Arab World

(By Christine Petré) A street art project aims to show the world there is more to Yemeni people than terrorism. Black and white portraits of everyday Yemenis are now decorating the walls of the capital Sana’a, as well as the cities of Taiz, Hodaida, Hadramawt and Aden. Inside Out Yemen is a project that aims […]

Arab World

Crimea, Egypt, Syria: Cole Interview on Ian Masters’ “Background Briefing”

Juan Cole

My radio interview with Ian Masters at KPFK on developments in Egypt, Ukraine and Syria is now available on the web: Play it above or if it doesn’t display (it takes 20 seconds to load), the audio file is here The blurb: “Then we examine the effectiveness of E.U. and U.S. sanctions on Putin’s Russia, […]

Human Rights

Iraqi Women’s Rights Under Threat

contributors

(By Erin Evers) Few disagree that the Iraqi government’s increasingly Shia character has alienated its Sunni population—but what has mounting sectarian division meant for the rights of women and girls? Last October, Iraq’s justice minister introduced a draft law to its Council of Ministers which would legalise child marriage and severely affect women’s rights in […]

Egypt

Egypt: Al-Sisi’s run for President: Bonapartism and Gulf Oil Money

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) Egypt’s Brig. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, 59, on Wednesday resigned his military commission and announced that he will run for president. He was given a long spot on Egyptian television to make the announcement, still wearing his uniform (he said it was the last time he would be seen in it after […]

Economy

Gaza’s Palestinians, Besieged by Israel, turn to Solar Power

Juan Cole

Here’s an excellent AFP film clip and article from a couple weeks ago that I think deserves a wider audience. Gazans turn to solar power as fuel crisis bites (via AFP) On the roof of Gaza City’s children’s hospital, a pristine row of solar panels gleams in the sunlight, an out-of-place symbol of modern, clean […]

Featured

Why Romney is Wrong that Obama’s Syria Policy Emboldened Putin

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) On Face the Nation on Sunday, Mitt Romney slammed President Obama’s policies toward Russia as “naive” and called the country a “geopolitical adversary” of the US. He also seemed to suggest that Obama’s Syria policy emboldened Russia. He said: “”Well, there’s no question but that the president’s naivete with regards to Russia, […]

Africa

Saudi Arabia Again Fails Human Rights 101 (UNHRC)

Juan Cole

The [United Nations’] Human Rights Council’s review of Saudi Arabia comes at a time of serious concern about the rights situation in the country. Authorities have intensified efforts to repress and silence peaceful dissidents and human rights activists, continue to systematically discriminate against women and religious minorities, and have arrested and deported at least 250,000 […]

Featured

ABC: Bush’s Neocon Spokesman for Illegal US Occupation of Iraq Slams Russia for Crimea

Juan Cole

It just baffles me that failed Neocons like Dan Senor are still given a hearing inside the Beltway. ABC News actually interviewed Senor, the spokesman for the Bush administration’s illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq on the Crimea crisis! Senor had the unmitigated gall to blame President Obama for “Iraq unraveling”!! Let’s see. The American […]

Iraq

Are Some Iraqi Politicians being Disqualified because they Criticized PM Nouri al-Maliki?

Juan Cole

(From a Niqash Special Correspondent in Baghdad) A number of high profile MPs have been banned from running in Iraq’s upcoming general elections – allegedly because they contravene an electoral rule about good conduct. However there is also another thing they all have in common: They are all vehement critics of the current Prime Minister. […]