Middle East

By Nigel Ashton | (The Conversation) | – – Does history repeat itself? Never perfectly or precisely, but some of the parallels between Anthony Eden’s handling of the 1956 Suez Crisis and Tony Blair’s role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq are worth pondering. In both cases prime ministerial decision-making dictated the course of British […]

Israel/ Palestine

UNESCO dared say Jerusalem is Sacred to 3 Faiths & So Netanyahu Smeared It

contributors

By: Ramzy Baroud | (Ma’an News Agency) | – – Did Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi actually read the UNESCO Resolution full text of the UNESCO resolution [pdf] on Palestine and Israel, before he raved with anger? “I think this is a mistaken, inconceivable resolution,” he said. “It is not possible to continue with these […]

Featured

Iraq: Barzani pledges Kurdish forces won’t Enter Mosul

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Masoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (a super-province of Iraq) said Thursday that the KRG paramilitary, the Peshmerga, will not enter Mosul. He also remarked that last week’s Daesh attack on Kirkuk was an attempt to divert attention from the terrorist organization’s failures […]

Iraq

Int’l Conflict over Aleppo & Mosul is Making local Civil Wars Worse

contributors

By Christopher Hill | (Project Syndicate) | – – DENVER – The Middle East’s tragic tale of two cities – Aleppo in Syria and Mosul in Iraq – speaks to a fundamental lack of consensus in the region and within the broader international community. The lack of order in the international order is greatly complicating […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israel’s Blockade of Gaza is Inherently Violent

contributors

By Mike Merryman-Lotze | (Otherwords) | – – Every day Palestinians live in fear of another U.S.-funded attack by the Israeli government. This fall, the U.S. agreed to provide $38 billion in military aid to Israel over the next ten years, ensuring America’s continued role in funding the occupation of Palestine. Meanwhile, my friends and […]

Saudi Arabia

Why is the US helping Saudi Arabia target Yemen’s future?

Neil Thompson

London (Informed Comment) – Saudi Arabia has long been accused of needlessly hitting civilian targets during its air campaign in neighbouring Yemen. Most commentators have put this down to a mixture of indifference and military incompetence on the part of the Saudi armed forces. Their capabilities against hardened fighters like the rebel Houthis were long […]

Featured

Trump says Clinton will Start WW III with Russia, but Moscow Disagrees

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Donald Trump alleged on Tuesday that if elected, Hillary Clinton would start World War III with Russia over Syria. He wondered how Clinton would be able to negotiate with Putin, whom she has demonized, and said that her plan for a no-fly zone over Syria would […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israel Envy and Trump’s Wall

contributors

By Shalom Goldman | (Patheos) | – – In the current presidential campaign, Republicans and Democrats seem to be competing with each other to proclaim their “pro-Israel” stances. In a March address to AIPAC Hillary Clinton said, “I feel so strongly that America can’t ever be neutral when it comes to Israel’s security or survival.” […]

Featured

Why Trump is (really) wrong to bet against US Military-backed Mosul Campaign

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – As Josh Rogin pointed out, Donald Trump’s pronouncement that the Mosul campaign is bound to fail is an affront to the Iraqi and US troops risking their lives against Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). It is also just plain wrong, and the terms of his pronouncement show once […]