By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – We’re hearing a lot about American reactions to news that AG Jeff Sessions met twice with the Russian ambassador and then lied about it in his testimony to the Senate. But what does the Russian press make of all this? It seems to admit Trump sympathy […]
From Bernie Sanders to Harel: Why is Acknowledging Israeli Apartheid a Shock?
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Monday, Bernie Sanders gave a historic speech at J Street, the liberal pro-Israel lobby that still believes in a two state solution. The lying roll of soiled toilet paper that is Breitbart (Trump’s party organ) reported with horror that Sanders had addressed an “anti-Israel” group. […]
Is Trump right to doubt that Islam is a Religion?
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka again declined to say on Wednesday in an NPR interview whether President Trump believes Islam is “a religion.” He also doubled down on calling Muslim radicalism “radical Islamic extremism.” In the end he clarified that the US is not at war with […]
Afghanistan: We Lost a long Time Ago, and are Still at War
William J. Astore | ( Tomdispatch.com ) | – – America’s war in Afghanistan is now in its 16th year, the longest foreign war in our history. The phrase “no end in sight” barely covers the situation. Prospects of victory — if victory is defined as eliminating that country as a haven for Islamist terrorists […]
Sorry, Trump, China’s cut-back on Coal Dooms Industry
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Donald Trump has said many foolish things, but his pledge to bring back coal takes the cake. Coal is the dirtiest source of energy. Not only does it produce enormous amounts of carbon dioxide when burned, but releases other toxins as well, including mercury. Mercury is […]
Top 5 Ways Obama is Behind Leaks, Protests against Trump
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Trump did an interview with “Fox and Friends” for this morning in which he alleged that former president Barack Obama is behind the leaks that have bedeviled Trump’s White House. The Fox agent provocateur asked Trump a leading question as to whether Obama is also behind […]
Would Trump let Oscar Winner Mahershala Ali back into the Country?
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Mahershala Ali, 43, last night won an Oscar for best supporting actor, in Moonlight . The film treats themes of sexual repression, gayness, and the plague of drug dealing and addiction. Moonlight, of course, also won Best Picture, after a historic error in which the winner […]
Spurned Reporters should dump Trump Briefings, turn to Investigative Journalism
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Donald Trump was unhappy Saturday that the major media had neglected to report a point made by Herman Cain in an interview on Fox. Cain alleged that in Barack Obama’s first month, the Federal budget deficit rose $200 bn., but in Trump’s first month it fell […]
Top 5 Hypocrisies of Trump Friday
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Friday, Trump was making news again, after having appeared to be subdued (or muzzled?) by his staff midweek. But he addressed the conservative equivalent of that bar scene in Star Wars, CPAC. As usual, the sum total of his wacky pronouncements added up to a […]