By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has produced a report [pdf] in which it finds that “Official data released by the Israeli authorities indicate that over 11,000 demolition orders – affecting an estimated 13,000 Palestinian- owned structures, including homes -are currently ‘outstanding’ […]
Pope Francis’ call to host Refugees contrasts w/ anti-Immigrant US “Religious Right”
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Not all American Christian leaders have covered themselves in glory when it comes to the issue of Syrian refugees being accepted by the US ( not many are). Evangelist Franklin Graham sees these refugees as a security threat because many of them are Muslim (though there […]
Unlike Israel’s Netanyahu, Saudi Arabia now says it supports Iran Nuclear Deal
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Saudi-owned, pan-Arab London daily al-Sharq al-Awsat (the Middle East) reported on the meeting Friday between King Salman of Saudi Arabia and President Obama and their top foreign policy and security teams. It said, “American officials told al-Sharq al-Awsat that President Obama is eager to calm […]
Top 4 Issues Saudi King Salman will discuss in first visit to Obama’s White House
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Saudi King Salman is meeting Friday with President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, and National Security Adviser Susan Rice. King Salman had declined to attend Obama’s Gulf Summit in May, apparently over anger at the negotiations with Iran over its civilian […]
Obama’s Journey: Top 10 signs of Extreme Climate Change in Alaska and why it Should Scare Us
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – American corporate news has not devoted the hours to President Obama’s trip to Alaska that it deserves, focusing on the GOP clown car back in the lower 48 instead. I did a Lexis Nexis search under Arctic Summit (yes, there was one, which Obama attended) in […]
Obama 1, Netanyahu 0, as Dems & Public rally to Iran Deal
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Israel lobbies don’t win every fight on Capitol Hill, but over time they have tended to win the big ones in recent decades. This time, they are going down. Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu, a notorious narcissist, appears to have completely over-estimated his ability to […]
Martin Kramer’s “Modest Proposal” for starving Gazans into having fewer Children, 5 Yrs Later
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In view of the dire UN report warning that in 5 years Gaza may well be uninhabitable for its 2 million Palestinian residents, it is worth considering again that this outcome is being connived at by the Israeli far right wing, one mouthpiece for which is […]
Enter the Bear: Does Russia plan air strikes on Daesh/ISIL in Syria?
By Juan Cole| (Informed Comment) | – – The Israeli press is reporting that Iran has made a firmer military alliance with the Russian Federation in Syria, and that Moscow is sending pilots to Damascus to fly missions in that country against Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) and other Muslim extremist groups. The Syrian regime of Bashar […]
Top 5 Green Energy Breakthroughs Today
By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – – Switching to green energy sources like wind and solar is necessary to save the planet from increased concentrations of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which cause global warming. But it will also save you money. How much? Citi Bank has a new estimate that going green will […]
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