incident. A female employee going into the Ministry of Petroleum had to subject to a daily search of her purse. But the US troops guarding the building on Tuesday wanted more, they wanted her to let trained police dogs sniff her purse. […]