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Juan Cole

Uncategorized
 Alabina, "Habibi ya Nour el Ain" (Music Video)

Alabina, “Habibi ya Nour el Ain” (Music Video)

Juan Cole

Some Spanish lyrics, some Arabic. In medieval Arabic poetry this genre was called mulamma`at. Alabina, “Habibi ya Nour el Ain,” rare version As This source points out, “The mulamma’, “patch-work,” or “macaronic” poem, composed in alternate lines or couplets in two or more different languages, has no separate form, and will be more suitably considered […]

China
China and the Israel-Palestine Conflict: Enter the Dragon?

China and the Israel-Palestine Conflict: Enter the Dragon?

Juan Cole

This video report on China’s new interest in Middle East diplomacy begins by pointing out that the Obama administration has announced a pivot toward Asia (i.e. US interests lie more in the Pacific Rim than the Middle East.). At the same time, China (which dislikes this pivot, fearing it is aimed against Beijing) is moving […]

Uncategorized
UN has strong suspicions Syrian Rebels used Sarin Gas

UN has strong suspicions Syrian Rebels used Sarin Gas

Juan Cole

A UN commission unvestigating the situation in Syria has strong, concrete suspicions that Syrian rebels used sarin gas, but does not have firm proof, according to investigator Carla del Ponti. Euronews reports The announcement landed like a bombshell because during the past week Israeli and European officials have levelled the same charge against the Syrian […]

Uncategorized
BS Happens: Parody of 24/7 Cable News

BS Happens: Parody of 24/7 Cable News

Juan Cole

Parody of 24-hour cable news from The Onion that that nails it:

Israel/Palestine
Israeli, Hizbullah Proxy War in Syria

Israeli, Hizbullah Proxy War in Syria

Juan Cole

Israel and Lebanon’s Hizbullah, who fought a war in 2006, are increasingly being drawn into a proxy war in Lebanon. Hizbullah supports the Baath regime of Bashar al-Assad. The Israeli government, after a long period of neutrality, seems increasingly to have decided that the Baath must go. Israel on Sunday bombed what it said were […]

Uncategorized
Shiraz, Iran:  Timelapse Video

Shiraz, Iran: Timelapse Video

Juan Cole

Timelapse of scenes of Shiraz, Iran. The southwestern city is known for its poets and shrines to poets and gardens and, in the old days, wine.

Uncategorized
The Conservative Logic of Ferguson’s Smears of Gays, Muslims, Obama and Krugman

The Conservative Logic of Ferguson’s Smears of Gays, Muslims, Obama and Krugman

Juan Cole

Harvard historian Niall Ferguson apologized Saturday for having said that economist John Maynard Keyes did not care about future generations because he was gay and had no children. The question I want to raise here is the over-all logic of Ferguson’s underlying reasoning. What makes him continually make embarrassing and simple errors of fact, as […]

Uncategorized
Saudi Arabian Women, Unveiled (VICE video)

Saudi Arabian Women, Unveiled (VICE video)

Juan Cole

VICE reports on Saudi Arabian women, unveiled, showing the strong private/ public divide in the Kingdom (and moreover private and public are drawn differently there).

Uncategorized
We’ve been hurt before: Jon Stewart on Obama’s Renewed Pledge on Guantanamo

We’ve been hurt before: Jon Stewart on Obama’s Renewed Pledge on Guantanamo

Juan Cole

Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show on President Obama’s renewed push to close the illegal Guantanamo prison camp. Limbo Update America wanted to believe Barack Obama’s promise to close Guantanamo, but the skeptical country had been hurt before. The Daily Show with Jon StewartGet More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

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