By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Monday, the Taliban swept into the provincial capital of Kunduz, taking it in half a day from a large and well-equipped Afghan National Army force. Tuesday’s riposte had only mixed success, with the ANA saying it had taken back the (no-empty) prison. An attempt to […]
Why Obama and Putin are Both Wrong on Syria
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – President Obama seemed awfully defensive in his speech at the United Nations on Monday. The reason is not far to seek. Russia’s Vladimir Putin has surprised Washington by volunteering to get militarily involved in Syria and by arguing that only by enlisting the Baath regime of […]
Syria: Is Bashar al-Assad winning the Diplomatic War? Rebels Fret
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, widely regarded as a war criminal with tens of thousands of deaths on his hands, is nevertheless on a roll. Russia and Iran, the backers of al-Assad, are not eager to see him go. Russia is now putting in more troops and […]
Things like Ted Cruz’s threat to Murder Iran’s Ayatollah are why Iranians don’t Trust US
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) Ted Cruz said Friday at the Value Voters Summit conference in Washington, D.C., “If you vote for me, under no circumstances will Iran be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons. And if the ayatollah doesn’t understand that, we may have to help introduce him to his 72 virgins.” Neoconservatives keep […]
With Iran deal, & Russia in Syria, is Israel being Boxed In?
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – With the success of the Iran deal virtually assured and with Russia moving into Syria, Israel’s hawks are facing an unprecedented setback. These developments could be demoting Israel from regional hegemon to marginal player, and severely limiting Tel Aviv’s freedom of movement. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin […]
Syria flying Russia-supplied Drones, Fighter Jets against ISIL/ Daesh
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The puzzle of Russian intentions in Syria will likely be revealed by president Vladimir Putin at the UN next week. Putin will meet US president Barack Obama on Monday and will address the UN. In the meantime, there are signs that Russian arms supplies to the […]
Will the US Catholic Church Divest from Fossil Fuels, buy Solar Panels?
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In his White House address on Wednesday, Pope Francis again brought up the urgent issue of global warming, climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our “common home”, we are living […]
Top Signs Pope Francis is an Honest Conservative
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The positioning of Jorge Bergoglio, Pope Francis, as a “liberal” or “progressive” in American politics is incorrect and indeed a little bizarre. The Pope is a conservative. In fact, he has railed against “adolescent progressivism” and against secularism, which he calls “the devil.” Pope Francis opposes […]
As Russia supports Iran in Syria, Netanyahu Loses Again
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, accompanied by Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot and Military Intelligence chief Hertzi Halevy, visited Moscow and attempted to hammer out an agreement with Russia to forestall any military confrontations between the two. Netanyahu also lobbied Russian President […]
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