Arab World

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Saudi Arabia was rocked yesterday by three terrorist attacks, presumably the work of Daesh (ISIL, ISIS). The attacks were carefully distributed and aimed at delegitimizing the Saudi monarchy, which glories in the title “Servant of the Two Holy Shrines.” The first shrine is Mecca, the birthplace […]

Iraq

Ordinary Iraqis defy sectarianism after Islamic State’s attacks on Baghdad

contributors

By Balsam Mustafa | (The Conversation) | – – “I’m happy that I graduated. I’m so grateful to my parents and I dedicate my success to both of them.” These were the final words written by Adnan, a victim of a deadly attack on Sunday’s early hours in the crowded, buzzing street of Karrada in […]

Iraq War

Int’l Criminal Court Won’t Investigate Blair but Might Prosecute Soldiers

contributors

TeleSur | – – The Hague says it is not in its mandate to prosecue Blair, but may use the long-awaited Chilcot report to prosecute British soldiers for malfeasance. With the long-anticipated release of the Chilcot report later this week, the International Criminal Court Monday said that it will not investigate former UK Prime Minister […]

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria

4th of July US Consulate attack in Saudi Arabia: Suicide Bomber injures Guards

contributors

TeleSur | – – A suicide bomber was killed and two other people wounded in a blast outside the U.S. consulate in Saudi Arabia’s second city of Jeddah early on Monday, state TV said. The attacker parked his car outside a mosque opposite the consulate and shortly afterwards his device detonated, killing him and lightly […]

Iraq

Iraq: al-Anbar’s Cities are ISIL-Free, But Can they be kept that Way?

contributors

Kamal al-Ayash | (Niqash.org) | – – Every time extremists are forced out of Anbar’s cities they take refuge in nearby desert and attack again. Now it seems like the same guerilla war is starting again. Plenty of effort has gone into pushing the extremist group known as the Islamic State out of major cities […]

Central Intelligence Agency

CIA Arms For Syria Sold by Jordan Spies on Black Market For Terrorists

contributors

Jo Ankier, Elliot Hill and Mark Sovel | (TheLipTV) | – – “Weapons sent by the CIA to Jordan for Syrian rebels were stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, a joint investigation by The New York Times and Al Jazeera has revealed, citing American and Jordanian officials. […]

Christianity

Syrian War Overflows: Radical Salafis attack Christian Village in Lebanon

Juan Cole

Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – A wave of suicide bombings was launched by four radical attackers struck al-Qaa, a largely Christian Lebanese village on the border with Syria on Monday, killing five locals and wounding 15. The first attacks came in the morning but that evening a second wave was launched, attacking […]

Featured

Fallujah Falls: The Slow Death of ISIL and the Future of Iraq

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – As Shakir Jawdat, Chief of the Iraqi Federal Police, announced the complete liberation of the last, northern neighborhoods of Fallujah from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi came to the city on Sunday to plant the Iraqi flag right downtown. al-Abadi, the commander in chief […]

Featured

The Great Battle for Aleppo

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Jordan’s Arabic daily al-Dustour [Constitution] is reporting on what it calls ‘the Great Battle for Aleppo.’ Such a battle isn’t, ideally, supposed to be taking place, by the terms of the cessation of hostilities reached in late November. The rebels in East Aleppo (pop. 300,000) and […]