Featured

Revised The murders by a high school student in Oxford, Michigan, who was given a gun by his parents even though he was making death threats and the school called them to conferences out of concern, have shaken the state and become national news. That is because the parents are being charged with criminal negligence […]

Corporate Surveillance

We’re all Palestinians Now: Israel-backed NSO Spyware used against US State Department

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Reuters reports that at least nine US State Department officials had their smartphones hacked by Pegasus spyware, produced by the Israeli-government-backed NSO company. The officials were informed of the hacking of their iPhones by Apple, which is suing NSO, essentially for tortious interference. The State Department personnel were all either […]

Featured

As Iran Negotiates on Nuclear Deal, Americans Wrongly believe it has a Bomb — and that Israel Doesn’t!

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – This week Iran returned to Vienna for negotiations with Germany and the four members of the UN Security Council still adhering to the 2015 nuclear deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JPOA). Chief negotiator Ali Bagheri-Kani brought two documents, one on the lifting of sanctions on Iran and the […]

Featured

Republicans reject Gov’t Vaccine Mandates for Men, seek state Pregnancy Mandates on Women

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Texas GOP delegation in Congress, led by Rep. Chip Roy and Sen. Ted Cruz, are threatening to shut down the federal government over vaccine mandates, according to the Houston Chronicle. The Chronicle quotes Roy’s interview at Fox News: “Congress needs to man up, stand up and fight for the […]

Featured

Both UN Official and US Amb. to UN Warn Israel Squatter Violence toward Palestinians is Escalating

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – On Tuesday, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, delivered alarming remarks to the United Nations Security Council about the dangers of an outbreak of further violence on the part of the Israeli state and its squatter-settlers toward the 5 million Palestinians they keep stateless […]

Featured

For First Time, Wind generated more Electricity in Turkey than any other Source

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Daily Sabah reports that on Sunday November 28, Turkey got 22.6% of its electricity from wind power, a first in the country’s history. Turkey has an installed capacity of 10.5 gigawatts of wind. Of course, this result is a little bit of a fluke, and just requires heavy winds […]

Denialism

Fauci on Ted Cruz asking for his Ouster: “What happened on Jan. 6th, Senator?” “I’ll be saving lives and they’ll be lying.”

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – CBS’s Margaret Brennan interviewed Dr. Anthony Fauci on Sunday for Face the Nation and got some fireworks. Brennan asked Fauci about the death threats he and his family have received and how he dealt with it. He said he just went on doing his job, pointing to the lightning fast […]

Authoritarianism

As Climate Emergency Shakes Iran, Government Attacks, arrests Water Protesters at Isfahan, wounding 3

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – After two weeks of protests by thousands of farmers in the dry riverbed of the historic Zayandeh Rud river in Isfahan, the police have struck back. According to AFP, thousands of people gathered to protest on Friday, when the police attacked them with bird shot and tear gas. Three were […]

Congress

Lauren Boebert is the one with Terrorist ties, not Ilhan Omar

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) was caught on camera boasting of taunting Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) that she is a terrorist. The taunt was ironic given that Hunter Walker at Rolling Stone reported that Boebert was one of a handful of representatives on the Hill who repeatedly met with conspirators planning […]