Eastern Europe

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – In Iraq on Tuesday, Iraq militias and the Iraqi military launched a counter-attack on Falluja with the ultimate aim of driving Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) out of al-Anbar Province. The operation follows the successful liberation of Tikrit, north of Baghdad, from Daesh by these same forces. In […]

Balkans

Desperate Afro-Asian Migrants flee war, famine through risky Balkans on The Road To EU

contributors

By Iva Martinovic | (RFE/ RL) | – – These days, the park flanking Belgrade’s bus terminal and the nearby railway station teems with migrants. They are from Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, or Somalia, and they are on the last leg of a grueling journey they hope will take them to the European Union. Inside the […]

art and photography

5,000 Hanging Skirts: How Women Remember War Rape in Kosova

Juan Cole

By Frances Trix | (Informed Comment) | – – On 12 June, 5,000 skirts and dresses were hung on 45 clotheslines in the football stadium in Prishtina, capital of Kosova. “The laundry is washed clean, like the women who are clean and pure—they carry no stain,” asserted artist Alketa Xhafa-Mripa, the Kosovar originator of the […]

Balkans

“Nationalism and terrorism are constructed things to divide us”: Macedonian elections and a Balkan “War on Terror”

contributors

By Frances Trix | (Informed Comment) | – Now it appears, thanks to EU mediation, there will be new national elections in Macedonia next April 2016. In one sense it is quite early—there were national elections in April 2014 in which Nikola Gruevski, president since 2006, was once again elected. But in another sense, these […]

Africa

Global Connections: World History as Social History – a New Synthesis

Juan Cole

I and colleagues have just brought out a world history. Because of the fine and exciting writing of my co-authors, it is more than just a textbook. My readers often ask me about history books – here’s one I can recommend. By John Coatsworth, Juan Cole, Michael Hanagan, Peter C. Perdue, Charles Tilly, and Louise […]

Iran

Middle East Conflicts Trigger New U.S.-Russia Arms Race

contributors

By Thalif Deen | — UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – The escalating military conflicts in the Middle East – and the month-long aerial bombings of Yemen by an Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia – have triggered a new arms race in the politically-volatile region. The primary beneficiaries are the United States and Russia, two of […]

Iran

Iran: US, Israel dare not attack us; anyway if they could have, they would have

contributors

RT | — “With a nuclear deal around the corner, Russia’s decision to proceed with the sale of the sophisticated S-300 missile defense system to Iran sparked a flurry of speculation. How will these developments affect the balance of power in the region? Will it level the playing field or push the region into broader […]

Featured

Iran: Putin Explains to Israel’s Netanyahu: Air Defense System is, like, Defensive

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Tuesday with regard to the Russian Federation’s decision to go ahead with the sale to Iran of S-300 anti-aircraft batteries. Iran bought the batteries several years ago, but delivery was delayed by Moscow because of […]

Featured

Yemen: Russia, Red Cross Demand halt to Bombing to Avert Humanitarian Catastrophe

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – The Red Cross and the Russian Federation are both demanding a temporary cease-fire in the aerial bombardment of Yemen by a Saudi-led coalition, to allow delivery of needed humanitarian goods. Two weeks of bombing have left some 500 Yemenis dead and 1700 more wounded. Dozens of the killed […]