Arab World

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 […]

Iraq

Iraq after ISIL: Liberated Ramadi 80% Damaged, has only gotten $1 mn from Gov’t

contributors

By Kamal al-Ayash | Ramadi | (Niqash.org) | – – As the clean up in Ramadi continues, locals and officials are applying for reconstruction aid. But there are problems already, with calls of foul and favouritism and a lack of billions in funding. After the extremist group known as the Islamic State was pushed out […]

Featured

As Putin Slams NATO, Russia loses Patience with US-Backed Rebels in Syria

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – On Wednesday President Vladimir Putin addressed the Russian parliament on the 75th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s attack on his country. He said Russia would have to increase its military preparedness given NATO’s “aggressive” actions on Russia’s borders. (He was talking about NATO defensive moves in Poland […]

Corruption

Why don’t Technocrats think the cure for Iraqi Corruption more Democracy? It is Everywhere Else!

contributors

Usman W. Chohan | (The Conversation) | – – The tragedy of modern Iraq is often studied with a humanitarian, moral, religious, political or military lens, but fiscal perspectives are much harder to come by. In strong democracies, it is almost considered a given that a legislature helps oversee the budget, and its oversight supports […]

Featured

Pyrrhic Victory? As Iraq rolls back Daesh, can it stay together as a Country?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – From all accounts, most people in Fallujah are very happy about being out from under the murderous and puritanical rule of Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). But Daesh took the city in January of 2014 for a reason. Locals did not put up much of a fight to […]