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As speculation grows that the Syrian army under the regime of Bashar al-Assad is preparing to strike at the Idlib de-escalation zone, the last piece of Syrian territory with a significant rebel presence left active, it seems as if the brutal civil there is at last drawing to a bloody conclusion. Like Iraq, Syria may […]

Donald Trump

Trump Gingerly, Politely begs Russia not to Do Syria Idlib Campaign, Pretty Please

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – AFP reports that President Trump is cautioning the Syrian regime against launching an all-out assault on the last remaining rebel stronghold of Idlib Province. He also said that Russia and Iran would be making “a grave humanitarian mistake” to take part. It is hard to take the humanitarian part too […]

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On Labor Day, American Workers are Poor because they Aren’t Socialists

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The emergence of the Democratic Socialists of America caucus in the Democratic Party and its stars such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in New York City and Rashida Tlaib in Detroit is a signal of profound disappointment among working Americans with the current social deal they are being offered by management. The […]

Donald Trump

McCain Funeral: TV makes it all about Personalities, elides Oil Drilling, War, Tax Cuts

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Cable television news shows and perhaps social media as well are misleading us by concentrating on personalities instead of issues, and the funeral of Sen. John McCain was more of the same. I was once in the same room with John McCain at a DC think tank meeting, and on […]

China

China defies Trump on Iran, Creating new Benchmark Crude Market in Yuan

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – China’s new futures market in Shanghai is trading in the Chinese currency, the Yuan, rather than dollars. One reason for dumping the dollar in this regard is that the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control is trying to stop countries from buying Iranian petroleum. The Dept of […]

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In Epochal Shift, California Votes for 100% Green Electricity by 2045

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – This week, the California state legislature voted to mandate that all the state’s electricity come from non-carbon sources (chiefly wind, solar and hydro) by 2045. Since California if it were a country would have the world’s fifth largest economy, and since so many other states are economically integrated with it, […]

Donald Trump

Top 7 Reasons Progressive Andrew Gillum can Defeat “Monkey it Up” DeSantis

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Congressional representative and Florida gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis shocked the nation on Wednesday by warning Florida voters not to “monkey it up” by electing African-American democratic standard-bearer Andrew Gillum, whom he incorrectly described as a “socialist.” Gillum was a Hillary Clinton delegate and voted for her, and his career as […]

Climate Change

Storm Death Toll in Puerto Rico Rivals 9/11: But where is War on Climate Change?

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – A team of researchers at George Washington University has estimated that excess deaths of Americans in Puerto Rico during and after last year’s Hurricane Maria reached almost 3,000, a number accepted by the governor. In his visit to the island after the hurricane struck, Trump was insufferable. He said that […]

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Muhammad and Islamic Peace Studies: Interview with Juan Cole

Juan Cole

Author Juan Cole Detroit (World Religion News ) – Joseph Richard Preville, American Writer and Book Critic, interviews Juan Cole. Joseph Richard Preville: What problems do historians face when writing about the life and times of Muhammad? What are the principal sources you consulted to write your book? Juan Cole: The problem is that the […]