By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Trump is alleged to have promised Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan that he will cease arming the YPG Kurds in Syria. This news comes just around the time there is a flurry of articles about how the Trump administration wants to stay long term in eastern Syria, […]
Extremists Kill 235 at Mosque in Egypt’s Sinai
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – A massive explosion went off outside a mosque in the small town (pop. 2500) of Rawdah 12 miles west of El Arish on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt’s Sinai peninsula yesterday, and then the mosque congregation was targeted by gunmen, killing at least 235 and wounding […]
The Falsehood of Trump’s ‘Precision Strikes’ and ‘Clean Wars’
By Paul Rogers | ( OpenDemocracy.net) | – – Trump’s worldview promises low-cost military success. The blasting apart of civilian lives in Iraq says otherwise. Many previous columns in this series focus on the transition in the western way of war since 9/11 from tens of thousands of “boots on the ground” to “remote warfare”. […]
As Flynn cuts off WH, top 4 Alleged Crimes he could sink Trump with
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Ret. 3-star general Michael Flynn, under investigation by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, has ceased sharing information on his case with the Trump white house. Analysts think that this move may be a sign that Flynn is turning state’s evidence and may provide information damning to Trump. […]
Is Palestinian Pres. Abbas refusing to take Jared Kushner’s Phone Calls?
Middle East Monitor | – – Haaretz reported on Thursday 23 November, 2017, that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas refused Wednesday to answer a phone call from Jared Kushner, adviser to US President Donald Trump who is responsible for mediating an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. Instead of answering Kushner’s call, Abbas forwarded it to the representative of […]
“Give me Liberty & Give Me Liquor” Anbar, Iraq after ISIL
Kamal al-Ayash. | Anbar | (Niqash.org) | – – Even before the extremists were in control in Anbar, selling alcohol was banned. During extremist control, selling liquor was punishable by death. But now liquor stores have become a sign of freedom. Sign of hope? Beer on sale at a bar in Iraqi Kurdistan. These days […]
Could Africa skip Pipelines straight to Solar Panels?
By Benjamin Fox | EURACTIV.com | – – Nearly €340 ($403) billion of investment will be needed to achieve universal access to electricity across Africa by 2030, the World Energy Network forecasts. That is a tall order. The combined grid capacity of the 48 sub-Saharan African countries is around 70 gigawatts, roughly equivalent to that […]
Remembering Puerto Ricans–Americans–on Thanksgiving
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Many Puerto Ricans are spending Thanksgiving on the mainland, away from home and family and friends, as climate refugees. I guess this catastrophe is something that should be on our minds on this day of feasting. Thanksgiving was a northern, regional holiday until 1863 when Abraham […]
The New Arab League Cold War
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Arab League is embroiled in a new cold war among its own members, largely over Iran’s role in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have so much influence in the Arab League that they got through a resolution of the foreign ministers committee […]
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