By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – I think the remarks of outgoing US Army chief Gen. Ray Odierno on the possible partition of Iraq have been reported in a sensationalist way. He just said that Sunni-Shiite relations in Iraq are at a nadir and that the country could look different in the […]
Memo to Jeb Bush: It was W’s Surge that created ISIL, not Hillary
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Jeb Bush very unwisely went after Hillary Clinton last night on the grounds that her Iraq policies gave us Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). Bush may think he is cleverly pulling a Karl Rove, attacking his opponent on her strong point (foreign policy), as Rove swiftboated John Kerry […]
If it’s going to push us to War, is it time for AIPAC to register as foreign Agent?
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Most polls show that Jewish Americans are the Americans most enthusiastic about the diplomatic deal reached at Vienna between Iran and the UN Security Council over its civilian nuclear enrichment program. So the umbrella group of lobbyists supposedly dedicated to representing Jewish Americans, the American Israel […]
Game of Groans: How focus on Trump Taunts hides GOP war on Middle Class, Workers
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The condition of late capitalism produces a press discourse strangely devoid of any mention of class. Last Thursday we had 10 rich males, all but one white, on a debate stage seeking to represent the billionaire class (some 536 individuals in US, who have more wealth […]
Top Iran General Endorses Nuclear Deal with US, UNSC
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Iranian Chief of Staff Major-Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi said Saturday that despite some reservations, he saw 16 major advantages to the Iran deal. He didn’t mention any specific disadvantages. Firouzabadi said, “The armed forces have the largest number of concerns about the effect of the accord on […]
Daesh/ ISIL takes 250 Captive, including 60 Christians in Syria
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In more bad news for the Baath regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) fighters have taken the town of Al Qariyatain southeast of Homs and are advancing west on the nearby towns of Mheen and Sadad. These central small towns are Sunni-majority, but […]
Top Cringe Worthy Foreign Policy Moments in GOP Debate
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Well we had the primetime GOP debate, so the 2016 election season has formally begun. Trump declared himself more or less an independent. When Megyn Kelly pressed him on his history of misogyny and putting down women, he threatened not to be nice to her any […]
In Honor of Jon Stewart’s Finale, that time he showed a Juan Cole clip re: al-Qaeda
By Juan Cole | (informed Comment) | – – Jon Stewart is the most brilliant man on television, and Steve Colbert said it well, that we’ve all learned from him “how to do our jobs” — the job being to be a critical consumer of information and news. Not having him to turn to at […]
Obama: Opponents of Iran Deal are Warmongers
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Lame duck Obama pulls no punches. In his major address Wednesday on the Vienna deal reached with Iran, Obama let his critics have it. I take it he has done the math and knows that the Republicans in the House and possibly the Senate will reject […]
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