Iraq

By Mustafa Habib | (Niqash.org) | – (Baghdad) – Iraq’s relatively new Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, has been performing a tricky balancing act for the past few months, carefully keeping the various internal and external influencers satisfied while fighting against the extremist Islamic State group and shoring up his own power base. Up until now […]

Bush

Did Jeb Bush just commit a War Crime in Justifying the Iraq War?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | — Jeb Bush’s people are trying to walk back his disastrous interview with Megyn Kelly in which he said that even if he knew then what we all know now, he would have launched the war on Iraq in 2003. It is true that he doesn’t seem to […]

Iraq

Iraqi Shiite cleric al-Sadr threatens USA as GOP Draft Seen aiming at Partition

contributors

Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | — Fighters loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr staged a military parade after al-Sadr protested the US’ draft law. A recent piece of proposed legislation sponsored by US Republicans has caused some of the biggest political splits in recent Iraqi history – both inside local politics and between Iraq […]

Iraq

Holy War Hotel: 5-star resort opens for ISIS supporters in Iraq

contributors

RT | – “It may look like any other top resort in Iraq, but the Ninawa International Hotel in Mosul has one major difference. It is the first 5-star hotel for Islamic State jihadists. It includes a swimming pool and tennis court… but no bar.” RT: “Jihad Hotel: 5-star resort opens for ISIS supporters in […]

Iraq

Cunning Stunts in Iraq: ISIL Sleeper Cells Are Secret Weapon in Ramadi

contributors

Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) – Refugees from Ramadi trying to escape the city and extremists. Last week’s small extremist victories in Ramadi were fuelled by the work of sleeper cells, who spread rumours and panic that saw security forces abandoning the city and locals fleeing for Baghdad. But those worst fears were never […]

Human Rights

Daesh in Mosul seeks Child Soldiers, Child Suicide-Bombers

contributors

By Khales Joumah | Mosul | (Niqash.org) – One of the latest inventions by the Islamic State in Mosul is the mobile pulpit. Most recently a caravan for propaganda appeared in a city fun fair. The target for extremist recruitment? The city’s children. It has almost become a joke among the families of Mosul. It […]

Iraq

“We had to destroy Tikrit to save it from ISIL”: Recovered Iraqi City a Ghost Town

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | Tikrit | (Niqash.org) – It’s been almost a month since the Islamic State group was expelled from Tikrit. NIQASH went there and found a graffiti-covered ghost town ruled by opposing groups of gunmen, none of whom trust one another. In Basha Street in the centre of the Iraqi city of Tikrit, […]

Afghanistan

The Middle East Policy of President Bernie Sanders

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – Bernie Sanders opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation of that country. Sanders wanted to get out of Afghanistan from 2011 much faster than the timetable announced by President Obama. Obama has now more or less extended a US military presence in Afghanistan, advertised as […]

Barack Obama

Bush blames Obama for lack of Wars (‘Follow-Through’ on ‘Threats’)

contributors

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) – George W. Bush spoke privately this weekend at a Republican Jewish Coalition session hosted by casino sleazeball Sheldon Adelson, who made his pile in a very shady way in China’s Macau and now gets to choose the US president with his ill-gotten gains. What was remarkable was that […]