Middle East

Via The Conversation | – – Now Donald Trump has finally backed out of the Iranian nuclear deal, the rest of the world is trying to understand the thinking that went into his decision. High up the list of factors is a longstanding American unease about Iran in general. But while most Americans don’t like […]

Iran

Largest Israeli raids on Syria in Years hit ‘Iranian’ Targets after Rocket Fire

AFP

by Laurent Lozano | – – Jerusalem (AFP) – Israel’s army said Thursday it had carried out widespread raids against Iranian targets in Syria overnight after rocket fire towards its forces which it blamed on Iran, marking a sharp escalation between the two enemies. The incident came after weeks of rising tensions and followed US […]

Featured

Trump Warmonger moves on Iran are from Iraq Playbook

Juan Cole

I teach a lot of 18 year olds, so I am keenly aware that a whole generation has come up who did not live through the Bush propaganda campaign against Iraq of 2002-2003. And, of course, a lot of people who did live through it have forgotten its details or how complicit corporate media were […]

Iran

Iran’s Rouhani: Will watch Russia, China and Europe in deciding on Nuclear Program

AFP

Tehran (AFP) – Iran said it will hold talks with signatories to a nuclear deal after US President Donald Trump’s decision Tuesday to withdraw from the accord, which it branded “psychological warfare”. President Hassan Rouhani also said Iran could resume uranium enrichment “without limit” in response to Trump’s announcement. He said he would discuss Iran’s […]

Israel/ Palestine

At 70, as Apartheid Sets in, Israel faces a new Threat: Itself

AFP

By Jonah Mandel | – – Jerusalem (AFP) – Israel has built a high-tech economy, forged the region’s strongest military and fended off enemies surrounding it in the 70 years since its creation, but many think it faces a new threat: itself. The 70th anniversary of the establishment of the state of Israel on May […]

Featured

No, Iran and Hizbullah haven’t taken over Lebanon: it is a multiparty Election

Juan Cole

Lebanon held the first parliamentary elections since 2009 (they are supposed to be every 4 years but the Syrian civil war and political gridlock made it difficult to meet that schedule until now).* Given all the talk of Trump pulling out of the Iran deal in part because of Tehran’s supposed regional dominance, the results […]

Israel/ Palestine

As Israel turns 70, many young American Jews turn away, a la Natalie Portman

Dov Waxman

Natalie Portman, the Oscar-winning actress, recently kicked off a massive storm of controversy when she pulled out of a prestigious award ceremony in Israel because, she said, she “did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu.” The response to Portman’s refusal to appear alongside Israel’s prime minister was intense. She was denounced by right-wing […]

Israel

Lost in the debate on Iran: Israel’s Nukes and the Vanunu Case

John Buell

Recently there was an extraordinary moment on corporate TV. Late last month CNN’s Chris Cuomo asked Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “Does Israel have nuclear capabilities and nuclear weapons, yes or no?” Netanyahu responded evasively, claiming: “we’ve always been the first to say we wouldn’t introduce it so we haven’t introduced it.” After Cuomo continued […]

Iraq

Now Iraq is regularly bombing Syria . . . to Blast ISIL Remnants

AFP

Baghdad (AFP) – Iraqi warplanes carried out a raid Sunday targeting Islamic State group commanders in eastern Syria, in the second such strike on the jihadists since mid-April, the premier’s office said. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered the “painful strike” which targeted “a meeting of IS commanders south of Al-Dushashiya in Syrian territory”, a statement […]