Islam

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – Once they were focused on fighting extremists. Now Iraq’s controversial volunteer Shiite militias seem to be preparing the ground for their political debut. It’s been extremely hot in Iraq over the past few weeks – summer temperatures have gone as high as 51 degrees Celsius […]

Islam

Jerusalem: Ultra-Right Israelis again invade Aqsa Mosque compound; UN condemns provocation

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Right-wing Israelis broke into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday for the second day in a row, as the UN expressed concern over “religious provocations” in and around holy sites in the Old City of East Jerusalem. Witnesses said that 70 right-wing Jews entered the compound […]

Human Rights

Jerusalem: Israeli forces, extremist Jews, storm Aqsa mosque compound

contributors

JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Israeli forces broke into Al-Aqsa mosque compound Sunday morning firing stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets at Muslim worshipers as they cleared way for right-wing Jews who were visiting the compound to mark a Jewish fast day, witnesses said. Dozens of Palestinian worshipers were reportedly hit with rubber-coated bullets and suffered excessive […]

Iran

Iraqis Divided on Iran Deal: Sunnis say, “The US sold us to Iran”

contributors

Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – While the rest of the world debates the merits of the Iranian nuclear deal, Iraqis are arguing about it too: Did the US sell them out? Will Iran now be able to interfere in Iraq with impunity? Earlier this month news broke that a deal on […]

Bahrain

Why the Arab Gulf Oil Monarchies should Welcome Iran Deal

contributors

By Miriam R Lowi | (Via al-Araby al-Jadeed ) | – – Gulf states, long-time rivals of Tehran, should seize the opportunities for regional peace and security offered by the historic deal, writes Miriam Lowi. In recent months, a lot has been said about the promises and perils of negotiating with Iran, making compromises and […]

fiction

One Ring to Bind them: Reading the Lord of the Rings to defeat ISIL

contributors

By Akil N Awan | (The Conversation) | – – The wave of recent attacks in Tunisia, Kuwait and Turkey, all apparently linked to Islamic State in some way, have reinforced the spectre of the unstoppable “Daesh death cult” whose tentacles of terror can reach deep into every corner of the globe The omnipresence of […]

Archaeology

Actually, Oldest Qur’ans are in Sanaa, Yemen & in Danger of Saudi Bombing

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | The discovery of a couple pages [apparently actually 18] of a very old Qur’an (the Muslim scripture), probably from the 640s CE [“AD”], in a library in Britain, has provoked a good deal of press reporting. Muslim tradition holds that the scripture was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad […]

Iraq

As the Iraqi Army takes on ISIL in al-Anbar: How did we get here?

contributors

Brian Glyn Williams | (Informed Comment) | – – Last week the Iraqi government announced that it would be commencing operations to retake Ramadi, the capital of the vast western province of Anbar from ISIL (also called ISIS and Daesh). This represents the Shiite-dominated government’s first attempt to roll back the hybrid terrorist-army in Iraq’s […]

Featured

Iraqi Government halts al-Anbar Campaign over Sectarian Fears, US Pressure

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The Kuwaiti press (al-Siyasah) is alleging that the Iraqi government, under American pressure, has hit the pause button on its campaign to take al-Anbar Province back from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL). The report was also carried by 24.ae in the United Arab Emirates. A source in the […]