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Conflict in Mecca: The Prophet Muhammad and Soft Power
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Conflict in Mecca: The Prophet Muhammad and Soft Power

Juan Cole

I believe that the earliest source we have for the life of the Prophet is the Quran itself. And I believe the Quran is early.

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“Into this Universe:”  Heidegger and FitzGerald’s The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:29

“Into this Universe:” Heidegger and FitzGerald’s The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám 1:29

12/14/2025 By Juan Cole

“Identity is never fixed:” Interview with Iranian-American Artist Soraya Sharghi

“Identity is never fixed:” Interview with Iranian-American Artist Soraya Sharghi

12/14/2025 By Global Voices

More Stories

Iraq
Curfews, Clashes, Protests and Mortars; Five Years after Fall of Saddam; 5 US Troops Die; 23 Iraqis Wounded in Sadr City

Curfews, Clashes, Protests and Mortars; Five Years after Fall of Saddam; 5 US Troops Die; 23 Iraqis Wounded in Sadr City

April 9, yesterday, marked the fifth anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein. But for many Iraqis, it was more notable for marking the beginning […]

Juan Cole

Iraq
Petraeus, Iraq and the Lebanon Analogy

Petraeus, Iraq and the Lebanon Analogy

Gen. Petraeus is clearly convinced that Iraq needs US troops to shore up the government and security. He has done the most responsible job yet […]

Juan Cole

Iraq
Sadr Calls off Demonstration; Threatens to End Cease-Fire; McCain confuses al-Qaeda with Shiites (Again)

Sadr Calls off Demonstration; Threatens to End Cease-Fire; McCain confuses al-Qaeda with Shiites (Again)

Iraq Hearing follies. John McCain just can’t keep the branches of Islam straight. He said to Gen. David Petraeus: ‘ SEN. MCCAIN: There are numerous […]

Juan Cole

Iraq
4 US Troops Killed; Hundreds Flee Baghdad Clashes; Ayatollahs Decline to Ban Militia

4 US Troops Killed; Hundreds Flee Baghdad Clashes; Ayatollahs Decline to Ban Militia

I am always astounded at the combination of unrealistic optimism and foolish gullibility that marks political discourse on the Right in Washington. We were being […]

Juan Cole

Iraq
5 US Troops Die in Iraq; Heavy Fighting in Sadr City Kills 22, Wounds 78; Blockade Threatens Humanitarian Crisis

5 US Troops Die in Iraq; Heavy Fighting in Sadr City Kills 22, Wounds 78; Blockade Threatens Humanitarian Crisis

The US military attacked the Mahdi Army militia in Sadr City on Sunday, alongside Iraqi Army troops. The fighting left 22 dead and 78 wounded, […]

Juan Cole

Iraq
McCain: Iraqi Troops Performed ‘Pretty Well’ at Basra; Engelhardt: Not so Much

McCain: Iraqi Troops Performed ‘Pretty Well’ at Basra; Engelhardt: Not so Much

Senator John McCain on the failed Basra campaign: ‘ Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said Sunday that Iraq’s military performed “pretty well” in its recent […]

Juan Cole

Iraq
Rich, McCain, and the Coming Heartbreak Ridge

Rich, McCain, and the Coming Heartbreak Ridge

Frank Rich’s “Tet Happened . . . and No One Cared” is an elegantly written and argued examination of the current situation in Iraq that […]

Juan Cole

Iraq
Al-Maliki: Militias must Disarm; 25,000 Tribesmen Join Iraqi Army in Basra; Seek to Fight Sadrist Tribes

Al-Maliki: Militias must Disarm; 25,000 Tribesmen Join Iraqi Army in Basra; Seek to Fight Sadrist Tribes

Al-Hayat reports in Arabic that the Iraqi National Security Council met on Saturday. The heads of the major blocks in parliament attended, including Nassar al-Rubaie, […]

Juan Cole

Iraq
Al-Maliki Freezes anti-Militia Operations; Al-Sadr Calls Million Man March

Al-Maliki Freezes anti-Militia Operations; Al-Sadr Calls Million Man March

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki suddenly reversed himself on Friday, pledging a freeze on attacks on militias. Just a day before he had been saying that […]

Juan Cole

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