Arab World

DW writes, “According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have died in the civil war in Syria so far. The real number of dead is probably much higher. Many “Free Armies” have formed in the country, and they all want one thing: to topple Bashar al-Assad.” DW: “Syria: Kurdish women soldiers against jihadists […]

al-Qaeda

Cole @ C-Span: Egypt and the Birth of al-Qaeda (video lecture)

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) My class lecture, “Egypt and the Birth of al-Qaeda,” was filmed by C-Span in February and has been shown on television; it is now available on the web (click here)

Economy

Libya’s Parliament dumps PM Zeidan, Elects al-Thinni, over Oil Tanker Crisis

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) In a series of dramatic political moves, the Libyan General National Congress on Tuesday carried out a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Ali Zeidan. Zeidan, identified as a liberal nationalist, has been targeted since his election in 2012 by the Muslim Brotherhood bloc in the elected Libyan parliament, but they […]

Drones

Obama’s Rules: US Drones in Yemen – ‘Psychological Torture’ from Above

contributors

(By Sarah Lazare) As the United States steps up covert drone strikes on Yemen, with three suspected U.S. drone attacks killing at least four people in Yemen early this week, campaigners on the ground say the accumulated years spent living under constant threat of death from above are sowing tragedy, "psychological torture," and resistance across the country. […]

Bahrain

The War on Terror Jumps the Shark as Everyone in the Mideast accuses everyone else of Terrorism

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) In early December of last year, Lebanese Shiite leader Hassan Nasrallah of Hizbullah accused Saudi Arabia of being behind the bombing of the Iranian embassy in Beirut, i.e. charged Riyadh with terrorism. Then in the middle of December, a small terrorist group that calls itself “Helpers of Holy Jerusalem” blew up the […]

Human Rights

Can Int’l Community help stop Libya’s Slide into Chaos?

contributors

(By Sarah Leah Whitson) (Tripoli) – The international community should agree to provide assistance to Libya’s flailing judicial system, Human Rights Watch said . . . following the international ministerial conference on Libya . . . The assistance should include urgently needed training for judicial police and trained personnel to help Libya end the crime […]

Arab Spring

A New Arab Cold War: Saudi Arabia Pressures Qatar on Muslim Brotherhood, American Think Tanks

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) Saudi Arabia’s listing of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization and the withdrawal of the Saudi, Kuwaiti United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain ambassadors from Qatar signal a big geopolitical realignment in the Middle East. Qatar is the Red Prince of the Middle East. Despite being fabulously wealthy because of its natural […]

Egypt

Will Russell Crowe as Noah help Egypt Separate Religion and State?

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) Darren Aronofski’s biblical epic “Noah” is already provoking controversy in the Muslim world, and has been preemptively banned in three Gulf states. Biblical figures, such as Abraham, Noah, David, and Jesus, also feature in the Qur’an, which sees sacred history as the serial dispatch by God to humans of messengers who remind […]

Human Rights

Sunni Representation Imperiled in Iraq if al-Anbar can’t/ won’t Vote

contributors

(By Mustafa Habib) Events in Anbar mean that it will be very difficult for the people of the province to vote in the upcoming general election. Logistics are one problem, the fact that a third of the population has fled ongoing violence there and that many others have lost faith in the political process are […]