Europe

Pete Hoekstra told Whoppers defaming Muslims and the Netherlands

Nearly a year after Trump bombed Syria, al-Assad and Russia extend control

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Syrian war limps along at the margins. It is over where it matters but continues in key demographic pockets. The two most significant are East Ghouta near the al-Assad-held capital of Damascus and the province of Idlib in the northwest of the country. East Ghouta […]

Coal

Civilized UK, rebuking Trump on Coal, now 30% Wind Powered

Juan Cole

Even Wyoming is bailing on Coal, putting in huge Wind Farms

Authoritarianism

Putin’s Medieval Romanticism and Russia’s Lurch Right

contributors

Dina Khapaeva | (Project Syndicate) | – – As much of the world makes amends for social and political injustices of the past, Russia is lionizing its despots, raising statues to the worst of them. Behind this phenomenon is an ultra-nationalist brand of conservatism that seeks to take Russian politics back to the Middle Ages. […]

Donald Trump

Trump “not welcome” in UK after Neo-Nazi retweets: London Mayor

Juan Cole

Middle East Monitor | – – Describing London as the city of “tolerance, acceptance and diversity”, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, however, on Wednesday said President Donald Trump is “not welcomed”, Anadolu reports. Khan’s written statement came after the London Assembly asked him how the city’s government would prepare for an official state visit from Trump. […]

Bashar al-Assad

Putin’s talk of Draw Down in Syria isn’t about Russia leaving, but staying

contributors

By Moritz Pieper | (The Conversation) | – – Standing on the Russian military airbase at Khmeimim on his December visit to Syria, Vladimir Putin announced that Russia will withdraw the bulk of its forces from Syria following the “successful intervention” in Syria’s armed conflict. This is Putin’s second withdrawal announcement within two years. And […]

Donald Trump

Smoking Gun: Did the Russians admit to Interference in the US Election?

contributors

By Don Van Atta | (Informed Comment) | – – A little-noticed Russian diplomatic approach to the US on 17 July amounted to an official admission by the Russian Federation that it interfered in the 2016 US election through cyberwar techniques including hacking and spreading fake news. Those facts are now widely known, but some […]

European Union

A Bitter Pill for Far Right: Europe’s Muslim Immigrants create Jobs, boost Economy

contributors

Maha Akeel | (Euractiv.com) | – – Immigration has been shown to boost Europe’s economies and should be encouraged as indigenous populations get older. At a time of challenge, Europe still has what some might think is a surprising ace up its sleeve – immigration, writes Maha Akeel. Maha Akeel is the director of the […]

Eastern Europe

How Eastern Europe failed at Democracy & Invented Trumpism Instead

contributors

By John Feffer | ( Tomdispatch.com) | – – He was a rich businessman, an outspoken outsider with a love of conspiracy theories. And he was a populist running for president. In 1990, when Donald Trump was still beyond the furthest outskirts of American politics, Stanislaw Tyminski was trying to become the new president of […]